The streets are dangerous. Reckless drivers, dark alleys, roaming gangs… our internalised parental hysteria means we imagine the worst at times. Out there, in the dead of night, in the city sprawl or low lit suburbs, trouble prowls.
That’s why street artist have such edgy names – it’s their talisman to ward off trouble. So what are we to make of a moniker like Edwin? It doesn’t invoke fear, true, but it’s British boarding school charm makes it memorable. Fortunately Edwin’s texta tiles, which have been loitering in doorways up and down James Street recently, simply reinforce this.
Now, Edwin’s art – which is majestic, profound, awkward yet educated – adorns the window of Northbridge’s newest fashion port, Captain Of The Ship.
What led you to do street art?
There is an attraction to the mystery behind street art. It’s a double barrelled respect, from the ability of an artist to create works in situ and the discovery of that art piece by the viewer. I have always enjoyed the aspect of the anonymity of the street artist and their ability to shape or create a persona based on what information they choose to share.
Describe your message / ethos?
Anything that stimulates an internal dialogue is generally a good starting point for me. The creation into a tangible object, be it paper, photograph, tile or 3-d, can then determine whether the piece has any relevance to a wider audience. I do many works that only exist to represent a certain place or time, these very rarely make it to street level.
What’s your involvement with Captain of the Ship?
I met Captain Joel, a number of months back now, when he was just a regular Joel. He kept his cards pretty close to his chest about the opening of his shop (from me anyway) until the doors were almost open. We get on really well, he had seen a few of my pieces and ideas and when I approached him to collaborate, he jumped at the opportunity.
What inspires you about Perth street art?
It is a very new movement, worldwide, and one should not discount its importance in relation to the wider Art community. There are opportunities to exist in a community that is forming right now and being shaped by the people that choose to be a part of it. I don’t think that there is any doubt that Perth is producing a number of fantastic artists.
What do you bring that is completely unique?
Unique? The 40,000+ year history of writing on walls makes it a bit hard to be unique, but I suppose that all of our experiences are unique in one way or another. It’s finding the right idea and a way to describe it that makes a piece unique.
