Zoltar, the magnificent hooligans

To celebrate a decade in the business, multi-platform creative collective Project Zoltar have launched the retrospective tome “Zoltar the Magnificent”. The book photographically recounts the jollies of two of London's foremost surrealist practitioners Dan Macmillan and Kieron Livingstone, from their early years as a fashion brand in the back streets of Soho, to their leftfield collaborations with the likes of the Chapman Brothers, Bella Freud, Anita Pallenberg and Nike. Sporadic just-sensical entries punctuate the years with nods to the duo's avant-garde heroes, futurist predictions and pataphysics ramblings; don't expect it to make a lot of sense, do expect it to be a good laugh. Exactly as Zoltar would have wanted it.
We picked Zoltar's brain in an effort to make head or tail.

Dazed: Zoltar is a multi-platform creative collective; can you break down what that involves?

Zoltar: I would say that we use many methods and mediums to create our vision; images, films, clothing and sound. We collaborate with many other artists outside of the core of Dan Macmillan and Kieron Livingstone who are part of the collective. The collaborators each bring their own skill set and ideas to the Zoltar projects based on The Process or Church of the Final Judgements model for working.

Obviously Zoltar the Magnificent is a book of highlights but what is the highlight of the last ten years?

Zoltar: The Shop was a benchmark no doubt, the characters and the fact there was nothing like it, the seed, also Venice is always a highlight. It's a grown up school trip with art, parties, Rivas and Allah Maddona Clams. It's so sophisticated yet stinks.

Where did the idea for the book and the Boosh-esque narrative come from?

Zoltar: Boosh-esque? Flattering, but try Alfred Jarry-esque that would be closer to the mark in reference. It comes from the Magnificent mind of Zoltar...Dan and Kieron, who's years of tireless research into string theory, Heath Robinson and currently ancient aliens and David Dicks the master of interiors. The book bears witness to years of collecting and obsessing. 

‘Look sharp and get drunk’: who do you think epitomises the mission guidelines?

Zoltar: I don't drink any more as I have taken up the spiritual practise as directed by the Process, George Clinton and Parliament's favourite cult - I'm sharp though. Dan definitely looks sharp and he is astrally travelling with the Shaman 'Puma' in Peru talking to his ancestors....another level.

In the book you expressed your contempt for the fashion industry by unorthodox publicity stunts such as the faux police raid. What other unorthodox stunts have you pulled?

Zoltar: I love any creativity but as soon as i'ts an industry it's like, the military industrial complex.  So we have The Art industrial complex or The Fashion industrial complex, you get what I'm saying?

Peter Selles, David Niven and Errol Flynn represented Zoltar’s team bukake at its inception.  Do you still have the same representatives 10 years on or have you gone for a younger set of playboys?

Zoltar: No 

Teds, mods or hooligans?

Zoltar: All three Goddammit.

The BACKward came from Jake and Dinos Chapman. You’ve worked together before. Tell me about your relationship?

Zoltar:They are contemporaries and friends. They like electro, Hell and Goya and so do we.

What happens to footy in the 25th Century? The book's foretelling isn't great...

Zoltar: They trade the ball in and it turns into rollerball. Actually it probably becomes strange for people to congregate in large stadiums, or anywhere outside - too dangerous so it will be probably watched from home, Dennis Potter's Cold Lazarus watch that. They will call it 'freakball'