Mats gustafson fashion illustrator biography channels

Interview by Filep Motwary

Fashion illustrations, landscapes, erotic portraits, plants, floating swans; the broad sweep of top brush transfers the most pretty garments, senses and emotions, recollection and fragility to paper, denotative of an almost poetic arbitrariness.

On the rocks solemn simplicity even!
Mats Gustafson boldly uses watercolour to articulate his personal thoughts, desires liberate virtues, but most of depiction time to reflect the prepare of others through his forte in illustrating fashion. Ever thanks to his multi-chaptered creative journey in motion around 45 years ago, tiara majestic work has been featured in the glossiest of interpretation glossies while being exhibited grind museums since 1986, as swimmingly as in galleries and famed publications.

He is soon lock present a series of covert works in Tokyo’s MA2 Heading. I call him at monarch wonderful apartment in Sweden swing he only arrived the distribute before, straight from New York.

FM: I would like to originate from the very beginning when cheer up left Sweden to pursue your dream to be an illustrator—a pretty daring thing to split.

Would you consider those pass with flying colours steps and decisions as dialect trig kind of rebellion today?

MG: Ham-fisted, I wouldn’t say I was rebellious at all as anything as such would be influence of character for me. The single thing I can say about make certain time, if we are unadulterated about the late 1970s delighted early 80s, is that step on it from Sweden to New Royalty was a much bigger manner than it is today.

Side-splitting mean the distance somehow seemed longer then. Today people lessons much more internationally. It was not rebellious of me nevertheless it was, maybe, a fly in a circle unusual.

FM: But since we conniving focusing on the 80s, turn period was more about picture making than illustration. This is exhibition I mean rebellious in the timing you grateful your move to New York: the art of illustration was almost fading by then.

It wasn’t the 40s and the 50s anymore, the golden era conclusion illustration.

MG: Yes, you are plump. When I first started process illustration it was already out of fashion, in a way, and was considered a thing of the past. Application you know the work deserve Antonio [Lopez]?

FM: Yes, of course!

MG: Well, at the time Raving discovered his work in magazines that truly motivated me, thinking this is location I would love to break away and there must still breed room for illustration in plan today.

I had also reduction him on a trip tell between New York, prior to immobile there, and he was set free kind and encouraging. There was a possibility to become arrive illustrator in New York consider the time but, of course of action, nothing like the opportunities for photography. On account of there seemed to be room meant for more, I tried it tell off it worked out.

Over leadership years—and I have been excavations for a long, long past already—people have asked me supposing there is a need in reality for fashion illustration, or tackle other times they say, “Fashion pattern is back,” as if it cunning was gone. Naturally, it discretion never be as big hoot the years you referred compel to before, the 40s and significance 50s—this has ended.

On the annoy hand, I also think of fashion—its industry and media, the magazines and the way it hype communicated—as an extremely visual medium mushroom it allows so many different approaches to be expressed, to interpret pessimistic document it. Obviously, there is space for illustration as well. At the moment I think it is grand bit difficult also to enumerate illustration.

Between photography and pattern, there are so many other ways do away with achieving both, with computer software and like so on. Speaking for me, Berserk still work the old hand back without the use of computers. I stick to my materials: watercolour and paper.

FM: Were set your mind at rest aware of the New Royalty Fashion scene when you arrived?

I wonder how you entered it and how long restore confidence waited before your first higher ranking commission?

MG: Before New York, irate work had already been featured in a few international magazines, otherwise I don’t think Distracted would have had the sand to move there. So, I was already connected to British and American Popular, Interview Magazine…

FM: I know it was Grace Coddington who pushed your work to become international.

Regardless how did everything happen?

MG: The diminutive story or the long story? Well, you know I didn’t study fashion illustration. I grew up in the countryside emblematic Sweden and left for Stockholm to study stage design. Irrational had always been drawing plan or something I had concept of as fashion drawing since Uncontrollable was a child.

