Our pals over at The Reference Council recently caught up with Russell Maurice – the man behind cult label Gasius. While Russell has always tried to keep his own artistic output and that produced under the Gasius moniker fairly separate, this feature offers a pretty good insight into both entities. The pair chat inspiration, next season’s designs and worldly ideals amongst other things. Check out an extract from the article below and head over here for the complete piece…
Watch the video for The Deele – Shoot ‘Em Up Movies and you’ll notice a certain blend of the surreal and humorous. As I meet Russell Maurice in his east London studio, the 1987 post-disco hit reverberates from the artist’s MacBook pro. The song is familiar, yet it is not. “It’s the sample used for Red and Gold on MF DOOM’s Operation Doomsday,” he says. Maurice is more than adept in employing familiar yet implacable reference points; in fact, his work is littered with them. He is the man behind the graphic led clothing label, Gasius, which has gained a cult following through it’s humorous approach – referencing everything from Garfield to the kind of exaggerated cartoon chefs you find on pizza menus. Aside from this, and other forays in the streetwear industry, he is an artist who, again, has garnered a fan-base through his psychedelic tinged works – think Alice in Wonderland but cooler, more niche.
“I’ve always tried to keep the two things separate,” he says. While there’s a certain stylistic crossover between the work of Russell Maurice, artist, and Gasius, the output of the two entities is noticeable. “What I like about Gasius is that it has got a sense of humour, you know? I mean; I’m having a laugh doing it.”
