Steven Sattler is an Idaho grown, Anarchist prone artistic mega-beast. From dodging the draft by starving himself to challenging skinheads in small towns in his white washed state, he is a true warrior of visual persuasion. He stands for chaos, but has an innate ability to make it all look so good in his mixed media compostions. Recently, I had the privilege to visit his studio and chat about his amazing creations and ideas about a New World Order.
Nathan Cartwright: Steven, I often say there are two types of artists who thrive in The Hive; the illustrators and the mad scientists. Your work is definitely in the latter category. What influences have led you to the Sattler I know?
Steven Sattler: An early realization of the horrific state of adult life led me to art as a means of creating alternate realities. In grade school, comic books and sci-fi led me to the study of the aryan mythos, the possibility of real supermen was intriguing. Then I was introduced to surrealism by a nun who gave me a holy card that was by Dali, (I’m sure that she knew not what poisons she had let loose), eventually the army tried to send me to my death, making me a permanent enemy of the state. Finally zen and Krishnamurti put me on a quest for absolute freedom, something that appealed to my inherent non-conformist bent. My ongoing influences would be surrealism and it’s offshoots, except the current drivel that is pop surrealism, (I’m sure Breton is spinning in his grave), and French academic art and teachings, particularly J.L. Gerome. 200
Nathan Cartwright: What are some of the obstacles you faced growing up in (the inland northwest) as an artist?
Steven Sattler: In the northwest, if you call yourself an artist you had better be able to paint signs or do horse portraiture or will likely get shot. They don’t hold well to the con game that is modern art. Growing up in a hot rod environment, an artist was the guy who could pinstripe or do flames. My dad’s advice was “you have a good eye for detail, you should be a forger or a counterfeiter”.
Nathan Cartwright: Tell me about the Ether Cult.
Steven Sattler: Ethercult is an attempt to subvert the capitalist spectacle by using its own means against it. It’s a design collective using art as a weapon to confront the public in unexpected places, through clothing, furniture, graphic design, sounds, etc, anywhere that we can produce unsettling, unsellable, original statements of revolt. A current example would be ethercult couture’s invisible red carpet ensemble, an outfit so offensive it would have to be pixelated from head to toe. Ethercult is attempting to be a community college of pataphysics. A training ground for sedition. Our motto is ” We don’t want your money, your time, or your beliefs. Everything’s perfect, stay as you are.”
Nathan Cartwright: How does art and economy tie together with this idea?
Steven Sattler: The only way to be avant-garde today is to remove money entirely from the art equation.
Nathan Cartwright: Any new secret projects lined up in your mad scientist laboratory?
Steven Sattler: The main things would be a chess set reflecting the modern human beast (each piece being life sized mixed media sculptures), a new line for ethercult couture, a piece for next months bee-rotica show at the Hive entitled ” The persecution of Dennis Hopper in the 11th dimension” another anti celebrity rant, and continuing to hone my art skills, the better to realize any inspiration that comes my way.