Mark Jenkins

May 2nd, 2009

Mark Jenkins’ work (www.xmarkjenkinsx.com) is one of the best examples of art in the streets that goes beyond the flat surface of a wall, But his installations accomplish much more than that. What they are truly a fine example of is how art out there should make people react somehow to what they see and not just entertain a few colleagues in the internet or amuse another “street artists” or Street art fans.

First a question we always ask to artists who do art in the streets, like yourself: why, when and how did you begin to do art in the street?

I’d been curious about installation sculpture after seeing an exhibit of Juan Muñoz in Washington DC in 2001. In 2003, I was living in Rio de Janeiro and it was here that I started experimenting with tape as a casting medium. Installing the sculptures on the streets was an easy step to take. I had been outdoors most of the last year traveling South America and my life was about bouncing from hostel to hostel and taking in the street life and nature (and a few bars). I was very much with the outdoors, so my sculptures wanted to be there too. But this was also a big transition for me in that I switched from being a tourist to someone sharing back. Integrating the sculptures was a way of integrating myself.

No matter how exciting it might be because it’s also risky and very demanding, now that you have been getting recognition and doing shows in galleries for some time… do you feel as motivated now to do art out in the streets or precisely you do it because it’s a necessary and integrating part of your work as an artist?

The streets have the natural amplification that make my work really work. But there can be a symbiotic relationship between the gallery and street. That’s important if they can feed each other and not be competitive. But you’re right it’s risky. A few times now rescue units and bomb squads have arrived. And while their participation on the stage has been interesting, causing the city to react like this isn’t something to take lightly. I prefer the work to be regarded as nutritious, not an infection.

And you started in Washington DC which must be a very peculiar city for public non-authorized interventions such as yours…

It is peculiar. But I started in Rio de Janeiro. I would never have started in Washington, DC. My work is a strange juxtaposition to this city where most all of the art is oxidized bronzes commemorating past wars. But I like that.

Some of your interventions are more poetic and I guess that the way the average pedestrians take part is just by observation but many other of your interventions seem to be purposely made to have people interact. Do people react the way to expect them too? Do you sometimes feel disappointed when people don’t react the way you expected?

With the hyper-realistic figure installations the intention is to create a stage that is reality. The people, cars, pigeons, firetrucks all become a part of it. But there is never too much expectation or disappointment because while I enjoy cultivating the surreal, it’s also a social experiment to learn from. For instance I put a pair of legs sticking out of a trashcan in Brooklyn and it was generally funny to people. I did the same installation in Bethlehem, Palestine and it was received as strange, hostile and more or less bad. And so I learn a lot about culture from this.

Once the sculpture or installation is set up in the street how important is it to you what happens next? Do you always feel the need to stay around and watch or even record people’s reaction on video?

I don’t try to stay around but have someone else document. I would hate to be caught near it and have to remove it, or have people make this connection for then it takes the experience of it to a boring place. It’s existence unattached to an artist or art space, and not having permits, etc. this is what makes it’s presence interesting. It is an outlier in the true sense abandoned like this.

In the kind of work that you do context is quite essential as it is the fact that people don’t expect to find your interventions and are often surprised with what they see so I wonder how do you confront the blank empty spaces of galleries where context is pretty much nonexistent and people precisely go there to see your work and even expect to be surprised?

It’s possible to do the same thing using context. For instance in the gallery by installing a fake gallery goer it’s easy to trick in the same ways.

So what’s your experience in the world of art galleries and what shortcomings do you see in the world of the art establishment for your kind of work?

I don’t have a strong opinion of the galleries. Each is so different. Some are cool, some aren’t. But I have had real disappointments with the museums. The staff is undereducated about Street art or they approach it in a bad way. I can see why Banksy doesn’t want his work in museums unless it is as a prank.

I would like you to let us know about the importance you put in the process of creating. Maybe it’s more complex than it appears or maybe not, maybe you focus more on the final result and use different processes as long as they take you there… can you elaborate on this, please?

I have the sort of creativity that comes by itself very easily. But it comes in bursts. I just need a pen handy when it comes. Sometimes it’s after a night of heavy drinking when my brain hurts. My only work is to sift through the ideas and choose the best. With doing street work this is much more difficult because sifting means finding which ideas are possible when considering all of the physical, legal and safety obstacles.

What have you been doing lately?

Lately I’ve been reflecting on the past 5 years of this project and more importantly the year before I started doing this project-who I was before this tangent began-.

Any new projects you want to tell us about?

I’ve been asked to curate some festivals in France in 2010 and I’m very excited about this.

What project you’ve never been asked to do and would love to?

I would like to float a lot of bodies over Niagara Falls. I think it would be great to witness-for me it would be the same emotion as seeing a tidal wave-.

Any other artists or projects that you want to recommend?

I see a little bit of a lull right now. Everything is reflecting I think. But I like Blu because he keeps going. He is always going.

Entry Filed under: Artists