Stated Profile: Artist, Fashion Designer, and Author Lang Leav

				Lang Leav is a Sydney-based artist, fashion designer, and author. She is “… inspired by love and misadventure,” and her haunting and romantic art makes for a lovely escape. She is the recipient of The Qantas Spirit of Youth Award and a Churchill Fellowship, and her fashion label Akina is sold in boutiques throughout Australia and Harajuku, Japan.  Her enchanting personality shines through in her work and welcomes all who visit her artistic wonderland.
				[a job that] should never be taken too seriously.
				Working on a new series of artwork themed around the circus for a solo show in Santa Monica in May 2012. There will also be a book release in 2012… so sign up to my mailing list for first dibs as they sell out fast.
				Stories… and this often shows through in the narrative quality of my work. Writing is my first love and in a way, will always be. I love poetry, especially works by the late Dorothy Parker and Emily Dickinson. I also write poetry myself and will usually display one alongside a painting. Sometimes, I will incorporate my poetry into the actual artworks.
				It is my joint love of creating art and writing that has fuelled me into handcrafting my own books. It seemed a natural progression and logical way to combine the two separate but complementary mediums. I think in this electronic age, there is something very special about a book, made lovingly by hand from scratch. Although I love books in all different forms, there is a quality to a handmade one that can’t be replicated in its mass-produced counterpart. I believe this is the reason why my books have been so popular. My latest sell-out book, Charlie’s Widow, was hand-presented to Tim Burton by The Australian Center for the Moving Image at the opening of his Wonderland Exhibition and I was thrilled to learn the iconic film director was “very impressed.”
				I am fortunate enough to have engaged in a very diverse range of projects, so it is difficult to single one out. However, my thesis, Cosplaying Lolita, springs to mind. I was awarded the opportunity by The Churchill Trust to study the underground fashion subcultures in Tokyo. It was a truly amazing adventure!
				My third book, The Little Mermaid, is also a contender, as it was the first body of work to carry a more mature tone. I still think of it as a coming-of-age piece and turning point in my work. Then there are my fashion lines that drew attention from industry heavyweights like Peter Morrissey and Cleo Magazine, who boldly stated, “Lang Leav will change the way you dress.” It is so encouraging to have this vote of confidence and rewarding to see my creations worn by celebrities on network television and hanging on racks of boutiques in Harajuku.
				I love anything to do with the Circus. I would love the luxury of shutting myself away for the next few years and working solely on a circus themed project. The ultimate dream is to have a little factory of letterpress, binding, embossing and sewing machines. All sorts of wonderful contraptions that would allow me to create beautiful, intricate pop up books, paper dioramas and elaborate fashion garments.
				Being a multidisciplinary artist, I draw my inspiration from many areas. I love the photography of Ellen Von Unwerth, the flamboyant and daring fashion pieces by Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, the beautiful and harrowing art of Mark Ryden, the dark and edgy tunes of Fiona Apple. I love how these artists gravitate towards the sinister and macabre, yet in contrast, their work is so beautiful and compelling.
				A few years ago, when in completely different circumstances, I was asked this exact same question. This was my response: ‘I would live in a sleepy little fishing village as a fisherman’s wife.    I’d spend my  days writing, drawing, fishing, cooking, dancing and studying astronomy via correspondence.’ Today, my home studio is nestled in a forest of twisted trees, overlooking the ocean. Mornings I drive down a winding road to a sleepy seaside town for my coffee where I am on a first name basis with all the locals I live with my partner Michael who, just months before meeting me, decided to take an extended break from his illustrious career in advertising to write a book. We spend all our days writing, drawing, fishing, cooking, dancing. I am yet to study astronomy via correspondence but if I am good, I think Santa might bring me a telescope for Christmas.
				I made pizzas! A skill that still serves me very well today and deceives most people into thinking I can actually cook. My favourite is a mushroom and three cheese pizza, topped with juicy Kalamata olives and sprinkling of chili flakes. Yum.
				I have an affliction that can be found with most creative people or people in general. It is called “binge viewing.” This can be traced back to mankind’s monumental transition from the video to the DVD. At the moment I am rediscovering Twin Peaks. It is always easy to think, “another episode won’t hurt,” and before you know it, it’s 3 in the morning!
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