LONDON - WALTER RAES | WALTERWORKS

Dear Diane and Shaded Viewers,

South London based Walter Raes open the doors to talk about past, present and future. Once, he used to work in a flower shop, when Hillary Alexander and Isabella Blow became attentive of his talent. Since 2000 Walter is exercising skills to capture, involve and make curious minds travel. Frequently retired from fashion, searching for isolation and practicing. Lack of knowledge and technic are providing him the ability of inventing, creative stimulation. Shoes and Boots express his fetiche. Senses react upon garments, materials, foldings and bandings. Walters newest construction is a golden pallet dinning table that aims to perform on the Turner Prize next year.

INTERVIEW WITH WALTER RAES:

- Considering yourself Artist, Conceptualist and Craftsman, where do you fuse?

I would love to think i am an artist... yeah i am, fuck why not, seen worse people doing stuff, get big praises and been hailed as artists. I am an artist who takes a ordinary all day object and turn it around to create a new concept and meaning for it, so people can see in it a different kind of beauty.

- How would you describe your work?

Witty. It is always a good feeling when i display my work at shows or shop windows, to see people approach then recognize it and smile.

- Would you consider your work unique?

There must be more humans like me (we are not alone out there) but i haven't come across them, so maybe yeah!

- How do you process into the final stage of creation/execution?

Usually i think about the creation i am going to make for at least three or four weeks in my head over and over again, so when it comes to executing it only takes a day or two to create from beginning to the end.

- Where do you search for inspiration?

Everywhere. Look around you, if i make a short trip to London, in a ten minutes walk there is stuff and ideas in bundles. The tube is always good, very relaxing, not during rush hour.

- Has creativity become substituted by a random way of making profit?

That is always a danger, you know we live by our circumstances, sometimes you have no choice. I have been lucky so far, if one does not have to think about daily strife, you can free your mind be creative like a child again.

- How can you stand out nowadays?

Be yourself for as long as you can, don't grow up creatively.

- Are people intrested in purchasing?

Well yeah, slow progress but as soon we get more and more publicity things will go far!

- Thinking or Designing?

I always do the two at the same time, i will be making something and then go hold on. This would work and it will have nothing to do with what i am working on. So when i get a new idea i usually get a object that has to do with the new design and nail it on the wall in my studio. When i look at it  i can think and think about it. I have to stop doing this because my wall and brain is full, so i have to make space and concretize some of them.

- Abstract realism or suggestive of improvisation?

Real suggestive abstract improvisation.
 
- What are you working on at the moment?

In these hard times i am creating the ultimate bling, it is a golden pallet dinning table.

- Which target does it claim?

I would just show that this ordinary object can become a thing of beauty and envy, so we stand still and think harder before discarding it. Been working on it for weeks. Made me appreciate the time and effort that went in it to make a pallet.

- Do you have a task to fulfill?

We have to slow down, stop and think, appreciate the plastic bottle, newspaper, carrier bag, because at this rate it won't last. There is so much of everything, i believe we can stop world production for a month and not feel it, but would be good for the planet

- Can we recycle inspiration?

Well.. i can!

kindly,

Martin Kullik