Joe
abyss a headbanger with a silver pencil .He's also the projection of a black,
macabre, mysterious and sometimes morbid world, besides, youcef is a guy
who must be sustained because he always answered present in The most auspicious
moments. I let you therefore discover him through this interview that he
granted us.
Can you
briefly present ur self ?
S.YOUCEF 20 years old, student in the university of Bab Ezzouar (1st year)
When and
how you got involved in artwork?
I began trying to draw when I was14 years old, by starting to do some
simple drawings (roughs, caricatures
..) but it wasn't really satisfying
- for me especially- Then I tried to improve my drawings while observing
works of other drawers, I wanted to know how their drawings become so
realists, then I learnt the techniques of this art ;and my work became
methodical, it is especially based on a DARK ambience, the domination
of two colours especially black and white, my goal it is to express my
topics by odd shapes, creatures, mysterious characters
.. And to
make them a little realistic to create this dark ambience. I think that
it is original (of the less in Algeria) .I've exposed a few drawings with
the RACIM club of Bab Ezzouar university at the academic village and outside
of the faculty (polytechnic school of EL HARRACH and in TIARET..) I've
also made as some posters of some gigs; lately the poster of the second
edition of lelahel festival. At the moment I try to make new applications
on T-shirts for example
waiting for new stuffs
What's
your working process ? How do you create and in what rhythm?
My process
?!!.. it comes alone, as soon as I'm marked by something
(actions, events, sentiments, images, strange positions
.) my imagination
starts storming to elaborate a shape or a final image, we can say it's
a fusion of many ideas or many actions, that remained in my head, then
i begin drawing and my ideas complete themselves (to make modifications
so that the drawing could match with the chosen topic and to express it
well).
For the rhythm
it depends on the motivation. It's necessary to
be exhorted, there must be projects on the path
; anyway that's
what i need.
Do you
use the computer to retouch or are you a puritan kind , do you prefer
something raw ?
personally I prefer natural and manual stuffs, I hate the idea of retouching
a drawing with a PC, but it's ok if the drawing is made with a PC; cuz
it's an art and I respect all that's artistic .But for making posters
or a work which needs a print it's necessary to improve the quality of
the drawing -after the digitalization- and to add advertising information
( titles, logos, signs
) also to give a background to the image .
And all this is made by computer .INTIK :)
Does music
counts much for your creation ?do you get inspired by the kinda music
you listen to , to create a black and morbid world ?
It's not music that chooses your style, it's your state of mind that chooses
it, it even chooses the kind of music you listen to so that your feelings
can , it's the spiritual torment that created this ambience within me,
i always want to imagine my self in a silent and morbid worlds that's
why my drawings are a little bit realistic ; it's the DARK TRANQUILITY.
But it has got no harm, what is wrong is between myself and I ; we always
live difficult periods
for sure ; but we have to keep on smiling
and have a good behavior with people.
What are
your musical preferences, which bands do you like ?and what do you think
about Algerian and Arabian metal ?
I like guitar very much, and i listen to almost all the music using this
instrument from soft to black metal ( especially death metal ).my favorite
bands .. : death ,carcass, dark tranquility, testament,
many
other soft rock bands and others like :U2 ,oasis, anathema extreme
without
forgetting the OLD SCHOOL (led zep, deep purple, rolling stones this will
never end
.lol.
To say Algerian metal , there must be many bands (who do compositions
overall) , but we notice only one or two bands working and it's not enough
at all ; But concerning the ARABIAN metal it's okay , it seems that a
new generation will be launched with an important diversity of styles.
Talking
about Algerian metal, it's you who have illustrated the 2nd edition poster
of LELAHEL FESTIVAL tell us how you recovered yourself in it?
It was through the intermediary of a friend called REDHA (the interviewer),
he was often in touch with the promoter of the festival (REDOUANE/Lelahel),
then he showed him my drawings. The promoter asked me then to conceive
the poster for the LELAHEL festival and I did .
Several illustrators don't like to work on order. It's hard to follow
a guiding line that didn't come from one's mind how did you manage this
kind of constraint during the illustration of LELAHEL festival poster?
In my case I can work on command but I only have to be given the topic
of the drawing.Then I give him propositions, and if ever I'm asked to
retouch or modify a drawing I can accept
as I can refuse. It's a matter of mentalities, principles and choices.
You said last time that it was hard to make artwork in our country,
did you have propositions for bands since you made the poster of LELAHEL
festival?
the illustration of the poster won't change anything .the problem isn't
to be or not to be known; the real problem is that there's no cultural
movement in our country especially for metal culture we must first impose
that culture, and to make it come true, everybody got to work, and show
our abilities, there must be a real metal crowd and bands who do creation,
and of course to create a mean of communication between them.
You're
rather faithful to the "black n' white" are you afraid that
colours may project something else different from the dark world of your
illustrations?
The most important for me is the ambience of the pictures; it may be in
black and white or something else, but i prefer to use dark colours with
the black and white, that's what attracts me anyway...
Have you got projects? You told me last time that you were in a "melodic
death metal" band did you compose any tracks, and when shall we see
you on stage?
since there no real metal culture and crowd yet we cannot talk about "projects"
but I'd say that i have some ideas to realize like the impression on t-shirts,
to improve some techniques (to scrape on the photos, and try to introduce
some colours) and to organize some well estimated expositionswith other
illustrators of RACIM club from Bab zouar university (ZINOU MOH SAMSON,
SABAH, MOSTAPHA
).
Concerning music, I play in a death metal band, that's all i can say for
the moment, you'll discover the rest later by yourself (since then Joe's
band made a gig and the public was conquered notably by the ambience that
the band emitted)
Is there any contact between illustrators or are they rare here in
Algiers?
No, they aren't numerous, but the style differs too so I didn't have contacts
with the othersbut i do hope we could get in touch trough your site ;o)
Can you mention some illustrators or painters who could have influenced
your work?
I don't know , I don't have précised names, rather
I never asked my self of that, but I'd say that all that could mark me
should have an influence on my work (it can be an image, a strange position
or a drawing so on...)
I let you conclude this interview and thanxxx much for your sympathy
and devotion.
well, thanks very much to give me the opportunity to make a little presentation
on your site.
i thank REDOUANE , REDHA and all LELAHEL team and all who exhorted me
to work better, i wish them a very good year full of happiness and success.
Cheers
Interview
by +Ben+ Translated
in english by n0cturnus
|