1. What is SV18?
Erin: We are an art duo who use all mediums of art and don't restrict ourselves to one form. We just like to create things together and thought we should start a collaboration.
2. SV18 is an interesting name can you tell me a bit about it?
Erin: Ines was reading a book and said Screen Violence sounds like such a sick name, so we stuck with that. We then put ‘18’ at the end, as our postcode is SE18, which rhymes with SV18 - we are based in South East London.
3. How did you meet?
Erin: We went to the same school but never spoke; we just knew each other through Instagram. We spoke one time on the bus about the female body and female rights as we were both pissed off with someone at school, who told somebody that their nipples can't be shown.
Ines: Just ranting on the bus together - that was the first conversation we had!
4. So, would you describe yourselves as ‘Feminists’?
Erin: I would
Ines: No, I don’t like labels. I’m sorry. I support what women are doing but I just don’t want to put it in as who I am.
5. You are based in South East London; how would you describe South East London?
Erin: Dead.
Ines: [Laughing] I actually think it’s the real deal, like you actually see London London.
6. How has that influenced your art or your collaboration?
Erin: I don’t really know. I guess we don’t really use the environment to inspire us. I don’t think of art as where I live - I can do art wherever I am.
Ines: I sketch a lot and use public transport to get inspired - the movement on the bus and the du-du du-du on the trains. I just let go of the pencil and it is quite amazing what comes out but also what comes out from my mind, not even my mind because sometimes I don’t think! My house is a bit restrictive in terms of doing art.
Erin: I think it’s important that if you don’t like your art and think it looks shit, it’s fine. Don’t get frustrated. Just do it for the sake of doing it.
7. Do you see yourselves living in London when you are older?
Ines: I grew up in Spain for nine years and I have been here for nine years as well, but I would love to travel. We have big problems now for immigrants like myself - Brexit. I have Spanish nationality and I am trying to get my UK passport but if I don't get it… You never know what is going to happen because politics is just b******* it just f**** with your life.
Erin: I’ve lived in London my whole life, but I’ve travelled to quite a few different countries. When my contract for my job finishes next summer, I am planning on living in Berlin for a bit, just to experience another country. When I went before, I really loved it and could see myself living there. I also love German as a language.
8. Do you have intentions of going to university or doing an art foundation etc?
Ines: I am doing my last year of Art and Design BTEC course - it’s like a foundation. At college, my art teachers are pushing me to go to university and my mum is like ‘you need to study’ but I am just like - I don’t want to.
9. But why do you not want to?
Ines: Because I don’t even like college or school - imagine university! Even though it isn’t as many days, you still have to go for tutorials. If I am honest, I haven’t been to a tutorial all year at college. I don’t like to follow the rules. If you want to learn then you will learn. There are massive libraries everywhere in London, you can get information from the internet as well. If you have the motivation to do something, then you will. I studied Javascript by myself about 2-3 years ago. I did IT GCSE, but they never taught Javascript, code or CCS. I was just so interested, I pushed myself to do it.
'If you want to learn then you will learn.'
10. You said some of your friends are not motivated to do things why is this?
Erin: I think people have so many good ideas but never do it because they seem so advanced that they don’t think they can do it, but they can. You literally can - you can do whatever you want in your life. It’s completely up to you. I think a lot of technology has made people feel stuck. I stopped using Instagram for months and I had so many new ideas; I just felt so much better mentally. Stay away from social media, it’s just such an overstimulation for the brain it can make me feel so bombarded with information.
11. Who is your favourite artist?
Ines: I don’t have one. I think my favourite artist is myself. It’s so amazing how I am developing, discovering new things, documenting my own work and collaborating.
Erin: My favourite artist is Basquiat, but everybody loves him. He has always been a huge source of inspiration from his poems to texts. Also, Jenny Holzer.
12. What music do you listen to?
Both: Ambient, Techno, old hip hop.
Erin: I love this techno duo called Giant Swan, they are a techno duo and I’ve seen them like three times this year, Daniel Avery, Drexciya, Jon Hopkins.
13. Does music influence your art?
Erin: Yes, I often painting whilst listening to music really loud with my headphones which I find relaxing - it stimulates me.
14. Regarding your futures what are your plans?
Erin: I don’t go to uni and so I have two jobs- product photography at amazon and costume design for the theatres. I want to do more portraiture photography.
Ines: My future is right now but it also beyond. I want to do so many things, I want to be a mechanic, do more coding on Javascript and be a hacker lol. I also want to go to uni to develop my art.
Erin: The future is quite mad. It’s important to think about how you are now. The future doesn’t actually exist, the future is always the present for me. When I think of the future, I think of now which is really weird. I can only work as I am working now and hope that something will develop out of all the hard work that I do. Thinking about the present is so important which is hard to do as everyone is saying try and plan ahead, but you mustn’t forget to think about the present. If you worry about the future, you won’t be there for you.
'I can only work as I am working now and hope that something will develop out of all the hard work that I do.'
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