SiouxWIRE Annex: Interview: EDUARDO RECIFE of Misprinted Type

Eduardo Recife
Personal: misprintedtype.com
Commercial: Eduardorecife.com
MySpace Page: Misprinted Type Myspace

Eduardo Recife has been one of my favourite artists for years now and he's also been extremely encouraging and helpful in my own work. His creations are like a dream or a still from a more colour-centric version of a Jan Svankmajer animation with text spilling into the scene. See more of his work at the links above.

This is an interview from my private archives(from 2005) which was originally intended for a separate project(RambleRocket) but given the shelf-life of these things, I've decided to post it here. The RR project is still in the works though still recovering from the last couple of years.

Can you tell us a little bit about the mediums you use and what you do?
I'm currently working as a freelance illustrator/designer. But I also have my personal works which goes to galleries or sold upon requests. I’ve been experimenting with all kinds of mediums: pencil, paint, computer, photography, collages... I like to experiment with new techniques/materials as much as I can.

What's the design/art scene like in Brazil (where you are)?
I was born and still live in Belo Horizonte - Brazil. We have great artists and designers here. But most people end up moving away from Brazil; Because its hard to make a living from that in here....

I also have a passion for the old, the worned out, decayed… it just carries life and time with it.

Your drawings, photographs, and fonts look really "lived in" that make them instantly comfortable, familiar. Where do you think your misprinted/decayed approach comes from?
I think it has to do with my surroundings… Brazil can be quite visually-chaotic, and you often see distressed street signs, walls with decaying words, etc… But I also have a passion for the old, the worned out, decayed… it just carries life and time with it.

When you approach/start a piece of work, do you begin knowing what the finished product will look like or do you follow on from the start and see where it goes?

Usually I have a vague idea of what its going to look like. But things evolve so much while Im working on it, that it often goes toward new directions. And I dont sketch (with a few exceptions) before I work on a piece... I like to follow the instincts of the moment.

What do you think of digital mediums versus traditional materials?
They are just different mediums, theres nothing really to compare them… I enjoy working with digital collages, because I have more freedom to manipulate them, as far as sizes, rotation, color and sometimes cutting it… But I also love to work on handmade collages. They feel more natural and it’s a lot nicer to see a real collage than seeing a printed image.

You worked in collaboration with Adriana de Barros on "Invisible". Have you done any other collaborative works? Do you enjoy working on collaborative projects?
Collab work is great. Even though sometimes I have a hard time working with more people…. We simply lost the sense of when to stop (this have nothing to do with the invisible project…). Hopefully I will have more time to work on more collabs in the future.

Are there any other artistic endeavors that you are working on outside of what's at Misprinted Type? (ie. film, poetry, animation, etc.)
I used to do some street art with a friend. But we haven’t done much since 2004. As far as commercial works, I still need to create a website to showcase that… Misprinted type is just my personal playground and there's no commercial works there. (* See above for a link to his personal & professional sites)

How do you source materials for your collage work?
I have a huge gabinet with drawers filled with cut material. If you work with collage you must have a big resource of images… I also enjoy going to flea markets and working with found material.

What training did you have prior to setting up Misprintedtype.com?
None. But as far as the programming I don’t do any kind of html, asp, or anything… My friend “Mickey” took care of that.

What 5 websites do you visit regularly? Why?

...because they are always updating it with fresh content.

In 10 years, where would you like to be? What would be your ideal?

I really hope I can manage to live near the ocean. And I still think its a better idea to work as a freelancer and artist; I don’t have plans to work fulltime on a design agency. I like to have control over my time and the projects.

Thank you, Eduardo.