Art
No Order Magazine talks with the multi-disciplinary artist.
Micah Rustichelli is a Meanjin-based, multidisciplinary artist working primarily in painting and performance art. Since 2016 Rustichelli has been developing an expanded practice which investigates the role of the self and the body in relation to art making. Through various physical limitations and challenges the artist is exploring the role of the subconscious in decision making, flow state and the dense amalgamation human knowledge and experiences which define these functions. Rustichelli collides research into the realms of psychology and sociology with the visual language of mythology, religion and taboo, constructing a new mythological world for their work to inhabit.
Introduce yourself to our readers and tell us what involvement you currently have in the art scene?
My name is Micah Rustichelli and I am an artist living in Meanjin. A creative for all of my life, I've made my art a committed focus for the past 5 years or so. I am currently a freelance artist, visual-art events producer and curator in Meanjin.
How did your career begin?
After completing a Certificate 3 in Visual Arts while in school, I briefly studied Contemporary and Applied Theatre at university. Early into my second year at university I decided that I wanted to take what I had learnt from both studies and combine them into my own self-taught visual arts practice involving interactive and performative elements. My early projects included installations for theatrical performances, group and solo exhibitions and the beginnings of online interactive content and streaming which I am continuing to evolve.
Final Instinct (2021) via Instagram
Compulsion (2021) via Instagram
What does the term art mean to you?
For me, art is a transferral of energy: taking a feeling or thought and transferring it into a new form or entity, extending to all forms of art like music, writing, dance, etcetera. Art is an exercise in creation, willing into existence something that was not previously tangible, however there is always a catalyst, something cannot come from nothing. Whether through thorough thought and research or wild spontaneity, somewhere in the subconscious there is a rhyme and reason to everything we create. Sometimes discovering the mysterious catalyst that we had no idea we were drawing from is the fun part.
What is something you wish you knew at the beginning of your career that you know now?
I wish I had known the value of community and connection, I spent so long thinking I had to do it alone and felt ashamed to think of asking for help or support. I wish I had known how to relax, let things be, allow myself to rest. Work hard for sure, but allow yourself to be a human as well, treat yourself how you would expect an employer to treat you: with respect and care for yourself and you mental/physical limits.
What advice do you have for emerging artists?
The results you achieve are so linked to the amount of work you put in. You have to put in the work. If you love your art you owe it to your craft to give it the best chance that you can. That means don't cut corners and don't expect opportunities to come to you, you owe it to yourself to go and chase them! Of course, like anything, moderation is key! be careful with yourself, rest, don't take it so serious, don't put unfair pressure on yourself, but when you do work, work smart, work well and work fair. Be mindful of your work, Always question why you do what you do, always think about your artistic choices. The more you ask yourself the hard questions about your work the easier it will be to stand by it and support it out in the world. And finally, be connected, Even if you are more of an introvert or not such a social person by nature, that is absolutely okay, still relish in opportunities to be amongst artists, and nurture each other, the arts is an ecosystem in which we all thrive when we support each other.
Read the full interview in Issue 01
Published: 15th October 2021