ReadysetDC A CREATIVE URBAN ENTERPRISE

Words w/ DIABETIK

I might be the quiet person sitting next to you on your train ride home, while also bombing the city with work you can’t avoid.

You’ve seen the Peeps and now the candy corn, er uh, I mean candy cones. DIABETIK the artist behind the confections talks with ReadysetDC.

TC: Dude where’d you come from?  You native  to DC or a transplant? We’re sure glad to have you, DC is a much sweeter place now (excuse the pun).

DIABETIK: Puns encouraged. Nobody’s really from DC are they? I’ve been here long enough to get comfortable with the city and feel like I can become part of it.

DIABETIK: It seems like an obvious choice based on my work. There’s usually a sense of tragedy in the joy. It’s a reminder to keep our indulgences in check.

DIABETIK: I’m a fan of the transient nature of the city. Anyone can come here and fit in if they want. The big city mindset allows me a certain amount of anonymity when I want…I might be the quiet person sitting next to you on your train ride home, while also bombing the city with work you can’t avoid.

TC: What do you hate about DC?

DIABETIK: People are usually in such a hurry and don’t stop to take in the city. There are many hidden gems in DC that its residents don’t notice. And it has been in need of a lot more humor.

DIABETIK: Too many! DECOY has been very influential in me getting up on the streets. I love the narrative found in work by Swoon and Gaia. The way Shepard Fairey creates iconography. Old school pop artists.

DIABETIK: It’s awesome! This is a great time for DC as the city feeds off the creative energy. It’s cool to see street artists get organized too. Groups like Words Beats & Life, Albus Cavus, and DC 51.

DIABETIK: Haha. Not yet. I try to be very conscientious about where my work goes. I tend to avoid private property that’s in use, and never do anything that is permanent. The wheatpastes are fairly easy to remove and go away over time.

This is a great time for DC as the city feeds off the creative energy.

DIABETIK: You’ll just have to keep your eyes open. If something has a nostalgic kick or has become trendy kitsch, it’s on my radar. As long as I think it’ll make someone smile.

TC: Do you want to keep local or eventually, have DIABETIK hit the national/global scene?

DIABETIK: I think DIABETIK will be bigger than DC. Images of the candy corn cones got some national attention and the peeps have their bags packed. But my hometown will always get a more personal touch.

DIABETIK: There is a Flickr.com group and somebody even created a DIABETIK fan page on facebook. You can also see it in a gallery setting in January, Cory Oberndorfer is curating my work into a show at The Fridge.

TC: Cory…shout out to Cory for the kick ass backdrop at Fixation. Thanks DIABETIK for giving DC some insight behind art. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got coming up for the holidays, I’m guessing candy canes.