When you start, do you just add each thing one by one?
Yeah, I started here and went across. I choose them - Georges Perec was a part of Oulipo, which was a group of writers.
Like Raymond Queneau and Italo Calvino...
Yeah. Those guys. One of his main things is setting restraints on yourself, and I kind of really got interested in that. With that book piece, those were all books that I either had or borrowed from my friends. This is the same way. These are all images from books that I have or I can borrow from my friends.
No Google image search?
I don't Google image search anything. This piece is black-and-white in my book and it's really funny because I was at the Menil bookstore and on the cover of one of those books is that piece and this is wood and I was like, oh shit. It's too late, I'm not going to go back and change it. But I like giving myself a little bit of restraint. Within that, you can still - Georges Perec is a perfect example of that, of someone who can write a brilliant novel without using the letter 'e'. He just fucking did it and you can do that if you want. And that's not a crazy restraint for me because I collect books all the time and I have a lot of friends who are really into art.
As an artist trying to make a living at making art, is it also a weird thing to let all those things come together and be what the work is? You talk about people being able to come up and pick the parts that they like, but they can't just buy that part of the painting.
Well, I feel like if you're making work to sell it -- there's nothing wrong with that, if that's what you want to do -- but I didn't really think about it. I haven't sold that much work and especially the things that I put a lot of effort into. I've sold small drawings, but not the things I'll really put all my time and effort into. It's also, when you're focusing in on that book piece, with the literature, it's all mainly subversive literature, and some banker who has money isn't going to want to - I don't know. They're just things that most people aren't that interested in, especially people who buy art unless it's New York fucking City, and people are collecting to be the coolest people in town. Houston's a totally different scene and I don't understand. I don't understand a thing about the Houston art scene. I try to make my way in it, but I also don't care that much. I'd like to make a shitload of money off my shows, but it doesn't happen that way. The right people haven't been told you need to buy this - you need to buy this because in 20 years it will be worth a lot of money. I had that insane thing happen to me [the Hunting Prize] and still no one's knocking on my door like "oh, I must see you work" - it's not like that. I know people think that's how it is, but it's never been like that.
Do you have any shows coming up?
Yeah. I have a show at the Joanna. We haven't nailed down an exact date, but it should be sometime in the middle of December.
Anything else?
I've had some drawings going around Europe. I got asked to be in this book that was published in Berlin. I got to show in London, Paris, Berlin, Bordeaux, and it might go to Rome next, I think.
Have you gone along with it at all?
No, no. I wish, but ... I wish I could follow my stuff around but I'm there in spirit I guess.
What has the aftermath of the Hunting Prize been so far?
Not much, honestly. I thought it'd have a lot bigger effect, but I also think that's part of ... I think in Houston, in the art scene, you really have to prove yourself. I feel like me and my friends are doing awesome, really cool things, but people just still aren't ready -- we're not old enough, we don't have enough stripes on our sleeves or whatever - for people to take us all the way seriously yet. But I think that day is coming soon, we're going to take over this place.
