It’s no real secret that we have a particular penchant for character art – the strange, the wonderful, the grotesque and, of course, the beautiful. Whenever we see artists who are pushing their characters in new and unique ways, our curiosity gets piqued – and we can’t help but want to find out a bit more.

The work of Melbourne artists Eleven is bold, fresh and just a little off kilter. Spread across creative spectrum’s from illustration, aerosol, deign and photography, his is an ambitious attitude, coupled with skillful techniques and an undeniable enthusiasm. Drawing from the world of Saturday morning cartoons, hip hop and other popular mythos and iconography, his work holds an exacerbatory youthfulness; caffeine filled, sugar rushed and completely, again undeniably, entertaining.

Eleven is one of those young artists who is just beginning to hit his stride into his art-world journey, and yet his work already has a sense of vivacious style that has garnered him a slew of fans. Exploring his creativity has lead him down many avenues, from live art to mural work, design to exhibition – so read on, for a great, in depth interview with the man himself, and get a handle on the frenetic, and highly appealing world of Eleven …

How did you start out in the artistic game, and, as far back as you can remember, what were some of your artistic endeavours? What did a young Eleven enjoy creating?

It all happened three years ago. I started doing graffiti for reasons like most others. Not because “I wanted to change the world” or because I was “rebelling against the man”; no, I started because my friends were doing it. To be more accurate, I started because they stopped. I’m a very competitive person, at times I think I suffer from an inferiority complex, but I thought “if they can do it, I can do it better”. I was and probably still am a total dick. Obviously haha. I sketched in every spare moment I had and it became something I couldn’t help but do. I never thought then, I’d be doing it so seriously. If you couldn’t tell already, i’m not the most serious person.

I remember I was in class one day and some smart-ass kid said to me “Do you only draw letters?”. Like most mild-mannered people, I took this as a challenge and drew my first character. It was this train monster with rabies, frothing oil from his mouth. Me in a nutshell, really. From there I took up art class in my final year of high school, where I was the obvious odd one out. Everyone was sitting quietly at their easels and I was on my knees smashing ink and paint on huge sheets of paper. I learnt a lot about what art is in that class, but I learnt how to do it from the kids in it. Monkey see, monkey do.

When I was like eight, I’m pretty sure I use to draw Power Rangers, Transformers, Pokemons, swords, guns and dragons. The pinnacle of my art career.

We are curious as to your moniker – Eleven – so simple, basic – but what the hell does it actually reference, if anything? Double Trouble?

I’ve never had it referred to as a moniker before haha. Double Trouble would definitely be my wrestling name, if ever that day comes. When I picked up graffiti I did a lot of research into it. I looked at writers from all over the world and watched almost every documentary I could find. I picked up the old New York style of writing a number after your name. Eleven is my house number, my mum’s favourite number and the number that went after my name for my computer password when I was little. Once I decided to jump into the art game, I thought I couldn’t use a name that was scrawled across walls.

So, I dropped my tag and just started calling myself Eleven. There’s nothing overly meaningful behind it. I suppose the more ambiguous reasons I’ve heard from people are far more exciting and well thought out.

So, tell us, even though you’re still relatively early in your journey through the art world – but what have you accomplished for far that you are particularly proud of?

I’ve never thought about that. Everything that’s been happening has all happened so fast and at a rate that doesn’t allow me time to absorb it all. It seems like only yesterday I was back in high school, scrawling all over my workbooks and drawing full blown pieces next to math equations. It’s only been three years. I’m proud of every achievement I suppose; even the little things. I’m over the moon about how many shows I’ve had the privilege to be in, the amount of cool people I’ve worked with, the amount of interviews I get to write haha, the magazines that have published me, the places I’ve been able to go, joining on to Just Another Agency, becoming the youngest person ever to be in Secret Walls, painting for Nikon and a whole bunch of other things.

They’re all great milestones and things I seem to be so lucky to have done, but the best things that have come out of being so invested in the art world are the people i’ve met; my friends. Now, I know that sounds really pansy like some fluffy fairytale phrase, but it’s true. I’ve met some amazing people over the years, who inspire and challenge me everyday. I was featured in a French street culture magazine called Shoes Up awhile back and I met these two Parisians. We got along like a maison on fire and I miss them all the time. I’ve met some amazing talents and I’ve seen some people grow from kids shorter than me, to tall-ass aerosol samurais. It’s nuts! Art shows and exposure is all fine and dandy, but at the end of the day you want to be feasting with people who constantly remind you that you’re not the only crazy person out there.

