Interview with TEZ
Tez had some killer work in last year’s Paste Modernism, and he’ll be back again for PM3. . Check out his work below
- Why do you use the name TEZ?
Well it’s short for Tezza, a nickname that is derived from my family name, which is Terry. I started signing my work as Tez at a very early age, like 15 years old or so, back then I think I liked it because it was short and sweet and the fact it ended with a Z was cool. Years on the pseudonym now serves as a practical one, living a reasonably private life with my family I’m comfortable If people can’t make the distinction between me and my work. It’s kind of like living alternate lives; the art being just one facet of who I am as a person. Of course working under a pseudonym is beneficial when delving into the street art realm for obvious reasons.
- How long have you been making paste-ups / street based work and what draws you to this style?
Well not that long really, I have always held an appreciation for street based art and when in the city I would make a point to slap a few stickers about but they were never huge campaigns, I have to say. I do recall talking to Beastman some time back just when he started building a lot of momentum on the street and his advice to me was to just get your stuff out there, to do it. I think what also drove me was a frustration with the type of work I was now producing and the messages I wished to deliver. There was a need to maximise my audience and I found it somewhat limiting when just showing in the confines of a gallery environment.
- The city or place that an artist lives often inspires the kind of work they do – how does your location influence you?
Originally my work was heavily inspired by my immediate surroundings, growing up on the Central Coast in the 80′s & 90′s I was exposed to surf and skate culture. All the associated mags, clothing labels and skate graphics gave me a heavy dose of eye candy. Interestingly these very same things today, especially when it comes to branding and advertising, I have a more cynical outlook on. I would say my work now is more influenced by our social environment and the current state of the world as a whole, as opposed to where I reside.
- Some of your work has underlying political messages, how important are these concepts in your work?
They seem to have become more important of late; maybe the cynicism comes with age? I do know raising two young boys has caused me to question many of today’s issues we are faced with. I suppose I feel, in some way, a generational responsibility? It’s like I owe it to them to acknowledge and address some of problems we have created and, in turn, they will inherit. The best way for me to do that is through my art and through the messages conveyed I hope the viewer will pose the very same questions I have. This is where I think art can be a very strong tool to bring about change.
- What are your thoughts on Paste Modernism and what kind of work might we see from you for this year’s event?
Well it just seems to be getting bigger and better every year! What better stage to hold it than in conjunction with an amazing festival on a bloody big island in the middle of Sydney Harbour? This year I will be offering a mixed bag, a heap of small hand done pieces and a couple of larger scale digital pastes that will require tiling to achieve the desired size. All, of course, will be comments on our society and our cultural identity and I will be even throwing in a bit of political humour for good measure.