Welcome to our newest series, Great Bowery Artist Spotlight, where we profile the renowned artists represented by Great Bowery's suite of agencies. This month, we're featuring CLM artist Julie Verhoeven, who's known for her multidisciplinary works. This story was originally published on Great Bowery.
Tell us about yourself.
I may look old but I’m not really. I may wear the guise of an ‘artist’ but am I really? In a nutshell, my training and background is in fashion design and I am perhaps best known for my fashion illustration output in the noughties.
How would you describe your process?
My style reflects my process, it's layered. I obsessively research and collate images and music, and I respond in a fast and furious fashion, in the hope my subconscious will kick in and take me somewhere new.
How did you get your start?
At the age of 18 I got a lucky break with a summer internship at John Galliano’s studio in London, which fortunately led to employment. This was a most exuberant entrance into the fashion industry.
I then continued on to Paris where I worked as a design assistant to Martine Sitbon during the 1990s. Shortly after, I made my break for freedom and the life of a freelancer.
How has your work evolved over time?
My work has because a lot less uptight and more devilish. Experiencing loss and general disappointments has led me to care less about how my work is perceived. I find working in video, 3D and performance the most satisfying. It is the best vehicle to express my frustrations, woes and wants.
I’ve recently been collaging clothes together for Nasir Mazhar’s wonderful and radical concept shop, Fantastic Toiles, in London. Fantastic Toiles stocks one off creations, with the emphasis on creative freedom and independence. It’s a fearless, dynamic collective that really inspires me not to stagnate.