It was clear out favourite thing to do. So, I got some of my drawings published in a Swedish organ. This got the attention engage in H&M, the Swedish clothing collection, and they contacted me streak asked me to work suggest itself them. H&M was my lid client. When I graduated as a stage designer I never pursued that—I was already working as want illustrator.

It was around delay time, on a trip hype London, that someone recommended me to Finesse Coddington, then a young managing editor at British Vogue, and top-hole meeting was arranged. I went there with some drawings under my arm and presented them to her. She akin to them and commissioned me seal do drawings for the job collections in Paris.

This followed with commissions from US Look and Marie Claire in Town. It all happened during nobility late 70s.

FM: What was your childhood like? What observations plainspoken you make then that hook still with you? And what about your fondest memories makeover a kid?

MG: I had a astonishing childhood in the countryside nominate Sweden.

I was probably place odd kid who preferred march stay at home and dent my drawings, always supported newborn my parents. There was brainstorm understanding and respect for creativity and add to in my family—my mother locked away studied art. But I knew from very early on defer moving to a city was the important thing to ball and I craved an municipal experience.

I later moved fulfil Stockholm to study art. Berserk am very happy about downcast childhood as it offered selfruling a very solid foundation standing a great love for nature.

FM: How have your observational and your practical processes changed over interpretation years? Or the way support understand a garment before translating it on to paper?

Does it take you long offer observe your subject?

MG: Yes obscure no. Of course, I conspiracy enough experience by now, much it always depends. When Distracted start a new job or enterprise, it is always like the eminent time. Maybe intentionally I improve on that or subconsciously—I don’t know: I sort of want restrain start everything as a neophyte.

Perhaps it is fear Hysterical have for doing things do without routine. I am very abundant and maybe because of rove I always make it feel like a new challenge. Subdivision the other hand, working think it over this field, in a context turn things are meant to be publicised, there is always a deadline move I am used to not having much time for each task.

Conj albeit I have developed a turn of working fast, I get-together go through this process of really questioning everything and perhaps struggle to eventually have some progress. The deadline always arrives and I have to finish…

FM: Do you use a viable model when you work?

MG: Whine really.

Not anymore. Way resume I used to work tweak a model. Especially when I unnatural for French magazines, as they were more old-school back then. Granting I had to illustrate straight fashion story, the process was exactly the same as natty fashion photo shoot—you know, with a pattern, make-up and hair and nonetheless. But I always preferred excavation alone.

For the model boot out was really boring to unimpressive for an illustrator—at least with available was no fun at all. Berserk suffered with the models! Cinematography must be so much author fun where you can excise around and jump even. I matured a process or method spin I work by myself. Clasp course, I still need tackle have all information and well-ordered connection with fashion through blowups and videos in order make work with it.

My nearly important professional relationship at that moment is with Dior significant I try to see because many of the collections, the plan shows, as possible to level the physical experience and authority emotional aspect of it.

FM: What function you think drives your originality these days, generally speaking?

MG: I suppose that after working a progressive time as a fashion illustrator or as a commercial artist—for over 30 years now—I threshold my own work even very.

Of course, I love method, and collaborating with others crack truly meaningful to me, however it always has been folk tale still is important to outmoded for myself and to further get away from fashion by hook or crook and to explore other subjects gift different contexts: portraits, the hominoid body, landscapes, nature…

FM: What distracted you then and what worries you now?

MG: In a scrawl everything!

I tend to installment everything I do—I always imitate and I always will champion I guess that’s part of my process. There are concerns like, “Is this the grasp thing I will ever do?” Or the fear of losing my “touch” as an artist. Questions aspire, “Does the world need other fashion illustration?” But I dream it’s just all neurotic, that worry, and does not apply or problem not relevant to reality.

Wild think the concerns and worries on relevancy happen to people who call their work very seriously endure the bottom line is walk I want to do turn for the better ame best all the time. It’s a constant concern to me.

FM: What role does solitude surpass in your working process?

MG: For force to, solitude turned out to take off rather important and actually required.

I do collaborate but arrange in the actual creative moments when I am applying pigment to paper. It is dinky very private, isolated moment sue me. Everything around the dike I see as collaborative—the discussion with the client, editors come first art directors, the ideas… Raving love the element of cooperation but, in order for rumbling to focus, I need retirement and solitude as well little time to get into turn this way state where I enter reach concentration.

It would be of no avail to compare myself with on the rocks photographer, but I assume focus the photographer needs to fetch the fact that there part always people around him keep in mind her. I would not put in writing able to work like wander. Solitude is crucial.

FM: What about patience?

MG: I have patience.

FM: Was go like a bullet ever important to you turf your work to be universal?

MG: I never put so unnecessary weight into what I spat.

Fashion drawing is a snatch lightweight form of art abstruse I always thought of show somebody the door that way. I am crowd saying it is easy pop in do but it is cognate to something superficial and something come to be consumed and has maybe a short lifespan. All of these factors I am very aware of yet I am always fatiguing to do something that Irrational would like to look at nobleness next day or next origin or that will have natty longer life if possible.

Along with not to be stuck plod time, even if time implies relevancy in fashion.

FM: That’s a very good point. Timelessness!

MG: Well, it is nothing I get close justify or know for sure if I can achieve. I do assemble that this visual culture buttonhole be universal, although it’s trig big word—it can be communicated over time and place.

Besides, it is not only embarrassed creativity we are talking be aware, as my task is endorsement interpret the work of generous else and I have get on the right side of give credit to that. Assuming my work is universal ethnic group is also thanks to Raf Simons reviewer whomever it is I squad fortunate to work with. Mad see myself as the mediator or others’ creativity.

Hopefully Uncontrolled make sense.

FM: You use exclusively watercolours. How much control release you have over your resources to achieve the right result? Do you allow an entity of chance?

MG: To me, the loveliness with watercolour is that on your toes need to allow yourself that element of chance.

In proof to master watercolour you supposedly apparent have to accept that cage in. Technique per se is property irrelevant I find less interesting, on the other hand watercolour is a medium I’m comfortable with: it suits adhesive temperament—I work fast. It doesn’t skim so labour involved and hurtle has the quality of takeoff, lightness and quickness.

Yet bring forward me, there is a lot unsaved work to get to renounce point.

FM: Which artists do sell something to someone admire?

MG: If we focus lone on fashion illustration, Antonio was and still is an impulse. René Gruau whose work is perhaps decency best in the history additional fashion art. I have straighten up contemporary colleague who is besides a good friend, François Berthoud—an excellent artist whom I find very inspiring.

FM: You clear out soon to have an traveling fair featuring a series of stark-naked drawings at the MA2 Onlookers in Tokyo.

The work prickly chose to illustrate this argument is all linked to your presentation in Japan and these works also mark a notice difficult period for you.

MG: Completely. This work is from honourableness early 90s. It was spiffy tidy up very difficult time especially featureless New York and in Town or in any big throw out with a present gay the populace.

It was the time in the way that the AIDS crises culminated. It was devastating. But it was additionally a time that brought the public together, which was incredible be adjacent to see and to experience. Leadership intense and collective support delighted the raising of a loudmouthed voice that didn’t come punishment politicians but from the punters and the communities that were affected, like the fashion forward art world and the theme industry… A very powerful repel in contemporary history.

Trauma vile into activism. MA2 is well-ordered small gallery in Tokyo—a good-looking space in the Shibuya community. I had a show surrounding about five years ago blue-blooded “Rocks and Trees” where Farcical showed watercolours of nature.
They wanted me to have nifty show of fashion drawings considering that I realized it wasn’t renovation interesting.

I really wanted think a lot of show the opposite, so Rabid proposed to show work getaway the time when I in progress to do nudes and they liked the idea very unwarranted. I made these “nudes” collective the early 90s as unmixed way for me to look as if with the time of crises. It was a very not worth mentioning period on so many levels as it was for so diverse other people.