Tell us a bit about your aerosol work and the shit you do out on the street – what is it about spraypaint that you love, and what parts of the graffiti and street art culture do you particularly identify with?

It’s all quite subjective, isn’t it? There is all this debate between the public and within the ‘graffiti community’. When I started out, I was quite outlandish. I bombed as often as I could and tagged everything that couldn’t run away from me. The freedom and energy was what caught me the most. The excitement of seeing your name blasted on a wall the next morning was also a great joy. As I caught wind of ‘street art’, I realised the ideals of the the past that I was following were slowly disappearing and things were maturing. There was an awareness of artistic qualities in fancy letters and funky characters. I began to make the merge and the bombing slowed down to a halt.

In terms of aerosol work, I dabble less in letters than I use to. These days, I just paint characters, because there’s a certain lack of system or routine that appeals to me more. I do creatures similar to the ones I draw on paper, but I suppose just much larger. In this sense however, I don’t really know what parts of graffiti and street art I identify with. I mean, I’m no longer a writer, but I’m hardly a street artist too.

Labels are all quite elitist and too obscure anyway, I’m just some other kid causing trouble with a pencil and a spray can – Double Trouble haha.

There’s an almost surreal, graphical style to your work, but we also see a lot of hints of skate design reference, as well as cartoons and other pop culture positioning – what are some of your favourite subject matters to paint, and why do you gravitate towards these kind of references – also, what new styles and new influences have started playing a part in your work, that may not have a year ago?

I’ve never thought of my work as surreal, that’s a nice new one haha. I try to draw influence from everything in my circumvention and just throw my own personality into it. I have a serious lack of severity towards a lot of things and have an overly optimistic view on life. Combining my love for distorting what is reality and my amazing joke-telling abilities, I create these children of my imagination. I always try to say to myself that if it isn’t fun, than it’s not worth doing. I try to incorporate fun into all my pieces and avoid anything that would reject me or the audience.

As of late I’ve grown a new found love for food and I’ve also dug deep into futurism, bringing upon crazy dishes from a time not known of yet. In the past I focused heavily on the graffiti subculture and hip hop. With all things, there is natural progression and I’m slowly growing tired of it all. That being said, I still doodle b-boy characters here and there. I’m trying to really push the bounds of my art and incorporate traditional styles or ideas into my work. I’m trying new rendering techniques, new mediums and even a lack of outlines!

Of course, I still just draw what ever I find funny. It’s not strange to see me smiling or giggling as I’m drawing a character. That usually means it’s a good one!

Tell us a bit about growing up and living in Melbourne – what do you think the city itself has added to the way you produce and view art itself?

I grew up in the sleepy suburbs of Melbourne. I went to school in the ‘post gang’ era, you could say. It wasn’t that bad growing up, but there was still that fear looming around that if you looked or said something to someone, you could come home with cuts and bruises. I was involved with that scene as I was younger, but grew out of it. Now, I’m not the toughest kitten out there, don’t get me wrong. Growing up like that though, I think that caused me to look at things more lightly and what pushes me to take the most innocent of things and obscure them. A sort of weird, internal struggle between a troubled youth and a boy who refuses to grow up. Something stupid like that.

Melbourne, however, I think is a great city. The ‘street art capital of the world’, according to some old fart that interviewed me from Monash University. It’s definitely and ever-brooding cultural hub full of colourful streets, colourful food and colourful people. The level of diversity and the speed at which Melbourne is moving, it’s definitely a good place to be for art. The variety of styles has really opened my mind to what can be done and it’s constantly inspiring me. There’s so much to get immersed in. The amount of talent there is in Melbourne fuels both my ambition and my burning envy.

Photography also plays a big part in the way you view the world creativity, what is it about this form of expression that draws you in and what do you enjoy about getting those single framed moments?

