Inside Nostalghia with Tara McPherson

The emerging Dorothy Circus Gallery, new Roman venue for contemporary art, particularly Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow art, in collaboration with New York-based Jonathan LeVine Gallery, houses until December 30th “Inside Nostalghia”, an impressing and intriguing  exhibition which involves our unconscious by exploring the diverse appearances of memories, relationships, and feelings related to one’s absence. This “obscure but still ironic carousel of ghosts” includes a selection of artworks by Esao Andrews, Travis Louie, and Tara McPherson, as well as a special tribute by artists Natalie Shau, David Stoupakis, Camille Rose Garcia, Zoe Lacchei, Naoto Hattori, Prunelle, Silvia Idili,  Andy Fluon, Paul Chatem, Ciou, Elena Rapa, Adam Wallacavage, Arash Radpour, each one taking part in the event by showing a personal artistic interpretation of the motif of Nostalgia.

Here’s a brief interview with Tara McPherson, artist gifted with a strong imagination that ambiguously lies in a limbo where candidness and nocturnal visions live together.  

Dazed Digital: You were born in San Francisco and raised in Los Angeles, but then you moved to New York. Why did you choose to leave LA and what attracts you most to NY?
Tara McPherson: After having lived in Los Angeles my whole life I just simply was bored with the city and wanted a big change. NYC was the place I felt I could flourish in the best creatively and mentally, plus it snows here which I think is great! Now don’t get me wrong, I loved getting my start in the artworld in LA, it was such an inspirational art scene to be involved in, with so many great artists in the area.

DD: You have conceived gig posters for a lot of musicians of the alternative scene, such as Modest Mouse, The Shins, Death Cab For Cutie, Built to Spill, Interpol, just to name a few. How did you start making poster art? Do you personally know the bands you work with?
TM: I started making posters for my old band, and as a struggling artists and recent graduate, I of course was always looking for more freelance work. So then it occurred to me, wow! What a great way to make illustrations, in rock posters! So there it began, with doing posters for local venues. And it just grew and grew from there. In the beginning no I did’t always know the bands personally, but now where I’m at in my career, I try to just make posers for musicians I know and admire.

DD: You've also collaborated with Matt Groening for his series Futurama. Which were your favourite cartoons or comics when you were younger?
TM: Yes I interned on Futurama when I was in college, and have pretty much always loved animation. I think my old favourites were Tom and Jerry and Bugs Bunny when I was really young, now I really admire animators like Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli) and of course I still love Futurama and Simpsons!

DD: Mellow and gloomy, futuristic and vintage, between fairytale and nightmare, it’s clear you love contrasts. Do you think that inside everyone is hidden a child, as well as a monster?
TM: Of course! We are multi dimensional people, there can never be one way to represent a person, only glimpses into facets of their personality. Which I think we are all inherently contradictory souls. Complicated but never a dull moment!

DD: Could you tell me your last nightmare?
TM: This is funny because it kind of works with the questions above, but the last scary dream I remember was someone poisoned a friend of mine with a needle and was trying to kidnap him and drag him away, and I was trying to save him from the evil people. I sometimes do have a lot of scary dreams, but I always seem to be the person in the dream that is saving people, always defending and rescuing.

DD: Future projects?
TM: I am painting for an exhibition in January in Brazil right now, finaliSing my new artbook ‘Lost Constellations’ with Dark Horse that comes out in April, working out the dates for the US and European book tour to follow that, just finished a new poster for All Tomorrows Parties curated by The Breeders, I have a new 12 figure mini set coming out with KidRobot also in April, and some other group painting exhibitions next year. I also go back to teaching a new class at Parsons in February. Busy busy! And I love it!