Rainbow Monkey
A couple of months ago Sweet and Sound interviewed Débruit, the French “Wonky” producer anyone who follows new music talking about. He has recently released his new EP entitled “Spatio Temporel” which, like his last EP, comes with a very interesting 3D sleeve and accompanying video. When I asked Débruit who was behind his artwork he told me it was a very talented creative chap called the Rainbow Monkey. The name in itself had me intreagued… So i decided to kill my curiosity by getting in toutch with the Rainbow Monkey (real name Markus Hofko). He’s based in New Zealand so we talked over the phone about the ideas behind his work, the current fascination with space in art and what he’s got planned for the future. ooooooooo ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooooooo oooooo ooooo o oooooooo o o o o o o o o ooooo oooo ooo
How did your work with Débruit come about? ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
We met a couple of years ago via myspace and both liked each others work. I helped him out with getting some shows in Europe and we did a tour with me and my wife’s musical project, Okyo. After that we stayed in contact and he was interested in me being involved in his visual. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
Is Okyo similar to Débruit in any way? oooooooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooo
Not really, we haven’t done any new songs for two or three years so everything that happened before was a spontaneous collaboration between me and my wife. It’s more electronic and dancey; a bit psychedelic… Its just different, music wise. In a way it fitted pretty well together as a live project playing with Débruit – I like what he is doing andi think we both have a similar quirky style. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
You’ve done the last two EP covers for Débruit. Are you planning to do more collaborations with your visual work and his album? ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
Yeah, thats definitely the plan. The idea for the last EP and maybe another upcoming one is to follow the visual line with a portrait and an object to create a whole package. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo ooooooooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
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I read a piece on a blog called Roag’s Foam a while ago where they compared your work with the Dada and Cubism period in quite some depth. Have you been directly inspired or influenced by the works of these people? ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
I think it just happened randomly. I never really did much research in that field. Recently I watched a documentary about Dadaism from the 80′s and i really enjoyed the stuff they were doing and i think most of their ideas were so contemporary that it would work nowadays, but with a lot of styles that have come up within last year, i think they’ve all happened already. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
Comparing your work with what’s going on in the design scene at the moment, do you feel like it has a certain pattern or trend going through it? ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
I think there are always trends. There is a trend at the moment as well, a lot of things are getting turned into the psychedelic world, out of space kind of visuals and symbolic forms. Most people don’t really know a lot about these topics but somehow the visual impact is big. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
There seems to be a lot of artists nowadays relating to the idea of space. Can you put your finger on what or who you think might of started this trend? ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
No. At one stage i started to collect images that were very similar to document this trend, because in a way I find it annoying that things repeat themselves. Which is not what you want to do as a designer. You want to create new things, not just do what is trendy. It’s also dependent on the work, if its commercial work then you may have to. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oo
How do you find balancing commercial work with own personal projects? oooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo
In a way it is balanced, but you’re not really able to mix them up. You’ll always have to follow rules. Its pretty strict with what they want so your not really free to come up with your own creative ideas. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
You’ve done stuff for Auckland ArtStation and FilmArchive. Is that an example of commercial work you’ve done? ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
It is partly commercial but thats already artistic based so there’s still freedom in the approach. You’re allowed to play with it, I prefer to work in that field, but you cant always choose. Im not able to at the moment. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
The project you did called “The Islands” seems to represent human beings as unimportant because of the size of things and the separation. Do you feel strongly about that kind of thing, that maybe humans consider themselves a bit too important? ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
Yeah i guess it depends on the interpretation. That can be pretty open but to me maybe its a mix of both. The main idea was to give the human a big importance that’s why i separated them and put them on an island so its not a global thing its a individual thing. What they experience is important and can be pretty banal. It’s basically about humans and their everyday lives. In a way i think its the importance of our lives, what we do. It shows that a lot of things we do and think about are totally absurd and don’t make any sense globally. It’s somewhere in between i guess. ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
One of the parts from Rainbow Monkey’s project “The Islands” called “Truth”
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Was that an important project to you?ooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo oooooooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo
At one stage. At the moment I’m happy I’m finished. I was in the process of documenting at two different galleries to get the work out but at the moment I’m over it. It was a good thing to do to get away from the computer, to do physical work. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo
It looks time consuming. There’s a lot of detail to it, must have taken quite a while… ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo
