Ludo’s street art pieces are easy to recognize. The prolific artist uses black, white, and fluorescent green to make his work stand out against the city scape. His themes of nature and technology stand out too. Each thought-provoking paste up or mural combines the brilliant design of the natural world with the less elegant elements of technology and weaponry. The juxtaposition offers a haunting vision of our obsession with tech at the expense of the natural world.
Many of the surreal images Ludo creates are both beautiful and grotesque — leaving the viewer to question his or her place in the world and humanity’s large role in both the protection and destruction of the planet. We spoke to the artist this week about his process and philosophy:
How did you get started as an artist?
I’ve always been into the creative process. Then I started to be able to live from my art, around 10 years ago.
Why do you do street art, specifically?
I don’t just do street art. I work with galleries, museums, institutions, foundations. It would be sad if I limited my process. Street art (I hate this label) is, for me, an energy to keep, a laboratory and a way to express myself and a sense of freedom without anything and anyone interrupting my process. Somehow the sense of going against the usual society limitations and laws is also a motivation.
In a way, I want to be different and create reactions, express my feelings and be free to do it. Street art attracts me because of the idea of message and direct connection with the people. I hate decoration, artists doing decorative walls, but I always respect the artists that go out to connect with the viewers in the way they want to say something, criticize… more than just a painting skill. But it’s not at all my only way to express myself.
The way you mix nature with weapons or machinery is so striking, can you talk about the symbolism behind that? And how you came to adopt that particular style?
Nature is my endless source of inspiration. It’s my language. Nature is not the final image I want to paint, it’s a base for me to express my feelings and connect with the viewer. I’m not trying to do a realistic painting of an existing flower but instead I create new species existing for specific messages.
It kind of started with a first piece long time ago, and then I just carried on with exploring much more seriously this mix in-between nature and human technology.
It is maybe also because I studied technical drawing, perspectives and straight lines. I kind of started to go on the other extremity of organic and round shapes. Then, this creation became a pathological obsession. Nature is so beautiful, I mean if you see macro photos and studies of flowers, like Karl Blossfeldt’s photos for example, it’s just an amazing source of inspiration and again speaking about these photos, the black&white gives them almost a mechanical and cold aspect like a Cronenberg movie.
The idea of beauty and chaos in nature attract me in a way because it also speaks about the concepts of duality, dichotomy and almost bipolarity. I am amazed to see how nature can reveal beauty and be synonym of destruction in such a small amount of time.
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Technology and nature are interests that I’m trying to follow and see the parallel evolution of.
Is there an element of protest in your art? And what would you say are your main areas of protest?
There is a protest in my art. First the fact of going on the streets to put artworks is already a protest against the laws and rules. Then I don’t have a specific topic to deal with. I have my ideas about politics, economy,…. I’m involved with social organizations and fundings. But I always have something to say.
Is there a recent piece or pieces you’ve done that you feel like had a particularly strong message, and can you talk about what that message was?
There is no specific piece that stands out. I believe in the things I do in a way that it’s a whole body of work, like a puzzle, everything reflects my life, my energy, my opinions and all these have momentum with their reason in terms of time and space.
Much of your work has been illegal but you do legal pieces as well. Do you prefer one over the other these days?
Legal pieces allow me to do huge installations in places I couldn’t do illegally. If it’s not for this reason, then I don’t do it. I don’t care about these boring decoration ideas of redecorating the cities for the likes of sponsors and greedy real estate. Of course there is only one interesting energy and that is the one coming from people going out and spreading their messages without permission.
Just thinking about Haring, Basquiat, and these artists from the 80’s doing trains like the Futura or more, these guys didn’t ask permission and the works were amazing.
What has been inspiring you at the moment?
Lot of things. Music mostly but also reading more and more.
I’ve been talking lately with artists about the pull to expose the problems with society and politics, do you feel a certain obligation to take on current political issues from around the world?
Well to be honest I’ve always been bored by artists going into political issues. But at some point it’s an obligation, it’s needed. A lot of artist are influencers and there is a need to give opinions and criticize. Lately, Richard Prince is amazingly reflecting people’s voices about Trump. The Women’s movement has been so inspiring, I was blown away and just wanted to join it.
There was an interesting post on Instagram yesterday about how 48 hours of protest made things happen and change, for example how 200000 people deleting uber app basically made the ceo changes his ideas on supporting Trump (at least publicly).
People are the leaders.
Can you talk about your recent work with sculpture?
I love sculpture. Sculptures are where I get the most pleasure.
With sculpture you have a direct relation with the piece, you can walk around, it’s in 3D of course and the perception of the art is totally different from a 2D piece, almost like an installation. I always think that one big sculpture in the middle of a room is enough to make a great show.
What advice would you give to young artists thinking of getting into the street art scene?
Don’t! Just focus on your art, style, get inspired, learn every day. But who cares about street art scene?
What do you love about what you get to do?
Freedom, learning, and hard working. Every day feels different and it’s difficult to get bored.
