I was listening to Pictureplane's music for the first time and I found myself wondering how his house smelled, what books he reads, and what his room looked like growing up. Travis Egedy, originally from Denver, Colorado, is now a Brooklyn-based New Age synth punk, and he continues to grow as an artist in his live performances, in his recordings, and in his recent art shows around NYC.I contacted Travis a few weeks ago and told him I wanted to get to know his studio vibe and his surroundings while making music and art. I wanted to know what inspires him and what is sitting around him while he works. I knew he was into crystals and anime, but that's about it. A few days later he got back to me with the entire breakdown. Here is a guide to Pictureplane's amazing studio set up and vibe props, in his own words.AKIRA"I've been hugely in to the Akira anime since I was a teenager, and I have recently begun to attempt to read the entire six-book manga. It is an incredible masterwork of art and genius, and a stunning achievement of what art is capable of. The best. Plain and simple."
ARCHAIC REVIVAL/TERRENCE MCKENNA"Terrence Mckenna is the sort of brilliant once-in-a-generation intellectual mind that was just way ahead of his time. A brave scientist and explorer of consciousness. He is the grandmaster/godfather of any sort of contemporary 'New Age' ideas in my opinion. The 'archaic revival' was something he talked about a lot as being necessary in order to move forward as a species. He said we need to look to ancient cultures for guidance, and that there are ancient ideas returning naturally to the earth to restore balance. His work is unparalleled and highly recommended. His book Food of the Gods changed my life."
JAGUAR FLUTE, JUSTIN BIEBER DOLL, NUUMITE STONE"I bought this jaguar flute (that sounds like a jaguar when you blow through it) when I was tripping on LSD at the ancient site of Teotihuacan in Mexico. The man I bought it from made it. I just bought this Bieber doll for 8 bucks at a toy store in Bushwick—when you press his belly button he sings songs. This is just a cool relic from our time. Nuumite is some of the oldest material on earth, formed billions of years ago when our planet was forming; it is a great shield from negative energy. It's also great for synthesizing psychic and more feminine/intuitive wisdom with intellectual thought."
CITRINE"One of my favorite crystals. I keep it on top of my computer in my studio. It is a really rad stone that helps with creativity and can attract money to your creative endeavours. Merchants used to keep it with them when they were selling goods historically."
CRYSTAL BALL IN A WAX SKULL"I dont know how to do crystal scrying (seeing 'in' to the crystal ball) but I wish I did. This is a genuine real crystal ball that I bought from this crazy man in New York City. He wouldn't let me leave the store without it. It is really heavy and beautiful. I keep it in this skull.
HEAVENS MIRROR BY GRAHAM HANCOCK"Graham Hancock is one of my idols. A renegade archaeologist studying all of the ancient sites in the world and proving connections between them all. His theories point to a much much older forgotten global civilization that was destroyed. He believes the people we think of as 'ancient' are really just recent history. That we are much older than we think we are. A brilliant man who has been getting censored for speaking the truth/realness lately. The dude is a warrior."
X-FILES POSTER"I am a massive X-Files fan, and it was a huge influence on me in elementary school. I've said before that Fox Mulder is my spirit animal. This poster is so deep."
INDUSTRIAL CULTURE HANDBOOK"Legendary stuff here. The part where Genesis P-Orridge talks about the performances s/he and Cosey Fanni Tutti did in the '70s as COUM Transmissions—where they would piss and shit all over each other and eat rotten eggs and burn each other while having sex in art galleries—is reason enough to own this incredible text. I collect re/search books but this one is my favorite one. Hugely influential on my life/style."
LAVENDER WATER, PALO SANTO, SAGE"I really fuck with his lavender Vor-Mag water face mist. It is just really refreshing. Palo Santo wood has been used for centuries by peoples in the Amazon to ward off evil spirits. It smells like fucking god or something. Sage is the same thing basically, and I like to cleanse my studio and work space with it every now and then. It can help to recharge crystals too."
OBSIDIAN STAR TETRAHEDRON AND STONE"These are some of my most personal prized possessions. I bought them the same day as the jaguar flute from this amazing woman in a tent in Mexico next to a massive pyramid while high on acid. Obsidian is super powerful. It is like a vaccum for negative energy. It just destroys it. The star tetrahedron shape is all sacred geometry—think of it as a three-dimensional Star of David. It is also known as a Merkaba. Merkaba fields supposedly surround all living things."
OPTIMISM ESSAYS"This is a collection of essays on optimism curated by Matthew Stone, who is a favorite artist of mine. He said 'optimism as cultural rebellion' and I really believe in that."
POWR MASTRS by C.F."My favorite comic book series. C.F. is a modern master. This shit is so fucking mystical and absurd."
THEE PSYCHICK BIBLE"Genesis P-Orridge is a huge influence on my work, along with Thee Temple of Psychik Youth. This text has all of their writings and documents the history of true outsiders unlocking the secrets of the universe by manifesting their deepest desires. Profound stuff. Genesis is the most important philosopher/magician of the the last one hundred years in my opinion. This book is a game changer."
T.A.Z. BY HAKIM BEY"This book is my bible basically. I've read it dozens of times and it never fails to blow me away. This shit is alchemical and de/conditions the mind. So important for artists and people who want to see governments and all forms of social control destroyed. Pure incendiary poetry. Burn everything the fuck down."
ACCESS VIRUS SYNTH"This is my little baby and is helping me to make my new album sound really heavy and scary. It is a weapon of infinite potential."
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement