This issue’s website feature is a hot mix of video, street art, flirts, animated characters that you can dress according your personal preferences, monkey business, fun stuff and more! Wondering who is behind all this eclectic, irreverent Internet fun—we met face to face with the site mastermind Wayne Horse (aka Wayne La Crosse) in his Amsterdam studio.
INMYX:
Tell us, who is Wayne Horse?
Wayne Horse: Wayne Horse (Wayne La Crosse) was born
in Germany, where he grew up fast. He then moved to live and work in Amsterdam, where he has remained
to this date. La Crosse does not specialize in one medium. He does drawings, paintings and tags, videos,
animations and Internet-based works, home videos and Nike spots. He enjoys getting his sweaty, big,
ugly, hands on everything imaginable—and leaving behind a characteristic, fat stain, like when you lean
your forehead against a bus window.
I: Your website is a constantly
changing bonanza of pop-ups, a veritable treasure trove of pleasingly odd finds. How do you manage to
pack everything from a dating service to your animation series “mauveballs” into a single site?
W:
I put it all together in the most obvious way: I just put it all together. It is very confusing, and
design-wise you could almost call it a disaster, but that’s what makes it amusing. Whenever I have something
new, I just put it right next to the other stuff, regardless if it makes sense or not. A certain variety
is essential. I try to avoid design. I want it all to be easily accessible for me to change and adjust.
Still, some kind of a style does emerge. Of course there has to be a dating service attached to my site.
After all, we are all human and have to keep our species going.
I:
Many, many different beings and creatures come alive on the site. Who are the characters in your life
that mean the most to you?
W: The character that I am probably best known for is
the “kutie”. This is a rather annoying character. One day I found myself watching a Manga series, and
I was more than impressed with the comic’s ruthless display of annoyingness. As a way to express my
strong feelings, I created a little kid that featured disgustingly sweet traits: the kutie was born.
At that time I was working on the pilot for my animation series “mauveballs” and used the kuties as
a character. There they embodied all sorts of repellant, anti-social, self-righteous and evil behavior.
I: What is the key to a Wayne La Crosse character?
W:
I like pure and honest characters. I have an aversion towards conventionally “cool” stuff, i.e. skateboards,
spray cans, b-boys, etc. This sucks the life out of characters and makes them empty and emotionless.
Often characters done by people who are not experienced in drawing or computer programs are tons more
interesting than those done by trained illustrators. I have always been a fan of ideas realized through
enthusiasm rather than professionalism.
I: You also have a knack
for guerilla video clips with a touch of Jackass humor, and your friends seem to enjoy playing along.
Who are your friends?
W: My friends are very important to me. My childhood friends
Peter Strom and sixxxten are consultants for all important and unimportant decisions I make.
We
work on humor every time we meet. Many works are made purely for our entertainment, and it’s impossible
for strangers to see these videos as we intended them.
I: Are
there any other websites you want to recommend?
W: YES! I would like everybody
to check out: www.sixxxten.com. Also, if you have time on your hands, make sure to read the blog on:
www.myspace.com/stromobot.
INMYX tip:
Discover the online footage of Wayne posing in his impeccable white suit. “There
is nothing that compliments a man more than a white suit, in any situation.”
Links:
http://www.waynehorse.com
http://www.sixxxten.com
http://www.myspace.com/stromobot
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