Will Broome’s dark and simultaneously cute illustration's have graced myriad surfaces – magazines such as Dazed and POP, Wedgewood plates, Marc Jacobs t-shirts, even the toilet walls at Bistrotheque. For his first solo show at House of Propellers Broome will be showing a new body of work that abounds with paper cuts, embossings and screen prints. Here, Dazed speaks to him about how he intends to extend his illustrated mini empire…
Dazed Digital: What propels you and your work?
Will Broome: I don’t think there is any great mystique about me and how I work, I just really like drawing and I really like producing new work. There’s nothing better than being totally engrossed in it and working all night. That’s the thing I like best. I like the simplicity of my work and the stark, graphic nature of what I do. I like that it is very pared down and stripped back. It’s bold and stark. I like the humour in it too.
I don’t use a computer to make work, I’m a bit of a luddite in that sense, and I like that it definitely looks like a human being made it. I like that people like it and appreciate it. I think that whatever job you have, you seek some sort of approval. I still get a buzz if I see someone wearing a t-shirt that I have done and the response to the Wedgwood stuff was great too.
DD: What's in your wardrobe?
Will Broome: I am VERY specific about what I wear.
On my feet, I only ever wear lace up Vans ‘Authentics’. I have loads of them in different colours and various states of dis-repair. I mean it when I say, I only EVER wear Hanes white socks, Wrangler jeans and Russell Athletic hoodies. My t-shirts are either Lacoste polo, plain white Hanes T’s or band t-shirts; AC/DC and Metallica that kind of thing.
Oh, I just bought some WESC t’s, I Iike them.
In the Winter I wear Patagonia and Northface to keep me dry and warm. I don’t deviate from this ‘look’, even at weddings; I HATE shoes, ties and suits. It looks a bit OCD doesn’t it, but I think I just know what I like. Best of all, is my Metallica ‘Death Magnetic’ tour t-shirt though. I saw them at the soulless bowl that is the O2, but I was in the mosh pit and James Hetfield and I had eye contact during Nothing Else Matters, so it was ace!
DD: Tell us about the exhibition...
Will Broome: Well, I was stoked to be asked for starters. Having a solo show is something that I have wanted to do for a while, just to satisfy my curiosity as an artist. I think that there is some really cool stuff in this exhibition and I am pleased with what I have done. There are lots of new embossed things, paper cuts and screen prints.
I have come to terms with the fact that I am an ‘artist’. I'm an artist who collaborates with the fashion elite a lot, but an artist all the same. I think that the themes are familiar. There is a dark edge behind some fairly cute imagery. I have started to play around with type and multiple images, I’d like to continue working and developing that style.
DD: Talk to us about your process...
Will Broome: The actual style and how I produce the images is constantly evolving. Most of my characters started off much rougher than this during the first project I did for Marc Jacobs. Over the years, I have refined and honed how I work, I think that my work is evolving all the time.
Also, I like the idea of vandalizing or subverting characters that are familiar.
DD: After decorating tea towels, crockery and toilets, what else is going to be part of the Will Broome empire?
Will Broome: More exhibitions like this, I think. Collaborations with cool like-minded people would be fun and possibly some animation; I’d still like to see it move. Also maybe working on a much bigger scale and in 3D a bit more perhaps?
I have lots of plans.
'Will Broome: There's Something in the Wardrobe' at House of Propellers, 5 Back Hill, London EC1R 5EN from July 3 to July 28.
