BIG CHILL DOT NET: AMUKIDI INTERVIEW
August 1st, 2003 by susanna
The Legendary Jesse Belle’s morning show included an interview with Amukidi. Here’s the transcription:
I’m here with John Rixon, genius VJ and… ‘runner up beard wearer’ at the Big Chill. Now, tell us about the beard thing…
‘That comes from something Enchanted Gordon wrote. I had to write a biog for the programme and I can’t write about myself, so Enchanted Gordon, bless him, wrote this fantastic piece and it came from that.’
You’ve told me VJing is just coloured shapes which you make dance on the screen. It’s not so easy is it? What’s the process you go through?
‘The process I go through is weeks of feeling really strange and miserable. Every time something good comes it’s preceded by some black moments and some moping around the house which my family will testify. But I’ve been working as an artist for many, many years and I’ve used collage for a long time, painting tissue paper. The thing about collage is it’s very plastic, you can move them around, until you finally settle it onto the surface. Of course then I went on to digital collage, which means it’s always plastic and it never dries. I taught composition and colour theory so I’ve always been fascinated by what happens when you put two coloured shapes together, or three. And that fascination hasn’t gone, and I suppose after having done it for so long I work through many permutations until I think yes, that clicks. I think wow yeah, it’s tickled me – andwhen I play out I hope it’ll tickle the audience.’
Are you surprised it tickles the audience because it obviously does.
‘Sometimes I’m just amazed, I mean, the first time I ever did it, it was only year and half ago, it was scary, I couldn’t imagine anyone being interested in this. Because it’s very personal, I’m sitting there at the computer wacking this stuff out and I’m like, oooh look at that. But then, I did one piece which is at the end of my AV piece tonight, which surprised me and I keep looking at it and think that really did happen. And that’s the really nice ones, when I’m taken by surprise.’
Do you have any specific influences?
‘That’s a tricky one. The people I really look up to and idolise are Hexstatic, even though my work is nothing like theirs and probably never will be. But I really love their energy and buzz and – I’m going to get controversial – they’re one of the few crews who use found and sourced footage and really do something with it and take it further. It tickles me so much every time I see them it really does – I mean I was pissing myself in Naxos during their set. It was just so amusing and yet brilliant as well – and of course with their music added in… yes, Hextatic really float my boat. Which is odd, as composition wise I’m going back to Mark Rothko and Paul Klee.’
What do you think they’d think of your work were they alive now?
‘Paul Klee might be interested, he did that thing, ‘Taking a Line for a Walk’, which is an animation. Klee might have, if he’d had that technology, that kind of equipment, I expect he’d have played around with it. I don’t consider my stuff other than paintings that move. They’re evolving and dancing paintings. When I’m VJing which I’m doing for Lol (Hammond) I slowly build up a composition and then let it flow around a bit and then take it into another composition. But it’s still very fresh and new for me so I get very nervous and edgy!’
How did you first get involved with The Big Chill?
‘I came to the Enchanted Garden with Roger Eno, because he was doing a set with Lol. He said, ‘Come along to this Festival – it’s only a little one – you’ll have a great time.’ So we came along with the kids who were only 10 and 12 that time. And it wasn’t very hot, but there was something about it which made me want to become part of it. I didn’t know how, but I wanted to be part of this, it really tickled me, so yeah that was it.’
Talking of your kids, you’ve been telling everybody on The Forum about the nightmares of getting four teenage girls packed up for the Festival – has it been?
‘It doesn’t feel like it now but for the last couple of days I’ve been pulling my hair out, what hair I’ve got, trying to cover every exit. But they’re all back at the campsite having fun, Phoebe and Claire are my two girls, Rebecca and Rachel they’re pals. Erm, yes, we had to bring two cars as well, so the whole thing was a big fraught. But once the tents were up I started to relax and we went down to the 24 hour café last night and, as you know, it was rather happening. I think they’re going to enjoy themselves, especially if the weather brightens up which I think it will.’
Now, it’s in fact your 25th wedding anniversary this weekend isn’t it!
‘Yes it is – our silver. That feels bizarre, you never feel as old as you are, I still feel like I’ve always felt really. And you associate a silver anniversary with middle age and tweed and cocktail parties and stuff. It’s an amazing thought really!’
Well, congratulations from all of us! Finally, are you looking forward to your set?
I’m looking forward to it and I’m very nervous too as I’m covering new ground. It’s on at Media Mix 8pm. That’s where it is and that’s where I’ll be.
