Artist Interview: Butch Locsin

Butch Locsin joins the Mighty Jaxx roster this week with the release of The Smoke Calavera. Inspired by Mexico’s Day of the Dead, Locsin plays with skull masks and colored smoke grenades to produce spectacular images.

The distinctive The Smoke Calavera features artfully placed openings that allow smoke to rise out, recreating the iconic look of Locsin’s performances. A colorful palette and floral motifs are featured throughout the incense chamber, with the added sculpted smoke giving the piece a unique look.

Now you get to own his performance as a unique collectible incense chamber when The Smoke Calavera drops on 26 March, 9 am ET. We had the pleasure of interviewing Butch Locsin, join us below as he shares about his art and the incense chamber collectible release this weekend.

Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with us! First off, could you tell our readers a little more about your background?

Thank you for having me. I’m a Los Angeles-based artist. I started my art career just 5 years ago while I was attending community college. I have a background in painting and drawing but these days I focus more on photography. 

What inspired you to start performing with smoke and such ornate outfits?

What inspired me to perform with smoke? To be awesome! As I mentioned before, I was attending community college as I was developing my art. I use photos of myself as a reference for my paintings and drawings for my painting classes. I was looking for alternative ways to produce more dynamic and interesting photos. I came across smoke and quickly found what I was looking for. With the combination of my mask, outfit, and smoke, I found my voice in the art world. The one thing that made me whole. It separated me from just being ordinary to becoming something spectacular.

Do you have a favorite color you try to include in all your performances?

I have a personal favorite color. It's the color red. When it comes to my performance, I don't have a favorite. I use multiple smoke needs in a single performance. I love mixing colors and creating a wide range of colors for my performances.

We are very excited about our first collaboration with you! Your works don’t typically lend themselves to becoming physical art pieces, did you ever think you’d make a collectible?

I don't really have ambitions of becoming a commercial artist at this time. I see the value in doing so. Definitely, in the future, I plan to sell most of my masks but want to do it in a way I'm comfortable with. I have gained a long list of credible work with major artists and large companies. It validates me to know I'm heading in the right direction. In my heart, I'm not quite there yet. I would rather work on myself as an artist and develop more art for myself.

 

Turning The Smoke Calavera into a collectible incense chamber felt so apt for your piece and we tried to capture the lush and colorful nature of your performances. What was the first thought that ran through your mind when you saw the piece?

I absolutely loved it. It follows the path that I'm on, and I'm starting to feel inspired by this collectible. The art piece itself has a great look to me. The color and overall design are fun to look at. I'm honored.

Finally, if you were to give your fans a single piece of advice, what would it be?

Find the one thing that wakes you up every day to feel inspired. Be relentless in your quest to find your voice and develop your art. If you haven't found your source, don't stop searching. The world is a vast place, and the universe will help you find it.

Crafted out of porcelain and finished in a lush palette, The Smoke Calavera is available to order from 26 March, 9 am ET. To celebrate our first release with Butch Locsin, we’re giving you double Mighty Coins for all purchases of The Smoke Calavera made between 25 March, 9 am ET to 27 March 9 am ET.

7” tall porcelain incense chamber // $249 with free shipping worldwide

Be sure to subscribe below, and follow Mighty Jaxx on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with more exciting releases.