In anticipation of Solid Cold by Antistrot

Opening this Saturday, February 6th from 7-11 pm at The Shooting Gallery

The boys of Antistrot have a sense of humor, this much we know for sure. Their paintings are action packed and often biting, moving between political commentary, soft porn, and pop culture satire on a single canvas. With six artists working on the same piece at once, what else could we expect? You may never guess that Antistrot were more than one busy mad scientist. But if you take the time to trace the styles between each painting, you will notice six distinct hands emerging from the chaos. Two of Antistrot’s members will be in San Francisco this February for the opening of Solid Cold, but in the meantime we nabbed a word with the group over email. And now, Antistrot.

How did you all become friends?

Art school. Willem De Kooning Academy, class of 1995. Or wait, does that mean we graduated in ’95? In that case, class of ’99. Either way, some of us started a DIY fanzine filled with dubious content in 1997. Sooner or later, every current member of Antistrot contributed to this publication, and before you knew it, we were sitting down at a table in someone’s home, all working on the same drawings and paintings together.

Have you ever argued over a painting?

Would you believe us if we said no?

How are you able to predict what the other group members will like and not like?

Through years and years of experience working on gigantic murals and tiny drawings, there’s a certain level of familiarity with each other’s tastes, likes, dislikes, hopes and dreams…even though we work as one, individual preferences and egos are still very much apparent within the collective. So predicting what a certain member will love or hate is not that hard.

How does working in a group change your creative process?

It’s pretty much the opposite of working alone, so all the things you’re used to doing when working by yourself are met with sometimes apprehension, sometimes enthusiasm of the other contributors. So basically you always have to be aware of the ultimate goal: achieving something together.

How much time do you spend together?

Right now, not a lot, seeing how we pretty much reached our maximum number of paintings for a while. That said, we’re going for drinks tonight at Noordereiland, Rotterdam’s most authentic neighborhood. Wanna join?

How do you choose the color palette for each painting?

It’s all in the stars.

If you were to create a comic, who would the main character be?

We did create a comic once, but I don’t know how sensitive you are regarding racial slurs and gay porn, so I will leave this one to the imagination. Unless you’re able to hunt down VICE Magazine‘s comic issue from a few years back.

Does Professor Strot know that you made an artist group to defy him?

He likes to play it off like he doesn’t, but he does. Our fan base of current Willem de Kooning students never ceases to remind him of this slightly misinterpreted fact.

Best thing about The Netherlands.

It’s the capital of Scandinavia, you can’t beat that.

Best thing about the U.S. (so far).

It’s huge. Have you ever been there? Never a dull moment in the States, that’s for sure. Super big country, definitely recommended.

Do you each do individual art outside of Antistrot?

Of course we do, and how. We are all artists in our own right, dabbling with illustration, photography, fine arts and music for the most part. We are all very visually inclined individuals, and it’s not like we have “regular jobs” next to working in Antistrot.

Do you still do performance art?

Whenever we have a crisis idea and there’s an opportunity. But at the moment half of the performance-core is on a divorce world tour, so no performance-hell in San Francisco this time.

What is the purpose of art?

The purpose of art is to give you erotic pleasure in a non-erotic way.

Be sure to come by The Shooting Gallery this Saturday, February 6th

from 7-11pm for the opening reception of Solid Cold by Antistrot.