BlackBook.com
Magazine
18th September 2009
 

Correct Culture
Daniel Louis Rivas & Tony Ward
by Walt Cessna

Daniel Louis Rivas and Tony Ward make really awesome art together when they're not modeling in music videos or acting in really rad alternative film fare. On the heels of their recent NYC gallery premiere, cover of TrendyTokion Magazine, and posting for the straight issue of Butt Magazine, I asked the boys a couple of questions and you'll see I got the expected, colorful results. What I like about them and their art is its complete lack of bullshit. Everything they do is off the cuff and correctly casual.

How did you and Tony come to collaborate together?
We’ve know each other for eight or so years, and we started hanging out everyday a couple years ago, Brain storming for hours in my small Valley Village cardboard box. And one thing lead to the next, and we started co-producing and starring in a feature film together called One Lucky S.O.B. that’s going to be directed by Betty Kaplan...It’s loosely based on some of my experiences when I first moved to Los Angeles. As you know, producing a dark independent feature film in Hollywood is a grueling process. It’s never ending. Everyone hates you and no one invites you to Thanksgiving dinner until after it’s in the can. As we;re waiting for that to be greenlit, we started investigating the possibility of having a show of my paintings and Tony’s photo’s at Ghetto Gloss gallery in L.A. That led to collaborating on the same canvass and leaving the ego in the closet so to speak.

What is the inspiration behind your work?
Life, death, sex, re-birth and the meaning of why we are here. What we feel and what we think and the juxtapose of that combined on one work or art. Living lives with many masks on. The art brings us back to being flesh and bone.
One foot in the grave and one flying angry fist in the hope of living forever in truth. The hilarity of heartbreak. Tradition, Family, heritage and the DNA of our ancestors that lives in all of us. My sister inspires me. Tony inspires me. Gerard Rudolf inspires me. The great American dream inspires me. When life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold. Not being an underdog, but an archetype. Shakespeare!

What do you like art wise?
Francis Bacon, The Thundercats, Early French Graffiti. Caveman art. Herman Brood, Diego Rivera, Marlon Brando...(even though Tony told him that he was a fat ass and he couldn’t hurt him). Oscar the Grouch. Shakespeare!

Does anything else come into play? Like music, fashion, street art, etc?
Everything influences me and nothing influences me. I am a an old dusty am radio looking for a channel that’s not fucking static y. Quieting heroin influenced me. Being able to express my feeling and inspiring others to do so inspire me. Being in the moment. Music inspires me most of all..From The Carpenters to Black Flag. Bob Dylan to The Ghetto Boyz. I like Levis Jeans & Calvin Klein underwear. Shakespeare!

Tell me about how your acting and modeling has influenced you, if at all and how do you balance all these things so well?
I have a lot of time on my hands...No: none of that really influences my painting..I was was just tired of eating Top Ramon with Ketchup. I needed another gimmick. I can’t even balance my checkbook.Acting is in my blood and painting is my groin. I have no choice but to listen to what my body tells me. I hope Hollywood catches up. I find Hollywood very racist and close minded. I’m lucky if I get a job where I don’t play a Mexican Junkie pimp male hustler doorman serial killer gang member. Come on, Steven Spielberg, I am also a Jew from the upper east side of New York! There are some amazing open minded people that hire me here that can see past my last name..But those movies are usually low budget. And I continue eating Top Ramen.

What is coming up in the future for you are wise, acting-wise?
Tony & I are developing a TV show on our art and our relationship. It’s going to be sort of reality and semi-scripted. “Jackass”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” meets fine art...But better. We have been currently filming that in LA and New York. It’s being pitched to the networks in September.

What do you do in your down time or are you always working and creating?
I always work and create and think of new hustles. Even in my dreams. I don’t know how to have down time in my mind. I can’t live like them. What is down time? Getting drunk at a lame Hollywood night club and banging a million of chicks with daddy issues, give me a break.
Only bored people are boring.
I am just reacting.
Blow anybody? 
 

www.BlackBook.com