RVAAB: How would you describe your work for people who have never seen it?
MP: It uses comic imagery, narrative and counter-cultural visual language to explore real world dialectics. It tends to center itself around the use of advertising. I think that's a fairly accurate, albeit broad description that could be applied to nearly all of my work.
RVAAB: You used to work primarily in drawing, but now you work largely in video/animation. How would you describe the evolution of your work over the past couple (or more) of years?
MP: My transition to working in video and animation is just an extension of my drawing practice. I haven't abandoned traditional painting/drawing altogether. I still pick up a brush from time to time. I try to allow the creative impulse itself to determine the approach I take as a maker. I'm someone who likes to figure things out, and to repurpose things to suit my need for them.
I realized several years ago that technology had reached the point that I could work intuitively using programs like Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects. Working with new media had the added bonus that it seemed to suit certain themes that interested me. Examples of this would be media immersion, commercialism, cult cinema, etc. Another, more obvious advantage of using video was that it allowed the narrative aspect of my work to acquire a temporal setting. The final display is also quite malleable, which I like because it requires less planning before my process begins. Digital media is somewhat more forgiving in that respect.
As I became more comfortable working in time based media, the pieces I made got longer. The narratives gradually became more complex, and I started using sound to push the visual information. When I was working on “Frantic Undead”, I worked more with sound than I had ever done before.
RVAAB: Why zombies?
MP: There are a ton of reasons, really. I think interest in zombies and zombie subculture is stronger now than it ever has been. I've always been a fan of them, as far as monsters go. They make great metaphors for big, broad reaching ideas. The notion of the walking dead is apocalyptic yet absurdly comical. The direct inspiration for “Frantic Undead” was my participation in the Annual Richmond Zombie Walk, which is a benefit held every October for the American Cancer Society. That was a lot of fun. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday.
RVAAB: Why zombies?
MP: There are a ton of reasons, really. I think interest in zombies and zombie subculture is stronger now than it ever has been. I've always been a fan of them, as far as monsters go. They make great metaphors for big, broad reaching ideas. The notion of the walking dead is apocalyptic yet absurdly comical. The direct inspiration for “Frantic Undead” was my participation in the Annual Richmond Zombie Walk, which is a benefit held every October for the American Cancer Society. That was a lot of fun. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday.
Aside from that, its really genre films that interest me. I like storytelling, and I've always enjoyed mythology, allegories, and fables. My next animated short will be called “Giant Squid”, which I'm just starting to work on now. It should be done in the next year.
RVAAB: Who are some artists you are currently looking at- how are they influencing your work?
MP: I've been watching Marc Horowitz and Peter Baldes's virtual road trip across the U.S. On www.googlemapsroadtrip.com. Pete was my advisor at VCU and I think this is an awesome and fun idea with far reaching implications, and it has a great presentation. I'm not sure how it will influence my own work though. I don't really seek out things to influence my work so much as I remember things that later on become influential on their own. I just remember an experience or have a thought, and that seems to trigger that creative impulse I mentioned earlier.
RVAAB: Who are some artists you are currently looking at- how are they influencing your work?
MP: I've been watching Marc Horowitz and Peter Baldes's virtual road trip across the U.S. On www.googlemapsroadtrip.com. Pete was my advisor at VCU and I think this is an awesome and fun idea with far reaching implications, and it has a great presentation. I'm not sure how it will influence my own work though. I don't really seek out things to influence my work so much as I remember things that later on become influential on their own. I just remember an experience or have a thought, and that seems to trigger that creative impulse I mentioned earlier.
Most of my inspiration tends to come from advertising, popular culture, and my own experience traversing these areas.
Right now, I'm really interested in films by Kathryn Bigelow, and Ralph Bakshi's stuff from the 70's, as well as a 1922 film called “Haxan: Witchcraft through the Ages”. I'm reading the latest issue of “Film International” which has a few good articles in it. These days, when I get a chance to read, I pick up a magazine, book of short fiction, or E.C. Comics re-issues.
RVAAB: What is your (daily?) studio practice like?
MP: Usually, I begin working on something art related around 10pm and work for a couple of hours after that. I do this four or five days a week, mostly from home. I have a studio at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, but lately I've primarily been using that as a staging area for the Summer class I've been teaching in ad design. It's a real mess right now. I need to clean it up.
RVAAB: What do you like about living/working in Richmond?
MP: It has aspects of a big city, but is actually more like a small town. I've always liked that. It's intimate.
RVAAB: What would you change about Richmond?
MP: I'd put it in a bubble.
RVAAB: What kinds of shows/events do you have coming up? Where can we see your work?
MP: I have a piece titled “Toddler” in the [work] show at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. The closing reception is Friday, August 21, from 6 to 8pm.
RVAAB: What is your (daily?) studio practice like?
MP: Usually, I begin working on something art related around 10pm and work for a couple of hours after that. I do this four or five days a week, mostly from home. I have a studio at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, but lately I've primarily been using that as a staging area for the Summer class I've been teaching in ad design. It's a real mess right now. I need to clean it up.
RVAAB: What do you like about living/working in Richmond?
MP: It has aspects of a big city, but is actually more like a small town. I've always liked that. It's intimate.
RVAAB: What would you change about Richmond?
MP: I'd put it in a bubble.
RVAAB: What kinds of shows/events do you have coming up? Where can we see your work?
MP: I have a piece titled “Toddler” in the [work] show at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. The closing reception is Friday, August 21, from 6 to 8pm.
“Frantic Undead” will be showing at the Dragon*Con Independent Short Film Festival in Atlanta, GA, September 4th-7th. Be there!You can follow me on twitter @FranticUndead.
Image from Max's piece, "Toddler" in [work] at VisArts until this Friday- Click here to see more images from this show in one of our previous posts
Thanks, Max! We know Richmond is lucky to have you.
Image from Max's piece, "Toddler" in [work] at VisArts until this Friday- Click here to see more images from this show in one of our previous postsThanks, Max! We know Richmond is lucky to have you.
