News/Events
Step into the Funk with Bafcat
27 June 2016 by Sancho Murphy
"I use bold colours to draw away from reality and often break down figures into shapes as I feel we have a very strong connection with shapes."
Bafcat is an emerging Sydney based artist, working with traditional mediums as well as producing large scale murals of character based art that is flat, colourful and playful. An avid comic book reader and sci-fi movie buff, his works are often inspired by vibrant cartoons and such characters.
In addition to doing the independent artist hu$tle, Bafcat is part of Verb Syndicate - a creative arts business working in design, art direction and project management for the creative industries. They curate and promote creative initiatives including touring art exhibitions, temporary galleries, public art projects, artists talks and pop-up exhibitions!
Announcing Bafcat's second solo show, CURIOSITY is a collection of paintings that are influenced by his love of the weird and odd. He will be showing a mix of painting and sculpture to create a space that feels like an old time curiosity shop!!
From the one and only, inimitable goober - Houl put together some questions, of which the answers will tug at your dorky heartstrings.
Normally I fuck around each week asking mundane questions at the start, but I’m tired of that noise. Let’s start off, first questions, with something to get you really thinking. You draw your painting pseudonym from Bathcat, the Vandiemenlander, from Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. What was it about this character in particular that made you opt to use his name as your own when you paint? To add to this, at what point did Bathcat morph into Bafcat? Were there any other names you considered using, or any names you’ve considered using since?
I felt a strong connection with the character for some reason, maybe it was that I was attracted to the craziness and off beat personality! Mmmmm morphing Bathcat into Bafcat was like gaining a level in D&D or becoming Super Saiyan!!
Looking over the ever growing and developing portfolio of artwork, the influences and inspiration you take from comic books and cult movies, classic literature and contemporary music, are clear and evident. If somebody wanted to truly become Bafcat, to wear your skin as a suit and walk amongst the regular folk, what are the top 5 things they would need to watch, read or listen to in order to make their lie a reality, and truly become Bafcat, not just pretend to be you?
Well the top 5 things you need is:
1. Hellboy comic series
2. The Blood Meridian
3. The Phantasm series directed by Don Coscarelli
4. Every Ray Harryhausin movie
5. Cheeseburgers
When is the Bafcat graphic novel coming? You’ve been teasing me with it for years now, with some ongoing artistic cocktease, and I don’t know how much longer I can wait. I’m seeing some massive, sprawling Brandon Graham type mess, both brilliant and confusing and bizarre but in a good way?
It's fucking coming! When.............. I don't know......... but I'm working on it.
It’s at this point in the interview where I’d keep asking long winded questions that were kind of funny, mostly dumb and sometimes just a little fucked up. But I’m bored of that already. Not your answers, they’ve been great, but for now, I just want to hear something from you. Tell me a story Bafcat.
One day in Canberra I nearly died in a flash flood with a bunch of homies - one of them being Houl! One second we are painting the next we are scrambling up a wall for our lives!
Bafcat: Finding Funkworld presented by Verb Syndicate
What was there before Bafcat?
Before Bafcat I was just a normal cat doing normal cat things until I was struck by some weird lightning that turned me human!
Did you experiment with any other styles before your Cat was Bathed?
I've always been attracted to creating cartoon style art! Since I was young I would draw pictures of Ren and Stimpy from my VHS covers, and I just never stopped!
We know what Bafcat paints. What about Bafdog?
Bafdog is a menace, I have to keep him hidden like my evil twin in the attic!
Assuming you prescribe to the notion of reincarnation, and that life is one endless wheel that spins round and round on its axis until we return to our beginnings. When your current cycle is up, what will your next form be? I don't mean, what would you like to be, like a dolphin or Dolly Parton, I mean karmically, what do you feel you will be?
Mmmm deep question, well if I was to come back from the dead, I would be a robot cat in a dystopian future, with laser eyes and can smell catnip from anywhere!!
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CURIOSITY - an exhibition by Bafcat
Lobrow Gallery & Bar
Level 2, 181 City Walk, Canberra City
Saturday 2nd July
6.00pm - free entry
*Exhibition is up for 2 weeks
**See Facebook Event for more details.