MASON STORM'S INTERVIEW for NEW RELIGIONS

Q: So who is Mason Storm?

A: I have no idea, the better question is probably what is Mason Storm?

Q: Ok so what is Mason Storm?

A: I have no idea

Q: Are you looking forward to exhibiting in Rome?

A: I am incredibly excited, I love Rome, I love Italy I speak fluent Italian so it’s a dream for me!

Q: You speak fluent Italian?

A: Well I can say “good morning”, “Good evening”, “Hi/bye”, “Nice to meet you” “Please and Thank You” and “Tiramisu” that’s enough right?

Q: So the theme for this show ‘New Religions’, what is the idea behind it?

A: It’s about what I see as the departure from religious worship to the worship of lesser Gods, celebrity, brands and fame

Q: So you are religious and this is your statement on its demise?

A: I’m not religious at all, it’s just an observation and a subject which i find fascinating, I think religion and the Christian cult in particular is going through a huge change and it’s interesting to see the shift in what people chose to revere. Jesus had 12 disciples’ yet Kanye (who thinks he’s Jesus) has fifteen million.

Q: How do you feel when people say your work is often blasphemous?

A: It’s not at least that’s not my intention. For example I did a painting a copy of Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio which shows Jesus eating McDonalds and people were offended. However Jesus was supposedly a man of the people so why wouldn’t he stop for his supper at McDonalds if he was alive today? When I pose this question to people who criticise the work they are forced to confront their own blinkered world view.

Q: You say you are not religious so you are against religion?

A: Not at all, I’m against the hypocrisy  that exists within religion and how the vulnerable are preyed upon. Why are there multimillionaire ‘preachers’ who own jets and yachts and limousines in the USA who take money off their poor and struggling congregations? People fly to Lourdes in the hope of curing their cancer, yet you can buy cigarette lighters with the face of Jesus on it at the gift shop.

For some religion is a comfort and an inspiration,  if that works for them that’s amazing but they should not ‘rely’ on it to save them, their fate in my opinion is in their own hands.

Q: So how did you prepare for this show?

A: I spent a few months thinking about it, a few days worrying about it went on a couple of holidays, came home and panicked about it, some 12 hour days in the studio and bam, job done!

Q: What is your painting process

A: I go to the studio and set up my easel, I realise I haven’t got any stretched canvases to work on so call my mate Phil and ask him to stretch me some, (He’s very good at it), so while he does that I set up my work area which is basically me trying to find stuff then put it all within arms reach, then I go out for coffee. Phil turns up at the studio, I rush back, ask if he’s had breakfast, then we go to the cafe. He  reminds me I have work to do, so I go back and push paint around until I can’t bare to look at the canvas any more, update social media, back to the cafe, back to the studio, out to my friends cocktail bar, back to the studio in a panic! (and repeat day after day)

Q: Who are your art heroes?

A: In all honesty me (I’m Joking) (I’m not joking)

Q: If you could have dinner with anyone alive who would it be?

A: Damien Hirst, because I could have his house broken into because I know he’s not in

Q: If you could have dinner with anyone no longer alive who would it be?

A: My Dad

Q: What’s your connection to Banksy?

A: Who?

Q: The artist Banksy

A: I have never heard of her

Q: It is rumoured you painted Banksy’s Devolved Parliament, is that true?

A: I have painted a Devolved Parliament

Q: What do you hope for to get out of your show with us?

A: A lovely Suntan

Q: Anything else?

A: I love meeting people and having fun, connecting with people is my main reward (after the cash) from art. Money is ok but connecting with people and making friends is a major driving force for me, we are not on this planet for long and we can’t take our money with us but hopefully we can be missed by those we have left behind.

Q: What is your one defining statement that sums up your approach to art?

A: If you love my art buy it and treasure it, if you hate my art buy it and burn it!