Tonight, Volcom in association with Cooler magazine are holding an art show featuring the work of Dashenka Prochazka in a basement in Shoreditch, London. The exhibition, ‘Fear of Death is Fear of Life’ is Dashenka’s interpretation of life, death and the places in between. As well as sculptures, paintings, screenprints and installation music, there’ll be food, drink, and some top DJ’s to provide the soundtrack to an amazing evening.
To celebrate, we caught up with the experimental artist and her partner in crime – Egg & Anchovie – to find out about ideas, inspirations and just who is lurking inside that pink suit…What is ‘Egg & Anchovie’ and who is involved?
It was in the month of Taifuu Shiizun when the little lonely Egg was wandering the streets of Kyoto on a rainy cold afternoon. When the Kaze gaTasuyo’i (Japanese cold breeze) started to crack on her fine pure white shell, Egg decided to warm herself up in a Esute Spa. And that’s where Egg met Anchovie for the first time, swimming in a boiling hot waterbath. Their connection was obvious. Getting harder by the second, Egg could finally hold it’s love back no longer and offered itself to the cute little stinky fish, saying: “You are my salt.” Ever since they joined forces, they leave salt trails behind.
How do you come up with your ideas?
We kind of scribbled a little script on a yellow piece of paper but during filming we just kept coming up with new ideas.
We don’t work in concepts because that might restrict the flow of ideas. The more we do, the faster the ball starts rolling and thinking of concepts or planning what we’re going to do would be like creating a crack in the street to stop the ball rolling. Our creations are evolving and progressing in the process of making them.
Where was the ‘Fear of Death is Fear of Life’ video done?
In one of the most beautiful cities where crystal clear lakes kiss the feet of the steepest snowy mountains: Lucerne, Switzerland.
What was the response you received from people watching you?
The responses were great. Lots of curiosity, question-marked faces and shy little giggles but also people coming up asking what this was all about and what it was for. But most of all they really just wanted to taste the salt. One old man was so proud to be in the bar scene that he gave us his email address so we could send him the photos to show his wife. So cute!
What motto do you live by?
We bless the meal and drinks (especially sake), we pat and sing to our potted plants, we say goodbye and thanks for the fire to the matchstick before blowing it’s life away, we cherish the wind playing with our hair and dog’s poo giving us a canvas to paint pink.
It’s easy to honour the obvious light, fun, sunny, happy, shiny things that make our lives so blissful but there is no white without the black. A blind man never sees the darkness.
How long did you both plan this for? Or did you wake up one morning and say “I want to wear a pink suit today and go out in public”?
The idea was conceived one afternoon in the bath and nine months later we gave birth to the amazing production. Egg found the pink suit in a ‘got it all’ shop called Tokyo Hands in Shibuya. Best shop ever! (The other day someone asked me if I got it in a sex shop… I was shocked!) I was asked to do some life painting and singing at the opening night of the Volcom store in Tokyo and the pink suit gave Egg her super power magic that was inquired to perform in front of such a big amazing Harajuku crowd. Tokyo is the playground I feel most inspired by.
What future projects do you have in the pipeline?
It’s a mystery! I would tell you just a little bit but it would spoil the surprise. Safe to say there will be more…
How did you get where you are?
We were born and grew up in Lucerne, Switzerland. We are inspired by travels, friends and family. We are both curious and fascinated by anything new. I was also always fascinated by eggs from a very young age: they are the perfect shape. Plus the smoothness of the shell, the different color combinations of white, beige, browns, the sizes they come in. And then the magic of DNA that is carried in such a thin, fragile shell that could be destroyed so effortlessly and lost for ever.
What is your ‘Save the Ocean’ campaign all about?
Asking all the surfers, mermaids, sailers, pirates, dolphin lovers and stoners that love the sunsets at the beach to have a ‘Save the Ocean’ moment.
Create awareness, don’t just burn what stands in your way, recycle, cycle don’t drive a motor, take care, care for nature and pick up your butts. Living is dreaming. Dreaming is living.
