He is a figure with a creative mind. Some might know him as Electrofux, a DJ who used to play some heavy drops live with a sampler. But he now has changed his way, being a full-time street artist who goes by the name XUF.
What’s with the name XUF?
It came from my stage name when I was a DJ. When I started to feel bored with playing music, I then used the last three letters only. After I discovered art, I didn’t want to use that name anymore, but my new name still had to have the essence of it. So, I reversed it, and XUF was born
What’s the trigger behind your transition from DJ to artist?
The boredom in the entertainment world. To play idealist music was hard, while to play commercial would only make me sick. I had the urge to create something, but I didn’t know what it was. I wanted to paint, but I couldn’t paint. It was horrible. But then, I learned Photoshop. It was in 1999. Thirteen years later, I learned what I could do with Photoshop; create art. So, I learned it deeper by myself. During the experiments with Photoshop, I could see the results instantly. When I felt bored with creating music, I would switch to Photoshop. However, it had never come to my mind how to move these works from computer to canvas, until I finally met my friend Quint. He explained what I should do, and I applied it right away. The first time, I did my work on a wall in Kerobokan. It was a different feeling when I saw it on the street, and the next morning, I could see people enjoy it. Eight months later, I got a job offer, and life turned out differently.
So, you don’t have formal education?
Nope. For me, if we want to learn, we don’t need to go to school. The most important thing is the idea.
Besides walls, do you also work on canvas?
Anything that sticks with the paint. It could be on plastic, but that would be chipped easily. It could be on wood, but it would be faded over time. It also depends on the paint itself.
So, you’re still exploring mediums too?
Yes, because different mediums have different textures. When we do it on uneven concrete walls, the results are statue-like due to its bubbling texture.
How about your color options?
I’m more into gold and matte black. Colors too. And when using colors, it would be comic-like.
Where do the ideas come from?
Well, I’m not sure. Sometimes it just comes from a thought. Like, what if this face is combined with this body, would they be matching? When one particular expression is combined with one particular posture, it can be one different image. The ideas come right before I create. I don’t need to wait; it flows.
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