Thank God there's somebody out there who's fighting the racist and stereotypical view that the only people who cannibalise children these days are warlords from Liberia.Comments/Enlarge |
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“You have to meet Stacy’s step-sister. She’s old but she totally rocks.”Comments/Enlarge |
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Vice: Do you ever cringe when you go through your archives?
Ragnar: Not when I look at the things I did when I was 16—all those awesome zombie drawings. The only things that I’m embarrassed about are the drawings I made when I was going to an art school in Gothenburg. It was all airy-fairy. The teachers were fucked in the head, and I was constantly getting chewed out. So for a while, I ended up trying to do things the way I was supposed to. I’m incredibly embarrassed of those things.
Do you have a favorite pen?
My favorite is a regular pencil with a fine lead. They’re 6 euros each, so every second month I’ll pop down to the department store and knick five new ones. They never keep more than five of them out in the open.
Do you ever draw drunk?
Pretty often, actually. There’s really no difference in the result. I like drawing and drinking.
Do you think you’ll get rich from drawing?
No way. The first assignment I ever got was from you guys. It would be a total luxury, though, getting to spend my days drawing, drinking wine, and doing shows with my friends. But right now I have 7.80 euros in my bank account. I’m psyched that you’re buying me beer. I’ll have to jump the subway barrier to get back to the suburbs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to be a martyr. I know I could just go back to the factory and get a job and then I’d have money again.
What’s the hardest thing to draw?
I used to think it was horses, so I drew huge amounts of horses. If there’s something that doesn’t work, then I’ll draw it until it does. Vases are the number one thing right now. My great-gran—a real iron lady—told me, “I want a drawing for my birthday.” I started thinking about what kind of a motif you might like if you’re 101 years old and spent your entire life in the north of Sweden. I went home and I drew her a bird, and I realized that birds are really hard to draw. So I did birds until I had them figured out. Then I drew her a vase, but that was even harder. She died before I had a chance to give her the drawings.
Ragnar has a solo show at Östersunds Konstförening in Östersund, Sweden, next month. He’s about to release yet another zine of his drawings. He’s pretty sure it’s the tenth one he’s made.
Anonymous, on May 15, 2009 wrote: his drawings are amazing! powerful and deep. ragnar you are a true artist
Anonymous, on Dec 26, 2008 wrote: his style is based on inexperience...
I know a lot of people who drew like that when they started drawing... nothing special
Anonymous, on Dec 13, 2008 wrote: these are fucking TERRIBLE
Anonymous, on Dec 4, 2008 wrote: these must have taken forever and a day
Anonymous, on Dec 4, 2008 wrote: the hair curler lady is fucking rad. don’t know what you guys are talking about. follow the leader i suppose.
Anonymous, on Dec 4, 2008 wrote: i’ve never cringed going back and looking at old drawings. it’s the shitty poetry i wrote in middle school that gives me the nerdchills.
Anonymous, on Dec 1, 2008 wrote: your thougt is very different,and your darw is full of children
Anonymous, on Dec 1, 2008 wrote: good jod
Anonymous, on Nov 27, 2008 wrote: wicked and beautiful art.
Anonymous, on Nov 24, 2008 wrote: you guys are haters. I like these. I like his style.
Eh?TL, on Nov 23, 2008 wrote: While certainly not my favorites of this issue, these look way better under magnification. The little details like the creepy smiley face on the tree is what makes them interesting.
Anonymous, on Nov 22, 2008 wrote: dont listen to all these coked up halfwits,im an illustrator myself and i think your drawings are wicked!
Anonymous, on Nov 21, 2008 wrote: I guess they are better than Napoleon Dynamite’s work. Yes, I watched that movie. Once.
Anonymous, on Nov 21, 2008 wrote: this is the drawing style that takes away from illustrators with real talent.
Birds are well done though.
Anonymous, on Nov 21, 2008 wrote: Stay out of the factories for as long as you can!
Anonymous, on Nov 21, 2008 wrote: i really like them - haunting, and although not that original, what really is these days? at least he’s doing it!
Anonymous, on Nov 21, 2008 wrote: great stuff! Does he have a website?
Anonymous, on Nov 21, 2008 wrote: Haha, food fight was expecting shitty NYLON and ELLE illustrations, as if her wall wasn’t filled with that already.
Anonymous, on Nov 21, 2008 wrote: the drawings are shit pal sorry, i was looking forward to seeing them what an anticlimax.
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: this shit looks weak. its the same thing everyone who doesnt know how to draw does.
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: Sorry buddy... it still is "airy-fairy"...
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: I love the people who show up at the third article of each new issue to rail about how shitty the whole thing is.
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: This is the worst issue ever. And after coming from such a great issue last time.
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: this issue is lame.
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: Oh I get it now, you can make it big and move it around so you can get all the details. This is like that full-size picture of a whale thing.
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: this is the same guy who shot the stuffed wolf on the photo issue a couple years ago?
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: i had a nightmare like this once
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: what is this image-moving weird thing? i don’t know what to think about it
Anonymous, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: i like this shit, it’s like fairy tale drawings my a serial killer
gabugabu, on Nov 20, 2008 wrote: i want more of this interview.
