In this podcast Rene talks about growing up and working as an artist in San Francisco, USA.
Summary
This summary outlines the key themes from an interview with Rene Capone conducted by Gareth Watkins, recorded on June 30th, 2008, in San Francisco. The interview delves into Capone's experience as an artist in San Francisco, detailing their background, influences, and the creative process.
The artist begins by describing the environment they are in, surrounded by artworks that evoke both the past and future. Capone started taking art seriously after leaving college, having had a negative experience in New York City. San Francisco became a comfortable home and an ongoing setting for their creative endeavors. A pivotal point in Capone's life was a motorcycle accident which resulted in a shattered collarbone and a period of recovery involving heavy pain medication. During this phase, while bedridden, Capone conceived an imaginative tale about a character with a giant hedgehog overhead, which ultimately led them to seek psychotherapy to understand the connections to their own life experiences.
This creative epiphany transformed into a collaborative short story, which later evolved into a comic book. The comic book serves as a visual medium essential for expressing the ideas that Capone believes cannot be conveyed adequately through words alone. Only three pages into the comic, Capone views it as a love letter to any young individual who has had to flee difficult circumstances to discover their own identity. The story is specifically aimed at the gay community, drawing on the artist's personal experiences and depicting a journey from an oppressive environment toward self-realization.
Capone reflects on their earlier experiences drawing inspiration from comic books, and how this cultivated their ability to draw. The central story of the comic book is based on Capone's experiences at age 14, when they escaped from a confining and unfortunate living situation, establishing a deeply personal connection to the work.
In a pragmatic shift from their initial large-scale works, Capone discusses transitioning to the comic book format to make their art more accessible and affordable. Ideally, the artist wants to reach those who may not have the means to purchase expensive artworks but can connect to the storytelling and emotional resonance of their work. The comic book's development involved the repurposing of fine art painting methods, which allowed Capone to refine story elements like swords, clocks, and books that become motifs within the narrative.
Feedback from initial audiences has been positive, with an unexpected following among Asian women due to cultural parallels with the Japanese subculture of Yahweh—emotional narratives about love between young men intended for a female audience. Capone discusses the earnest desire to connect with their intended readers who are grappling with their own identities and life choices, emphasizing that commercial success is secondary to the authenticity and impact of their creative expression.
Capone's earlier works are recognized as stepping stones toward the current style, which strikes a balance between comic book aesthetics and the intricacies of real-life figures. They share a reluctance to speak about personal struggles and an overwhelming feeling they encounter when the intensity of ideas cannot be quickly brought to life through art. Furthermore, they mention their interaction with Visual AIDS, an organization supporting artists with life-threatening illnesses, which has played a supportive role in their life and creative journey.
The audio recording ends with an emphasis on the ongoing nature of the artist's work, highlighting that the journey and narrative in their art continue to evolve.
This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.
Voices
Tags (computer generated)
accident, artist, asian, audience, books, cancer, china, coming of age, community, drama, drawing, drugs, emotional, energy, fun, future, growing up, health, hope, illustrator, imagery, japan, letter, love, magazines, museums, narrative, new york city, other, painting, people, reading, romantic, short story, space, stroke, stuff, support, time, top, touch, unashamed, women, work