The Wanderers: Interview with Street Artists Nomade

Jul 11, 2010 | Comments 5

Street Art by Nomade in Downtown Los Angeles

Like warriors in the night they roam the street, waiting for their moment to strike. The bond that fuses them is founded on a collective creative source, collaborative efforts and anonymity. The are wanderers, always ready to attack, but unlike the war machines and armies that plague our world, theirs is of a different kind of machine. They come not with violence or a gun, but to fight a cultural war with paste and a idea to win hearts and minds. The idea that the walls of the street art a public gallery, a forum for the community and artist who live in it. They are artist, they are street artist, they are Nomade.

How did the name Nomadé and the Roman Solider theme come to be and what is the meaning behind it?
We use imagery that carries meaning. We think the image of the Greco-Roman soldier has just that. The name ‘Nomadé’ refers to the nature our work. The work will evolve and travel from place to place.

I understand that Nomadé is a collaborative effort. How does the creative process work so that your collaborations are successful in reaching your goals?

Trying to explain our process would be quite difficult. It would be best characterized as fluid and informal. The hope is that the most important ideas will bubble to the top and stay in our plans all the way to completion.

What attracts you about street art as opposed to other forms?
With the saturation of the visual experience dominated by advertising, street art seems to be quite important. Street art provides an open platform for artists to express themselves in their own unconventional ways. It would be hard to imagine life without it.

Street Art by Nomade in Downtown Los Angeles

What is the ultimate goal of Nomadé? Where do see your group 5-10 years from now?
At this stage it is hard to predict anything….the group is pursuing specific goals, for sure. We are looking at every possible opportunity to create a powerful and meaningful body of work. Where that pursuit lands us in 5-10…..really haven’t given it that much thought. One thing for sure is that if Nomadé is around 10 years from now, we will be pretty happy.

Do you feel ever feel that there are certain rules in the world of street art? If so is adhering to them important?
Yes, there are. Really, it is about respect. Treat other artists’ work as you would want yours to be treated. At the same time, there are spots that are more desirable than others, and there is a lot of competition. Every piece eventually gets covered, and it’s understandable.

Who do you consider the most important living artist?
This is a tricky question. We are a group, so we appreciate a wide range of artists, livng and dead. Joel Peter-Witkin is pretty amazing. He pushes boundaries. Odd Nerdrum’s work is unbelievable! But of course, there are those very important ones of the past – Francis Bacon, Dali, Singer Sargent, Saudek.

What is success or failure for you?
That is related to the earlier question…Quite simply put, if we can continue creating and working towards our goals, that would be considered a great success. We really believe we have the right group chemistry to do whatever we put our minds to. Failure has no part in any conversation at this point.

Street Art by Nomade in Downtown Los Angeles

How have people responded to the work you do?
Our work has been amazingly well received. So far so good. We seem to be getting every opportunity to do exactly what we set out to do. We have put up our art for all to see, and the feedback has been positive. But of course, can’t please everybody and that’s okay. We’re beginning to see where we fit, and that, in fact, we do fit. It’s an exciting time.

What don’t most people know about Nomadé that they should know?
Most people don’t know anything about us except what they see in the work. We’re okay with that, for now. There is a lot more to come! Watch for our website it’s coming soon…

Find more from Nomade soon at their site at http://www.thenomade.com

Or find them on face book at http://www.facebook.com/TheNomade