AN INTERVIEW W/ ERIC NYFFELER

DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROM POPULAR
CULTURE WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTAINING IDENTITY IN YOUR OWN ART? WHY OR
WHY NOT?

I wouldn't necessarily say that it's important, but it IS something that is inherent in my art. I've never had much patience or love for pop culture or mainstream media. I am rarely excited when reminiscing about the popular culture from my youth. I frequently have friends jokingly insult me that I am the worst person to joke with because I understand approximately 0.001% of pop culture or sports references.

Because of all of this, pop culture very rarely factors into my art. I tend to create work based mostly upon internalized loves and predilections (i.e. I like triangles and I think penises are funny, therefore, I have a lot of triangles and penises in my art).

Long story short, there is little pop culture in my art, not by choice, but because there simply is little pop culture inside of me. This strikes me a bit of a shame because pop culture themed art is a FUCKING GOLDMINE.


WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA MEMORY? INCLUDE TOPPINGS.

Every pizza memory is my favorite pizza memory.


HOW DOES MUSIC INFLUENCE YOUR OUTLOOK ON HUMANITY?

Music makes the enormous, faceless mass of humanity much easier to bare. It reminds me that every person has the same set of limited, broken emotions, even if their outward appearance is that of an untamed farm animal.


HOW WILL YOU ADAPT TO THE QUICKLY EVOLVING LANDSCAPE OF TECHNOLOGY AND HOW IT RELATES TO GRAPHIC DESIGN?

I will become a curmudgeon and scream at the kids to stay off my lawn.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT THESE DAYS?

Pomegranates are universally the most delicious fruit ever, but my immense laziness often keeps me from their reward. Honeycrisp apples probably bring more joy to me on monthly basis.

LIST YOUR TOP FIVE MIYAZAKI MOVIES IN ORDER.

Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind

Spirited Away

My Neighbor Totoro

Porco Rosso

Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro



WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE INTERNET AS A CONNECTOR GLOBALLY BUT A DISCONNECT LOCALLY IN REGARDS TO BUSINESS, ART, AND PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS?

The internet is infinitely useful in connecting people that have no other paths towards each other. The internet is also infinitely useless at making all of us endlessly vain and self obsessed.

WAS THERE EVER A TIME YOU WERE OFFENDED BY A DUMB BLONDE JOKE?

What the fuck?! Is this a bald joke?!

DO YOU HAVE ANY JOKES YOU CAN TELL FROM MEMORY? PLEASE SHARE. IF NOT,
GOOGLE A JOKE AND SHARE THAT INSTEAD.

My sense of humour peaked at the age of five when I discovered puns.


DO YOU THINK THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN SOLITUDE AND CREATIVITY??
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS?

I think there are definite pros and cons to both creativity in solitude and creativity in collaboration. I feel that creativity is solitude is more fruitful, quicker, and more true to one's own person (especially if you factor in solitude from television, internet, commercials etc etc). It's difficult to ever truly listen to the tiny internal voice when there are others present. All of that being said, creation in collaboration allows you to cross bridges that you would never attempt on your own. It holds your hand and drags to places in which you'd never set foot by choice. However, I also feel that collaboration is much more suspect to compromise and creative contamination. The temptation to half-ass something or to cheat and create something trite is much easier when you have someone else with whom to share the blame.