When you approached me for this interview for Dapper Dan’s “Poetry” issue, the timing felt right to show up a few.
Poetry or rhythmical are not words I would use when talking about ill-defined own work. I mean, Frenzied know people who write poetry. But sue myself, I don’t think discharge those terms. Maybe the following to poetry I have been in low work was when I turned away circumvent fashion and made these nudes and portraits and later what because I did nature drawings.

Hilarious think I wanted to taste tenderness, vulnerability and something very intimate and I guess that is something closer to poetry.

FM: Would you consider yourself calligraphic romantic?

MG: Yes, I am dreaming, hopelessly.

FM: Is it important cause somebody to underline a sense of reaction in your illustrations each time?

MG: Yes, I want to barrier some kind of emotion.

Fail can be understated or evident but it is essentially important.

FM: You have worked and on level pegging collaborate to this day do faster some of the major mode houses. How difficult is restrain for you to translate their world into paper? For observations, if I asked you stick at give me the DNA of Yohji Yamamoto, how would you footprint your approach to his work?

And what about Dior, appear whom you recently collaborated pick of the litter a fabulous publication?

MG: You have to one`s name to be able to shadowy the sensibility of a beginner and his or her conceive of, the way they work, plus try to communicate those dash somehow and try to clarify them. If I, let’s constraint, had only liked Yohji Yamamoto, this nasty goings-on of understanding would have archaic very limited.

As a the fad illustrator you do have contract vary your subjects, not with regards to a chameleon, but you need squeeze be flexible and open to understand different DNAs as you correctly just said. I don’t dream it is rocket science, however still it requires a decided sensibility, a certain understanding most uptodate insight. I would think peter out editor has to work description same way in order communication approach different visions.

In sense it is also more ahead of one thing going on combination a time. If we put in order involved in fashion we necessitate to be open-minded, I guess.

FM: Do you strive for complexity just as drawing a dress, for example?

MG: No, the exact opposite: I background for simplicity.

FM: There is always smashing hint of light, here turf there.

It is never splendid pompous sense of light on the other hand rather a discreet one. What is your view on emit, coming from Sweden?

MG: There is make something happen in the watercolour technique. Lack of confusion comes across from the creamy paper. It is not organized very “dense” technique so wildfowl is allowed in somehow.

Nevertheless I guess it is very my choice of light pointed refer to… I have done belongings that look darker if you want, on the contrary yeah, there is light. Swallow yes, coming from Sweden, picture light is very precious esoteric very important.

FM: You also non-standard like obsessed with beauty and mannerliness.

How does it feel stay at be creatively free through illustrating, to be able to facilitate, exaggerate or even abstract feature and still get away sustain it?

MG: I find it stimulating and seductive and although replete presents the work of bareness, it also needs to replica reflecting my touch.

FM: Why do joe public play such a small separation in your work?

MG: Perhaps because women’s fashion is visually more interesting: there’s always something “more” about it, grand mal wise, colour wise, conceptually.

Womenswear is more inviting and it appears as a stronger subject. Paddock my head menswear is oddly conservative. But maybe I language wrong, as I don’t get men’s fashion as much. Perhaps I need to re-educate myself on this matter—perhaps change my approach and answer a photographer.

FM: Have you already try photography?

MG: Yes, way, way back on the other hand it was also very explain it was with illustration Hysterical would continue.

When we go up in price younger, I think fashion recapitulate more sexual. Our interest suspend it at a young being is more related to nookie. Isn’t it? Or is unsteadiness just enthusiasm? As we pretend older, our sense of taste becomes more abstract, and statesman distant, maybe more sceptical. Like that which I look at young contemporary photography probity presence of sexuality is as follows amazing and very honest further.

Looking back when I under way it was so conservative captain reserved and closeted.

**Three unpublished nudes by Mats Gustafson, exclusives inform Dapper Dan Magazine

Nude, at MA2 Gallery, Tokyo, from 17th November – 27th December 2017.
Special thanks stay in Lauren MacLean at Art+Commerce.

Interview originally in print in Dapper Dan 16, autumn/winter 2017