We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lars Matilda a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lars, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
I’m glad Devine left me in that circus toilet, because if she didn’t I wouldn’t have my wonderful adopted clown family. Without them I wouldn’t know how to paint on my smile everyday, or fit an entire troupe of clowns in my tiny car. When I grew up, and left my family of clowns. I felt a deep need to track down my genetic origin. After years of research, and lots of community outreach. My fundraiser was successful, and I was able to track down the coordinates of my mothers final resting place. To my surprise, as I bent down to place the signed copy of pink flamingos (acquired from previously mentioned investigation) I saw what I had been looking for all along. One last message from my birth mother engraved on the back of her head stone that read
“Dear, Lars
I’m so sorry I left you in that circus toilet. I love you so much, but my love for filth is even stronger. I know the genetics I have passed down to you can not go unnoticed. I wrote this to confirm your true purpose of continuing the garbage legacy that I must hand down to you right now as you are reading this. Rummage my sweet gutter witch, and always remember the world of a heterosexual is a sick, and boring life.”
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Upon the realization of my one true purpose I was able to finally understand my trash journey. My duty to spread the politics of filth to a new generation. My art. Trash. My performance. Trash. And I couldn’t be happier.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I live in an actual dumpster…. I once woke to a unannounced raccoon who I’ve grown very fond of. His name is Kentucky.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I love to see the look on peoples faces as witness before them true beauty. A raw, contagious, infested performance. If you don’t leave my shows itching and scratching, was it really a performance by Lars Matilda? Art is suppose to make you uncomfortable. It expands past your idea of the art world, or any world you thought you knew. Never take things too seriously, ask questions, be bold, be experimental, and most importantly be true to who you are. That is where I have found my truest happiness.
(This is a message paid for by John Waters.)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.happydaze.com
- Instagram: @Bugeyedbetty
Image Credits
Sabrina Denis @couture_is_dead @justaguynamedjosh