Interview with Faile

Hi, What does FAILE mean?

Hello. So have to admit I'm coming back to this question. It's been answered many times and was feeling a bit reluctant to answering it again. But over the last few days of working on this interview, it's a question I keep thinking about. I guess it's a question we ask ourselves often, and it changes over time. I think it was question #8 "Do you have a mantra?" that made me think about this all a little more.

We're in the process of creating a new series of images. During this time there is always a sort of poetic slogan that goes into the images. As we work on what these will say it really reinforces the images and brings there deeper meaning out. Sometimes there are whimsical, playful, lewd, amusing, quizzical or just plain absurd. But they do have meaning. And specifically Faile has really grown to encompass an array of things in these texts.

To us, the way Faile is used in the work, really becomes this magical vehicle. It encompasses something that is hard to exactly define. It's a feeling, a way of living, an expression of being. Something like the word passion or spirit. I think it holds the ideas that came through in Question #8. The word Faile is a symbol of that mantra. It can be all things to all people, but is left for you to define in your terms. It's about tapping into something deeper and living from there, at least just for that moment.
I guess on it's very deepest level, Faile is an expression of our way of living and being.



Your work as a “duo”, can you introduce yourself?

Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller = Faile



How long have you been working together? How did you meet?

We've been working together for 17 years or so. We met the first day of high school, trading fireworks.



Where do you get your inspiration from? When did you start?

Inspiration comes from everywhere, honestly. Books, walks, the city, it's everywhere. Look it's over there, run...
We started as Faile in 1999.



Is there a particular location where you go over and over to paste up?

There are certainly some favorite spots here in Brooklyn. There's a nice vibe here for putting up work when compared to Manhattan, not feeling as much like there's the law looming around every corner. One place that we consistently enjoy putting work up in is the Shoreditch and Brick Lane area of London. This really seems like its always got great work going up. You feel like you can stroll and take your time when compared to NYC.
Working in Bethlehem was also a really great experience, not the easiest place to go over and over, given the situation. The people there really thought about the work you put up. They would ask questions and really try to understand it. It had real meaning to them. If the idea didn't hold up, make sense to them or mystify them, they would buff it pretty quick. That's a great thing. I think it adds a level of thought and accountability to the work that you don't find in many other large cities.



Do you collect any work from other artists? Who gives you a Buzz at the moment?

Actually that's one thing that we do try to really stay on top of. There's so much great work being made by friends and acquaintances, people's work we admire and just new things that we find. Here in the studio we collect: Bast, Swoon, David Ellis, Anthony Lister, Banksy, Paul Insect, Shepard Fairey, Matt Smalls, Jeremiah Maddock, AJ Fosik, Antonio Diaz and Borf.
I think we really always love Borf's work. Jeremiah Maddock is amazing and I think will really grow over the next few years. There's a new comer that has some great stuff and I think will also grow over the next couple of years, Antonio Diaz, keep an eye out for him.
The guy's doing the big walls and animations like Blu and Sam3 are also real favorites of ours here in the studio.



Do you have a mantra?

I don't know about a mantra. I think there is just a sense of keep making, keep pushing. Just keep the work going. It's not to say don't stop to think about the bigger ideas and concepts; it just means don't let the thinking stop you from making. Let the making inform new ways of thinking. After awhile you'll find that things come intuitively and viscerally, that has a real beauty.



How do you feel about your work being sold at auction houses?

It has felt like being shot out of a canon every time, well at least as a younger artist. It's all very exciting and a bit of a rush. Somewhere though, in the back of your head, you hope it doesn't end badly. That being said we really do appreciate the level of support out there for the work.



Have you got a message for these people who said “You will never make it as an artist?”

Honestly, our families, friends, teachers were all very supportive. I'm mean it's who we are. We always drew and made things, since we were super young. I don't even know what it really means to "make it" as an artist. I don't think we looked at it quite that way growing up. It wasn't like it was something we chose to do as much as we just did it. I think that's clear. It's an amazing thing at any point to be able to support yourself from your art and we certainly have dreams, but I think you still need to just do what you love and really believe the rest will fall into place. Making some good decisions and putting yourself out there certainly help. Must admit we did have a lot of support from family in the sense that they never discouraged studying art and following your passions.
I guess that would be it. Just do what you do. Make it happen, don't be afraid to show it, get it out there and keep going.



2008, nice number…Gonna be busy?

So many good things rhyme with 2008. We have some shows tentatively slated for the end of the year. We're working on new paintings and new interpretations of the work, so we're really looking forward to getting out there later this year.



"Patrick from Faile"
www.faile.net

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