Featured Artist: Pol Cosmo

So next up is Pol Cosmo a Street Artist from Ghent in Belgium who has a strange obsession for bugs........ I sent Pol the questions and here's the responses

Q1. As a paste up artist your work is seen by many people going about their daily business. In that context do you think art can change the world and if so in what way?

It would be a bit pretentious to claim that my art changes the world, no? However, it makes people smile, if I may believe the mails I receive. Initially that was exactly what I was aiming for: surprise people in a positive way. Many of us are rushing through our lives, racing from home to school with the kids, making sure we get to work in time, running to the shop before it closes, … If my little insects can stop that race, even if it is only for a few seconds… and it makes you smile, even if it’s only for a few seconds… then my mission is accomplished.

On another level, more ecological, I notice it makes people wonder what kind of insect I left on their house. They look it up, read about it and maybe feel somehow connected to that little creature. Which is great! Kids still have that sense of wonder when they see a little insect crawling in the grass. Somewhere along the way of growing up, most of us lost that curiosity. Sometimes we even loose our connection with nature. It would be great if my work restores that connection a little bit.

So, can my art change the world? It won’t solve the enormous problems we’re facing now, but maybe it can make a small change in the individual lives of people. (and as the world is built of individuals… in a more philosophical way of thinking… yes, in the end it changes the world! )

Q2 What / who inspired you or influenced your style?

‘My style’ is still growing, evolving, being influenced, … and I hope it keeps on doing that. I don’t want to be a one-trick pony, that would be boring. I draw, I paste in the streets, I make collages, I love screen printing, making linocuts, I’m dragging along stuff I find on the road to make something new of, … There are so many things to do and discover. My inspiration is equally diverse. Everyday life is full of interesting things, the wonders of nature, the beauty of something as little as an insect, … I love to read about art, I’m one of those strange people who buys art books and actually reads them, instead of laying them casually on the coffee table. In the beginning I focused on street artists, but now it’s much broader. It’s dangerous to drop some names as I will inevitably forget people, but here are some: ROA of course, Picasso, Obey, Hokusai, Bue the Warrior, Banksy, Morley, Francis Bacon, Doitschinoff, Dzia, … Also someone like Stromae, who makes music, but is also involved in fashion. Those are the ‘big names’, but what probably inspires me the most, are the people around me: my wife who pushes and supports me, my kids who keep surprising me in so many ways, Marjan who tries to get the best out of aggression, Wannes who kept fighting for his music and is now a celebrated artist in Belgium, Paulien and her eco-friendly flower shop, Minne who’s idealism shakes you up, Manuel who breathes science, my mom who made a big career switch in her forties-fifties, Wafa and her graphic skills, Han and his fight for Tibet, … You’ll never read about them in fancy books, but in the end these are the people who really influence you the most. They are ‘the air’ you breath every day. Unknown to the bigger world, but maybe more important than the bigger names I mentioned before.

Q3. What advice do you have for new artists.? What advice do you wish you were given? Was there advice you were given that you wish you'd listened to or wish you'd ignored?

The most difficult thing is to avoid you’re being guided by the opinions of others. Instinctively you immediately think of the ‘negative comments’ you might get along the way. Which is true, you shouldn’t be demotivated because someone doesn’t like your work. But what’s equally important, is you realize the danger of ‘positive comments’. It’s great to be praised and feel you’re on top of the world, but it can also limit you in your experiments. You start doing ‘more of the same’, hoping you’ll get ‘more of the same’. That creates a nice comfort zone where people like you… but it can also become a golden cage, a prison where you no longer evolve, grow or even dare to try something new. So, listen to feedback, let it inspire you, but don’t let it guide you too much. Easier said than done…

Q4. What's in store for the future? Do you have any planned future projects you could share with us today?

I don’t plan ahead. The best things that happened to me, just crossed my path, without me looking for them. A very wise man once said: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” I’ll drink to that, cheers!