5 Questions for Grotesk

Grotesk (aka Kimou Meyer) is a Swiss- born artist who moved to New York City in 1999. He studied at the art school Le Cambre in Brussels, has worked with fashion guru Marc Ecko and is the Creative Director at Zoo York. He also designed the iconic cover art for The Cool Kids' 2008 album, The Bake Sale.

Grotesk recently agreed to a short interview with gosince01 and has some words of wisdom for GOTO's kids as well ...

1. How were you inspired to take up street art?

I think I am not doing street art. I am doing illustration inspired by the street. I am not trying to put my artwork in the street just to make it "street" I walk all day long to take photos that inspired me for illustration/projects.

2. How has living in New York City influenced your art?

New York inspired me for many thing. The first is the energy. You have to hustle every day in order to stay on the top of your game. There is so many talented people in New York that you have good visibility in the creative mass.

This pushes you always to come up with an evolution in your work, new challenges. You can't just sleep on one thing you did once. New York also inspires my work for color, themes, exhibition, food, friends, fashion, drama,etc...

Not one week happens in New York without some crazy shit going on.

3. Who are your major creative influences today?

Children's books, eastern Europe vintage posters, Mexican art, New York streets, 90's hip hop, my friends and kids.

4. What advice would you give GOTO's young artists who want a career in art or design?

Work as hard as your body can take it for few years, be patient and aware that a "style" comes with many year of practice and that first of all when you're a designer you need to learn how to communicate the same way the baker learn how to make bread.

Study the history of art and design to be aware of the culture and what has been already made. Also avoid to design straight in the computer until your ideas are as strong as a rock on a nice sketch book.

5. If GOTO could send you to arts & music summer camp anywhere in the world, where would you go & what would you study?

I would probably go to a beautiful place like Cuba and go in la Habana to study silk screen with old Cuban masters of posters and then study salsa percussion at night.