discovery

JOE ABYSS

Artist Name : Youcef.S
Nickname : JOE ABYSS
Location : Algiers, Algeria
Style : Dark Art

INTERVIEW
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

CONTACT :
Email : trous_grinder@hotmail.com

 

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