 When Brad Fettke and Katie Evans from Australia visited their first festivals in 2002, they were deeply impressed by the artistic uniqueness and diversity of these events. Inspired by these impressions and their psychedelic experiences they started painting banners, producing own cloth collections and set up a website. Nine years later this sprout named Izwoz has become a specially magnificent blossom on the tree of Psy Trance culture.
What is your main source
of inspiration?
Our inspiration came primarily from entheogenic experiences. We felt the need to somehow share and express their inherent value, art was what seemed to come naturally. Creating art inspired by psychedelics for people on psychedelics felt very meaningful and gave us a sense of purpose. There is so much value that can be drawn from the mystical experience, it seems we as a species have barely licked the surface. We feel that as the war on drugs is dissolved, life on earth will flourish.
You are using multiple techniques. Which one do you like most at the moment?
Every tool has its value, I wouldn‘t say we have a favourite, but digital media is the most exciting. A few years ago we acquired a digital textile printer which allows us to print on many types of organic fabrics. Painting with light is very inspiring and we feel it holds the most promise in realising our creative potentials and collective dreams. Animation is something we will be focusing on in the near future.
 You were just touring together with Alex Grey- Any anecdote about that?
Exhibiting art with Alex on his Australian tour has been a buzz, he has created such an incredible body of work which validates and provides insight into the importance and value of the visionary experience. His talks were primarily focused on the visionary experience being at the root of all past and present religions. This is obvious to anyone who has had these experiences and done some research, but it was great to see it presented to the public in such a concise way, and so very well received. ‘Religion is a far too important word to leave it to the fundamentalists’ (Alex Grey) … he now seeks to catalyse a new world religion based on true mystical experience, fantastic!
What is the most extraordinary project you have worked on?
Entheogenesis Australis (www.entheo.net) is a non-profit bi-annual event that provides a space for open discussion about the psychedelic experience. Now in its 7th year, with the last event sold out and attracting over 600 people. The support for this event has been incredible, there certainly is a lot of people seeking this information. Helping to provide a space for community to come together, learn and share continues to be very rewarding. Work has already begun for Dec 2011 and the art budget is bigger than ever, it‘s going to be huge!
www.izwoz.com.au
(Unabridged version available on mushroom-magazine.com) |
When Brad Fettke and Katie Evans from Australia visited their first festivals in 2002, they were deeply impressed by the artistic uniqueness and diversity of these events. Inspired by these impressions and their psychedelic experiences they started painting banners, producing own cloth collections and set up a website. Nine years later this sprout named Izwoz has become a specially magnificent blossom on the tree of Psy Trance culture.
