INSIDE THE MIND OF MOJOKO
Interview by Julia Roxan.
As a Brit raised in Hong Kong, can you explain why the city has had a lasting influence on your art?
Hong Kong was an overload on the senses. The neon lights, the volume of people, the sights and smells were intense. The energy is
infectious and the juxtaposition of Western and Asian culture was everywhere – Chinese movies with English subtitles, Rambo movie posters with Chinese typography. I found it fascinating and still do. There is definitely an air of nostalgia about it for me, but it was so futuristic and still feels like one of the most exciting cities in the world.
Do you still feel British, having lived in Asia for so long?
I think I have a British sense of humour, but I’m not particularly patriotic about the UK. I still look to it as a benchmark for creativity and quality content, but I do enjoy a global perspective on all things art, music and film.
Mojoko sounds funky and rather universal, like it could come from Japan, Indonesia or Nigeria. When did you adopt this artist name and where did it come from?
Actually, the name comes from the printing process CMYK. I was playing with colour values on my computer and I noticed M=0 Y=0 K=0. It just resonated with me, and yes, it felt like it could be African or Japanese or Indonesian, so I loved that versatility of the moniker.
Your art is strongly inspired by B-movies, trash TV and alternative culture. When did it all begin?
I think it was born by rejection of the mainstream. I always hated pop music and big Hollywood films. I found alternative music and culture much more exciting and unusual. For example, in a VHS video rental store, I was much more glamoured by the graphics and titles of the
weird sections than the blockbuster films. They were much more intriguing and explicit.
Has collage always been at the core of your creative process?
Everything I do has an element of collage. It’s the interplay between two separate ideas which create a spark.
The most up to date place to see what he’s up to is Instagram (@mojokoworld) and for archive projects and prints, www.mojokoworld.com
This article is republished by kind permission of Yacht Style magazine
