Interview: Julian Klincewicz, Multidisciplinary Artist
By Something CuratedJulian Klincewicz’s burgeoning career has already seen him become a published author, exhibited artist, recorded musician, in-demand photographer and filmmaker, fashion designer and occasional model. He has created films for designers Gosha Rubchinskiy and Eckhaus Latta, New York band Haerts, and was invited by Kanye West to film the YEEZY Season 3 presentation in Madison Square Gardens. More recently, Klincewicz exhibited at San Diego gallery Bread & Salt, showing a series of works exploring the physical translation of sound onto silk banners. Something Curated caught up with the young polymath to learn more.
Something Curated: How would you describe what you do?
Julian Klincewicz: Hmmm, I would describe it as applied curiosity. I try to explore truths about my own life experiences, and channel those experiences and ideas, and use those as a mirror for shared experiences or struggles – in general common threads between all humans – and create a piece or series (of artwork/s) that can serve as a vessel of those experiences and ideas.
SC: What mediums do you work in and why do you think you are able to be so fluid in terms of your various practices?
JK: I work in a lot of different mediums… I think I just see connections between everything – it’s the same as life. Very rarely are things only of themselves – most experiences or feelings or thoughts are created because of a constant negotiation between multiple experiences, feelings, or thoughts, and they all effect and inform each other regularly – they tend to evolve together. I just feel the same to be true in art. If you set the intention to not limit yourself into a single ‘medium’ or type of work, you’ll be much freer to explore and create new kinds of work. That being said – sometimes projects or ideas will come with really clear parameters of what feels right for it – something’s are meant to be writing, others are photographs – some can only be themselves if they’re expressed through a handful of mediums.
SC: Do you have any rituals that spark your creativity?
JK: I mean – I think the closest thing to a ritual might be a constant search for some sort of truth… 90% of what goes into any artwork is just trying to find things that feel true about the current moments – about our culture, about the medium… trying to understand something about the zeitgeist. The ritual of the artist is maybe to usethemsleves as a mirror. I could tell you that when I’m meditating regularly, reading everyday, listening to podcasts and music, skating, and spending time in conversation with friends, family, and strangers – when I have a good balance of influences coupled with time to think about them in isolation – I’m most creative.
SC: What would you say was your proudest achievement to date?
JK: I think the runway show I did in September of 2015. I think that’s the most interesting and important piece I’ve ever done. The reason being it served a really genuine purpose to engage with and inspire a community. It was a moment where I had something meaningful to share with the world, and the world had a need for what I had to share. It was a moment of total truth.
SC: Are there any filmmakers or creatives whose work you draw influence from?
JK: Certainly. I love the work of Wim Wenders, and the cinematography of Robbie Muller. I love Terrance Malick and Andrei Tarkovsky. My favorite movie is Sans Solei by Chris Marker – I think it’s informed my work outlook on video and film more than anything else.
SC: Have you got any upcoming projects that you can tell us about?
JK: Hmm, right now I’m in a place where I’m just playing around with a lot of different projects and seeing where they go. I have a lot of personal work that I’ve been either sitting on, or re-developing for this year. I’m working on a skate project with my friend Dolan Stearns. I’m working on a book of photographs from Iceland. I’m also starting to think about a large-scale performance piece in collaboration with some of my favorite San Diego based artists.
SC: Tell us about your upbringing and how that has influenced your work today?
JK: I was born in Chicago, but raised in San Diego. I went to a Waldorf school where my mom was (and still is) a kindergarten teacher. I think Waldorf education greatly influenced my sense of fluid creativity and pushed me to not fear exploration and discovering things for myself. My mom definitely helped inform that too. Other than that – I spent a lot of time skating. I love skating so much and would not be who I am without it, and the community that comes with it. I also played in a few bands in high school. Actually to your last question – I’m working on some music! I want to focus more energy there for 2018.
SC: How did your involvement with the skate community influence your identity and creative choices?
JK: I think it’s just a sense of possibility, and self discipline. With skating – you can only get good by doing it, and because you force yourself to go do it and progress. Obviously it doesn’t feel ‘forced’ because it comes from a place of love. I think having something like that where it’s not a coach pushing you, but rather a community of friends and piers, and pros helping you believe you can learn a new trick or do some crazy shit – it’s just a good experience. Low-key skaters run pop-culture.
SC: One of your goals was working with Kanye West. How did this become a reality?
JK: The universe has a really beautiful way of working. One day I just got the email that Kanye wanted to meet – so I went to his office and it was like sitting next to inspiration. He’s such an incredible guy, and I still feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work with him.
SC: Are there any people you would like to collaborate with?
JK: A whole bunch, but right now I’m mostly thinking about collaborations with friends. I’ve spent so much time in the past 3 years lucky enough to get to work with a lot of absolutely incredible artists in really high-visibility positions, and I hope I get to keep working with such amazing people. But I also find myself just thinking about projects with my friends – making music, working on a film, etc.
SC: What do you love about the New York creative scene?
JK: I think there’s just an energy there that is really unique. You get the high highs and the low lows, and there’s something that just feels exciting.
SC: What is your favourite restaurant in New York?
JK: I love Souen. And I also love Kiki’s.
SC: What is your favourite gallery in New York?
JK: Mmmm, I’m not sure. I usually just really love going to the New Museum – I’ve seen so many amazing exhibitions there. It’s where I first got introduced to Sarah Charlsworth’s work – she’s one of my favorite artists.
SC: Where do you spend most of your time in New York?
JK: Right now I’m actually based on the West Coast – I left NY just after Christmas. In NY I spent so much time traveling for projects that I actually ended up barely getting to know the city. I really loved my apartment though – just spending time in my studio room and working on stuff in the sunlight – that’s one of my fondest memories.
Interview by Niamh Leonard-Bedwell | Images via Julian Klincewicz