Eric Hayes is a hero.
This interview was conducted at the venue of "INSIDEOUT" in the late afternoon on the day before the exhibition. Eric Hayes, Haroshi, and Satoru Taguchi all have one key word in common: Keith Hufnagel. The session started with a question by Satoru Taguchi, whom HOUYHNHNM's offered to be the interviewer for this exhibition.
Taguchi:Could you start by telling us how you met and how you recognized each other?
Eric Hayes:Keith Hufnagel (the late founder of " Huff") was the one who connected us. Both Haroshi and I have collaborated with Keith a lot, so we naturally became close members of the " Huff " family.
Taguchi:When did you two actually meet?
HAROSHI:I think the first time I met Eric was when Huff held a show in Tokyo.
Taguchi:I went there, too. At the time, there was an art gallery called "Sixteen" in what is now the Shibuya branch of Huff, Eric Hayes was having a solo exhibition there with Huff. I brought a laptop computer that I had him sign and a G-Shock collaboration model that I personally purchased (laughs).
Eric:Wow! It still works! Can I add something?
Taguchi:What? I'm very impressed. Thank you very much!
HAROSHI:Like Mr. Taguchi, I had always been a big fan of Eric Hayes, and I also knew him from G-Shock, which was also for my generation. Then one day, Keith suddenly contacted me and said, "I'm going to collaborate with Eric Haze. Isn't that awesome? (laughs). (Laughs.) We got pretty excited about it.
Taguchi:I totally understand that feeling (laughs).
Eric:HAROSHI did an exhibit in your former office at " Huff", right? I happened to meet Keith at a meeting during the preparation period, I happened to meet Keith at a meeting during the preparation period, and that was the first time I saw (HAROSHI's) work. And I was so surprised that I couldn't help but think, "F x x k! What the hell is going on? (laughs).
Taguchi:Oh!
Eric:. It is really difficult to create something in the first place. In addition, Haroshi's work is not an imitation of anyone else's, and one can feel his passion and personality in it. That is truly amazing, I think it is fair to say that he has created a new style in the art scene. I was not able to go to the exhibition due to my schedule at the time, but that was the first time I got to know HAROSHI.
HAROSHI:I am truly afraid of that word.
Taguchi:HAROSHI, what do you think about Hayes' art?
HAROSHI:Eric was originally a graffiti writer as well, but he was the only one who focused on design from there. That was unusual at the time, Writers had been in the art scene for a long time. . But he also started his own fashion brand, and I think he is a great person who has created the foundation of today's street culture.
Taguchi:I see.
HAROSHI:And now I feel like you are putting your experience from when you were focused on design into art, and looking at your recent work, Mr. Hayes, it looks like you are having a lot of fun. I really like that. I think that when human beings reach a certain point, there is a sense of returning to childhood. Eric, you seem to be free to create whatever kind of art you want right now.
Eric:I'm glad you see it that way. Since I am working from my base back in New York for the first time in a long time, it is still a return to my roots for me, or rather, a natural revival of the feeling I had when I was working as a writer.
