Kate bloody Merry, a piece of art in herself. Recently featured in Twin magazine, Barebones, got a little piccy in the Tate and the Museum of Everything. For this young busty maiden the outlook is nothing but rosy (rosé) her artwork is taking London by storm. She visited us in Berlin as she really thinks her special humor could be a hit with the Germans, I tend to agree.
Ok Kate what should we know about you? I’m funky; oh no I’m shit at this. I am an illustrator and a photographer, actually I am a painter, I don’t like being called an illustrator.
Why don’t you like being called an illustrator? I don’t know I just don’t like the word; I’m new to all of this.
So what is your background in Arts? I went to art college in Stroud, which was amazing, and then Brighton Uni but I hated it there, I was more into being a wigga, listening to R&B ; Chefing and playing my banjo (wink, wink)
What inspires you? I grew up in a vicarage surrounded by all the local “characters” so I’ve always been into people and their brains, what goes on inside them. I’m obsessed with food and have always been into like pop culture and celebrities I guess, music as well.
Is there a relationship between these things? I don’t think its about the relationship celebrities have with food , it’s like this juxtaposition of morphing the unattainable with the attainable, so for example anyone can go and pick up a bottle of ketchup anywhere and you have one in your house, but you can’t go and buy Lil Kim in Aldi.
So it’s about reality and fantasy? Kind of, every painting I do is a completely personal or nostalgic, fantasy; I’ve always had really vivid dreams/ imagination ever since I was a child, quite a lot of the time I can wake up with these images or these characters in my head. While I’m painting, I like to imagine that I see them flapping around town on the pavement, or that they turn up at my front door.
Ok so will it ever be more than paintings? Yeah I take loads of photos, I’m starting up a Zine with my friends, recording music and eventually because art work is such a self serving occupation, I would love to be an art therapist working in prisons with wayward kids or a midwife; I want to give something back and not just pretty pictures
You really think they are pretty? Miso think so!
Would they really be good for f*cked up kids? ABSO-BLOODY-LOOTLEE!
What have you been doing in Berlin? Tryin to heal a broken heart, hustlin’, seeing my mate, tanning up at the local solarium, La MIRAGE, got to plug them.
What do you like in Berlin? The history, the sexual tension, the historical sexual tension, all the little ornaments people have in windows everywhere, rats eating burgers on the U bahn tracks, the lace curtains, that’ll do for now.
Ok I won’t ask about the rats, One last question..
Er yeah, can you ask me what I’d want to change about this place?
Ok what would you change about Berlin? There’s no R & B, you can’t even listen to SWV on you tube, L I V I D
Ok I think we’ve scratched the surface, thanks Kate, I hope that the lack of dutty wine doesn’t dissuade you from your return, will it? NO. I’ll be back (in Arnold Schwarzenegger accent). http://kate-merry.tumblr.com/
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