Joshua Davis

http://www.joshuadavis.com/

Area: Artist Age: 36 Nationality: American One of the first US artists to work with technology, web-based tools and open source software, Joshua Davis continues to be a pioneering force between design and the internet. Distinctly non-nerdy, Davis's early work included Praystation.com, for which he re-appropriated video game icons into subversive new versions. Using the randomness of computer code to generate work, he has gone on to win a number of awards, including the 2001 Prix Ars Electronica for net excellence.

More from Joshua Davis

What are you working on right now?
I have a bunch of stuff happening. Tropism is a show I’m doing with Commonwealth at the Espeis Gallery in New York on June 16th, which is based on a book of 'floral mechanics' – basically dissected flowers – from 1908, and which we're using to generate new artwork. I'm also working with Hewlett Packard on a temporary installation in Barcelona. Among other things…

How do you balance your personal and commercial work?
It's really simple: the type of work you make ends up being the type of work you get hired to do. My commercial work is the same stuff I would be doing anyway. If you are an artist you tend to create work for yourself – there are fewer constraints. When you are a designer, you apply what you do to someone else's vision – you are working to a brief: and that can make you more creative.

Would you say Praystation has been your greatest achievement?
No. While Praystation was a fantastic learning space to work out ideas – it was never about Josh Davis artwork. I actually ended up getting really frustrated with it, and that's how Onceuponaforest came about – Forest was where I could take the ideas developed on Praystation and regurgitate them into new artworks.

Why did you close down Praystation?
In 2001 I had an email from the Ars Electronica Festival telling me I'd won a prize. I went over to Europe to collect it – a little gold statue and about 10,000 euros – it's supposed to be this amazing accolade, a really big deal. It was the worst thing that could have happened to me. I got really depressed by it and three days later I flew back to New York and took the site down. It was like they'd told me: "Well done, you’ve done it! Now fuck off." It was like they'd figured me out – I didn't want an award for being complete.

Where do you get your inspiration?
From everything that's not on the computer. From trying to find the invisible, from other cultures, travelling…

What do you think is the most interesting and or creative work online at the moment?
The internet for me is Amazon, porn, and my work. Beyond that it's not interesting for me. I prefer to go out and experience things that have nothing to do with my work.

What next?
I'm looking to launch a range of homeware this summer – wallpapers, porcelain, and so on. Fashion is also a really big area I want to develop in future.

Interview by Henrietta Thompson