Photo Credit - sokeiprim
The most fulfilling part of creating content for this blog is being able to consistently talk to people we love who also create art we love. Couchdog’s conversation with our good friend Nathaniel offered us not only a deeply interesting conversation on his visual art but also provided some genuinely introspective ideas pertaining to the role of how our wider environment can directly affect not only what we create but how we create it. Our chat ranged from high energy exchanges to meditative and reflective dialogue that mirrors the little part of the world that Nathaniel operates in.
Under the guise of Oldmate788 (named after the iconic Peninsula bus route) Nathaniel works as a kind of Jack of all trades when it comes to producing visual art. In his own words “One day I might be helping a film crew by holding lights up, another creating visuals for a bands live set or designing logos.” An extremely dedicated individual, Mr. Oldmate788 has his hands and signature style stretched out into an array of projects. Most recently he created the Spotify canvases for The Grogans new album Day/To/Day which offer a great exhibition of the aesthetic that is so intrinsically linked within Oldmate's art. His art also holds a special place in Couchdog's heart as he was at the helm of filming and producing our first ever artist Showcase video (that you can check out on this blog). You can see Oldmate display his style at live gigs around Melbourne/Naarm with his spectacular visuals accompanying many acts including The Grogans, Velvet Bloom, Majak Door and even Berlin based DJ Objekt.
A quick glimpse of the Canvas created by Oldmate788 for The Grogans new album Day/To/Day
So, what exactly is this signature look that makes up the essence of Oldmate778’s visuals? Well according to Nathaniel a primary influence over his output is the look of skate videos. The grainy VHS aesthetic that is engrained into the mid to late 90’s post-modern style is a commonality shared between a lot of his projects. When speaking to his use of tape Nathaniel mentions the raw energy it exudes. Tape cannot be controlled, there is always going to be something wrong with it and that’s okay. Integrating the imperfections that the VHS/Tape offer is a key aspect to the visual that Oldmate provides. There is also an innate connection people of our generation have to VHS. As Nathaniel pointed out, a large majority of our childhood memories were filmed and recorded on VHS tapes. We were the last generation to have this technology linked with our early years, to our nostalgia and that is what Nathaniel wants to tap into with his work. A replication of that nostalgia, extremely real and raw. This was an extremely fascinating area of discussion that gave us a new appreciation for Nathaniel creates.
From everything VHS related, the conversation then shifted to the wider environment that surrounds Nathaniel and how that affects his work. As soon as this topic is reached the first thing that is cited as his big inspiration is the people around him. As this blog has constantly reiterated being surrounded with other creative individuals and building a community benefits art immensely and this is just proven even more with this chat. While there is always the signature Oldmate feel to everything he touches it always has a strong essence of his close friends. “I take pieces of their personality and what they are working on art wise”.
Outside of the people in his life the great inspiration behind Oldmate778 is the environment that surrounds him. Living on the Ninch (The Mornington Peninsula for those who aren’t down with the South East lingo) provides an incredible landscape to draw inspiration and creative stimulation from. Speaking from the perspective from us here at Couchdog (we were brought up on the Ninch), the versatility of the natural world is quite incredible. The coast- like areas such as the beaches mixed with regions of bush is quite an awe-inspiring place to take influence from. Nathaniel recounts days where he just wonders down to the beach looking at wave formations and the clouds and creating from just those experiences alone. He believes living up in the Rye/Arthurs seat area allows his art some space to breathe. While the city is typically considered the ‘hot’ place for thriving artists and their respective communities, it was extremely interesting listening to an artist who thrives living outside of that space. Being located on a little town by the beach allows him to not get bombarded by art and music. This isolation from the hustle and bustle of the big city allows him to formulate his own opinions of what he finds cool and not necessarily get caught up into an echo chamber or an agreed consensus.
Please make sure to check out our lovely friends work and be sure to keep a look out for all the exciting things coming in the future for Oldmate788.
Instagram - oldmate788
Photo Credit - sokieprim
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