Seldon Hunt

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How did you start the day sir?

Coffee. Shower. More coffee. The I went straight into illustrating this very detailed piece I am doing for the Master Musicians Of Bukkake. And 6 hours later, I'm still here drinking more coffee, and drawing snakes and bark.

This happens every day in Seldon Hunt's life?

Yeah, pretty much with a small amount of variety. Sometimes the days are spent in front of the computer. And some days are spent recovering from unseemly evening activities I don't seem to grow out of.

Tough life! Hehe! How you chose NY instead of Australia? Australia was not right for your "business"?

I ended up here through a set of circumstances after a Sunn O))) European tour when I filmed Dylan Carlson for a documentary I was making. I stayed and I'm still here. It is much better for business, as far as doing music related work. Mind you I make half as much money as I did back home as I mostly did actual mainstream paying work back in Australia.

Your life in art began with Sunn O)))? How did you find the passion for graphic art and beyond?

No, my life in art began well before that! I was already doing weird print work and artwork for KK Null and Mick Harris a good 6 years before Sunn O))) came along, and to be honest I have not done as much work for Sunn O))) as people may think. I've mostly written linear notes for a few of their earlier albums and done some merchandise work. I really just fell into all of this, I travelled around the world a bit and met a lot of people like Conspiracy Records, just through strange circumstances and they introduced me to new music like Khanate, Sunn O))) and Isis in the early days. One thing led to another really.

Who is to blame for the symmetrical art? For the most part you embrace the Rorschach test style. What was the inspiration for it?

I have always done that symmetrical work. Ha! I am to blame. There was no real inspiration. I think it came from an accident, and I liked the way it looked weirdly impossibly perfect. So I just worked with that for a long time. Seeing how using a massive amount of detail with symmetrical looked very impossible and unnatural.

What band had its first chance to work with you?

That would be KK Null of Zeni Geva.

Besides the music, where have you baptized the Seldon Hunt style?

Nowhere else really. I've done a few exhibitions of larger size artworks using a similiar aesthetic, but to be honest I think I'm pretty well done with it now!

I did not know you write as well. What are your writings about? Can you please write the first quote that comes to mind?

Yes, I have written less lately, but I have written a lot of what were loosely called "doomtexts". These accompanied Sunn O)))'s "Grimmrobe Demo" re-release for example. This comprised a 3000 word sentence, delving into an alien prehistoric apocalyptic world. It was described as a "miasmic visionary text" by Julian Cope I think, which I thought was a pretty cool way to look at it. I'm working on a substantial piece right now, and Simon Fowler, the UK based illustrator, will be illustrating it. He has been doing a lot of Sunn O))) merchandise recently as well, as the illustration for the latest Earth release artwork. He does superb fine illustration. It will be a major work and a colloaboration I am very much looking forward to. I can't think of anything that comes into my head. Most words that come into my head first are usually "'boobs". So that's not going to work.

Haha! They're necessary too. Which of your masterpieces are you most satisfied?

That's a hard question. I think after spending so much time and after doing so many covers and artworks over the years one becomes quite critical of older work. I often look at work from 5 years ago and cringe. Directing the video for Nachtmystium last year with Jimmy Hubbard was very satisfying, as the end product is something I am certainly proud of, and it was a major production! I don't think I can think of anything from my artworks that I can look at with complete satisfaction. Perhaps that it was what continues the drive to create something perfect in your own mind.

But you can certainly do a top of the creations of other artists? Who's art do you appreciate most?

There are many fine artists whose work I admire, I wouldn't even know where to start! Of my contemporaries, Florian Bertmer, Justin Bartlett, Aaron Turner all do work and have been doing work that has been really stimulating. It's great to be part of a scene where your contemporaries are your friends and also your inspirations.

Is there any artist you hate? Be sincere! Hehe!

Not really. I do have a problem with that kind of lowbrow art out of LA. It sometimes seems to be so repetitively kitschey it just makes me feel nauseous. I think Robert Williams is a genius, but it seems he has 50,000 copycats, who are very skilled illustrators creating such unbelievably similar artworks based around the same themes it baffles me.

What is the difference between graphic art and musical art in your view as in music you can say that a guitarist is more faster or more technical than another? What can you tell us for graphic art?

I think it is quite similar actually. There are many guitarists out there who are technically brilliant but the music is awful, and there are many guitarists whose skills pale in comparison but create the most stunning and moving music. The same goes for graphic artists. There are some very talented illustrators and designers, but the work lacks something, it somehow doesn't resonate or capture the impossible despite their skills. There are some seriously ugly but incredibly technically executed designs out there!

Did it ever happened to not listen to a band because of the cover album?

No. I've learnt long ago, that cover art does not reflect the music inside at all.

What albums without artwork do you love?

Kyuss - "Blues For The Red Sun", all The Dillinger Escape Plan albums, Grief albums, 70% of 80's thrash/speed metal albums! There's a lot of stupid art out there covering great music. Probably more than there is great artwork covering great music. People only talk about great cover art if the music is great. If the music is crap, noone cares about the cover art. There should be a book of album art which really is the best album art, as all these "Best Album Covers Of The Decade" books only ever contain successful, highly regarded, critically acclaimed albums.

I like so much your pictures with forests. Did you know that 2011 is the International Year of Forests?

Oh really? I had no idea. Ha! Maybe someone important will commission me.

United Nations must do something about it. Haha! What's next for Seldon Hunt in this perfect year?

Well, I'm working on some more detailed hand illustration styles. I've decided that this year I'm going to really go all out and challenge myself with every job so that it is completely and utterly the craziest thing people have ever seen! That's about it really. There are a bunch of projects coming up, albums for -16-, The Atlas Moth and a few others. It's going to be a good year.

Murderous! Thanks a lot for the time sir. Don't forget Australia. Thanks again!

OK man! Thanks a lot of the interview, great questions by the way. Enjoy!