POST NEW: Collage Culture by Aaron Rose

Aaron Rose has played a pivotal role influencing and encouraging many of the leading names in the art world. His latest project, a book entitled Collage Culture excites the eye and makes for a compelling publication for those with the ability to think outside of the box. Recently, POST NEW had the opportunity to interview Rose on a variety of subjects. Read the choice excerpts below and head over to post-new.com to read the interview with him in its entirety.

Can you tell us a bit about your childhood? Where did you grow up and how did it shape you as an individual.
I grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles in a pretty standard tract community. They filmed the movie ET in my eighborhood. Me and my friends would sneak around the set at night when they weren’t shooting. I’m not exactly sure how my childhood shaped me except that it definitely taught me to question the status quo from a very young age. I never felt comfortable in that environment. That suburban fantasy. When I was 18 I pretty quickly got out and moved to New York City. However, after ten years in New York I began to question that status quo as well. I guess you can’t win right?

Where are you living now? What is the best thing about where you live?
I currently live in Los Angeles. I’ve been here for ten years as well. Ironically, I’m still feeling LA. Maybe because there’s so much room for expansion here. I rarely interact with the Hollywood scene and if I do it’s only for work. There are lots of different worlds here to choose from. The music scene is great, the art scene is giving it a good try, and if you want to make movies, which is what I do most of the time. It’s the best place to find people that are willing to get on board with a project and just say, “Fuck it…let’s make something!” Also the trees are nice here and I have a fetish for old cars.

Alleged Gallery and Alleged Press is something that brought a lot of attention to what you do. What is your perception of the art world now compared to when you started out.
It hasn’t really changed that much actually. The art world is always about selling expensive stuff to rich people. It will always be that way. That doesn’t mean I don’t love art and artists. I’m a total fiend for art and I create artwork all the time. It’s just that the art scene hasn’t really changed. It’s just the way it is and it will always be that way. It’s necessary. Creating art takes a lot of time and energy, so I understand. It’s a very strange industry though. This idea of relying on the top 1% of people to support you in your “underground’ endeavors. It’s kind of ironic right? I’ve always tried to keep the Alleged projects somehow separate from that equation, however I’m the first one to admit that it’s a pipe
dream.

Beautiful Losers was another project of great distinction. Can you tell us about what that did for you and your profile?
That’s hard to gauge exactly. I don’t really think about that stuff. I was in London earlier this year and a 14 year old girl ran up to me on Oxford Street, threw her arms around me and exclaimed that she loves me. I guess that shows some growth in my profile.

What are your thoughts on commercial v independent art? Please explain.
I’m not so sure there’s a distinction. Does independent mean that the art’s not for sale? If yes, then I would say that independent art is not for sale and commercial art is for sale.

Source: POST NEW