Amongst design, art, writing heart-felt love poems and contemporary dance, photography is just another field of creativity I happen to indulge in. Photography is just something else to keep me busy, if anything. I shoot a lot of ‘street’ photography and my friends. I have a terrible memory and a tendency to be very careless. Photos serve as a way of preserving memories I’d otherwise forget. There is a particular patience with photography that I don’t seem to have with anything else. I can stand in one spot for an hour and shoot nothing and there’s something to be said about that. It’s helped me enjoy everything in a succession of ever-ephemeral moments and is another outlet of creativity where I’m not creating anything, instead waiting for the world to align.

How did you come to be on the Just Another Agency roster? Why do you feel it is important for an artist to become a part of an agency and what made you decided to join up?

I often ask that to myself from time to time haha! I did a show late last year with LMTDspace at 1000 pound bend. It was my first real group show in Melbourne and I put in some of my best work. The show didn’t get the biggest turn out, but I was showing alongside JAA’s very own Leisha Muraki. I don’t know the whole story, but apparently she introduced my work to Melika and they’ve been keeping an eye on me since then. When the Cocoa Jackson studio had their laneway festival, I was down there painting with Ruskidd and S-701a when Melika and Leisha approached me. We conversed a little, commented on Melbourne’s darn weather and the police pig I was painting. Melika then gave me the smallest business card I’d ever seen and asked me to email her my website. She replied to my email with a surprising invitation to join the family. It was all very surreal and unbelievable, but yeah, that’s how it all went down.

My thoughts on agencies is not concrete, as it’s something I know very little about. I know a fair few artists who have found great success on their own and disregard the need for third party assistance. I don’t mind the idea of it all, if anything it’s opened up an entire hallway of doors and windows to people I would’ve never met otherwise. It certainly isn’t important, I mean, success comes to those who deserve it; most of the time. However, it’s an option that shouldn’t be totally disregarded. No one likes an obnoxious prick haha. Right?

You also have Secret Walls coming up real soon – why did you want to get yourself involved in this battle, and what do you think you’ll take away from the experience? Have you done any live art battles before, and, if not, what most makes you nervous about doing so?

Secret Walls, boy, who would of thought? I remember coming across it when I first started drawing characters and just aspiring to the day that I’d be up there battling it out. It was that kind of event that I always doubted myself about, in the sense, I could never see myself actually competing. With good reason too, most of the people, both in this year’s series and in the past, have such a large platter of experience over me. When a friend of mine suggested I give Shannon an email with my work, I laughed and I emailed him more as a joke, not expecting anything back. Apparently he thought my email was funny and decided to take me seriously haha.

I’ve never done a live art battle before. Besides Secret Walls, I didn’t think any others existed. It just goes to show how little I know about anything.

I’m extremely nervous. The huge crowd doesn’t scare me or the fact of losing – it’s the whole idea of competing against such heavy weights. I’m one to not think so highly of myself, as you can tell, but when they throw you onto a stage like that you’re expected to bring your all. The fear of looking back and thinking I could’ve done better is what freaks me out the most. I’m hoping to take my art onto a new platform. Having so much limitations and constraints only forces us to expand on our limited skills and materials.

What are your plans for the rest of this year and beyond? What projects do you have planned, and are you going to be doing any solo shows in the future?

The future is something that doesn’t cross my mind too often. It’s too intangible and whenever I plan anything I always end up disappointing myself. I’m a lazy ass, I don’t get things done. I let things happen on their own, that’s how it’s always been for me. However, on a more literal note, I have a fair few exhibitions coming up, one being with Just Another Agency in conjunction with Semi-Permanent. With my Secret Walls battle coming up, I’ve been too busy to get too much else done. I’ve got some features and interviews coming out sooner to my battle date also, so that’s exciting.

I don’t know about a solo show. I’m still taking in everything that’s happened over the past few years. Nothing has hit me. I mean, great things have happened, but when asked about my achievements it was the first time I ever thought about it all. Whatever the future brings, I look forward to it’s fantastical surprises, but at this point in time I don’t think i’m confident enough with my work to have a show on my own. I mean come on, a solo show?

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WORK THAT IS AND HOW MUCH SUGAR, COLA, POPCORN AND CANDY I WILL NEED TO MAINTAIN MY SANITY???

… check out Eleven at his website, as well as over at Just Another Agency, and see the Secret Walls Australia website for more info on his upcoming battle!