You could even spend more time on it. If you’re a professional train modeler you would probably spend some extra time on them. So i might proceed with them as I’m not completely happy with the level of detail. I’d like to push them a bit further. Maybe thats the next step. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo
With regards to Debruit’s video and album work, you’ve done it in 3D. How did you get into that? ooo oooooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooo oooo oooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooooooo oooo
it seems to be quite popular at the moment whereas five years ago it wouldn’t have been taken so seriously, people might have thought ‘thats dreadful’. Maybe or maybe it would have been great back then as well. It all depends on how you use it. Its been around for ages, but what you find is ridiculous. There are heaps of material but its just about the technique. There’s no artistic approach. Like people photographing their cats, landscape photos and all that stuff on the nasa site where you can see the space mission in 3D. It’s like, ‘that’s nice’. There’s some interesting stuff, but in the artistic field there are still a lack of things. Commercially it’s used more and more so that’s how i got into it. It’s reasonably easy and can have a great effect so I’m planning to do much more work in that field. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
Débriut’s 3D EP sleeve covers for “Let’s Post Funk and “Spatio Temporel” designed by Rainbow Monkey ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
So it’s a technique you enjoy using? ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooooo
Yeah definitely. I think its the future of films. 3D gets really popular, especially with cinema work. Most of the animation movies get released as a 3D version. It’s another step into fake reality. I really enjoy that. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
Do you have any particular ideas behind your work? Is there a particular influence or method you stick to throughout it? ooo oooooooooo oooooooooo oooooooooooo ooooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
I try not to have a specific style but I guess you cant avoid that. There’s definitely a red line going through my work. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo oooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooooooo oooo
So there’s no particular message going through your work it’s just what you do at the time? ooo oooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooooo oooooooooooo oooo
I just like to explore new things and try not to repeat myself. Im always open to new things, learning and doing. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooooooo oooo
What brought you to New Zealand? ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo
I went there a few times as a teenager, and i always wanted to come back to stay longer. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o ooooooooo oooooooooo
Is it a good place to work? Does the art world over there inspire you? ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo
Partly, it is inspiring. The design scene and standard is pretty average. It’s at the edge of the world and they’re always a bit behind everyone else. Design wise I’m not really happy and I don’t have a lot of clients. The art scene is pretty interesting especially the performing arts and the little underground scenes going on. They create something out of nothing which is inspiring. The visual art itself, I cant really say much about that… ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
“While everyone seems to be on the search for the God-Particle I looked for the basic elements of the classic comic characters...” – Rainbow Monkey ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
So most of the work you do is for people outside of New Zealand? ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo
Mostly. I have another studio that i work for. I have some nice jobs but yeah, basically what pays my rent are the jobs from overseas. ooo oooooooooo
Do you feel music influences you work a lot? ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o
I don’t think so. I’ve never really thought about it. I couldn’t even imagine how it could influence me. I’m in to a lot of different musical styles so i couldn’t imagine how it could influence me. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo
A lot of artists do use music as an inspiration… ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o
Maybe subconsciously that happens, but I cant imagine at all how that works. Its better to have a general influence on yourself. maybe if your deeply into a specific style of music it would shape your personality. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo
Where did the name Rainbow Monkey come from? ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o
I’m always pretty quick with finding names, so i just came up with it and Rainbow Monkey sounded smooth to me. I just chose it at one stage, I cant even remember when or why that happened but it happened and i stick to it. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo
Do you have any aliases or is it just that one? ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o
On the visual side it’s just that one. I also make a lot of music that I like to separate into different fields. I divide it up into different projects. ooo ooooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooooooo
What’s your plan for the future? have you got any new projects or directions coming into place? ooo ooooooooooooooo oooooooooooo ooooooo ooooooooooo oooo ooooooooo oooooooooooo oooo
I would love to do more film work, collaborating with my wife Karen doing more movie stuff. 3D movies, more storytelling, less technical work and more conceptual. I don’t want to spend hours and hours clicking and programming on a computer, i just want to come up with an idea and create it. Take a photo or shoot it. I’d rather make specific projects then computer work. I want to get away from the computer. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooooooo oooooooooooo oooooo oooo o
Can you see yourself doing that any time soon? ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o
It’s already happening. The Islands for instance was a start. I did some projects with Karen, some movies and short clips and there’s definitely more to come. ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo ooo oooooooooo ooooooooooo oooo o oooooo
Interview by Shane Connolly, photos by Karen Hofko