Gary (Gaurav) Taxali helps mint new coins
Tuesday January 24 2012 By SUNIL RAO He appeared in Maclean’s last week; on Sunday, he was also featured on CBC’s The National.

He’s been deemed the “poster-boy” of the Canadian art world. He’s won a Grammy nomination, appeared on the cover of Newsweek, and has clients as diverse as Rolling Stone, GQ, Esquire, Warner Brothers, Sony, and The New York Times.

He’s even got a solo show coming up with famed gallerist Steve Lazarides in London, UK, this May.

He has certainly arrived!

Yet, at public events in his home-base of Toronto, few among his own community seem to know him — as they would, for instance, a Russell Peters.

It’s not for lack of trying. “Sometimes I use Hindi typography and iconography in my work. It’s who I am and I would never want to escape from it,” he has said.

His name means ‘Superintendent of the Mint’. So it feels apposite that in his most recent endeavour, Gary (Gaurav) Taxali has ‘struck’ six new coins.

The internationally celebrated artist, who’s been compared to pop culture masters like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, has collaborated with the Royal Canadian Mint to create a series of six celebratory coins to feature in their 2012 gift sets.

Taxali’s works generally go for $10,000, and upwards. But you can now acquire a piece of his art — as gifts on the occasion of a birthday or wedding, a baby shower, welcoming the Tooth Fairy, or celebrating our Canadian heritage and values — at a far more affordable $19.95 each.

There was an official press launch of the souvenir quarters this week (to order visit mint.ca).

Born in Chandigarh, Gary moved to Canada with his parents and elder sister when he was just a year old. Unlike most South Asians, his parents and sister encouraged him to follow his passion and become an artist. And he started getting jobs even before he had graduated from his four-year Ontario College of Arts and Design course.

He moved to Manhattan for a while, honing his commercial art skills there, before making the transition to the bigger canvas of the art world. And he moved back to Toronto when his dad died, to be with his mother and sister.

Today, success has not turned his head — in fact he’s humble to a fault. And despite his hectic recent schedule due the flurry of “huzzahs” and media outlets vying for his attention, he made the time over the weekend to call Focus for a very courteous, thoughtful interview. Excerpts:

What inspires you?

My inspiration changes all the time, but the biggest influence is undoubtedly the 1930s animation typography, as depicted by the Dr Seuss. My art may be described as retro pop art, as edgy abstracts.

How long does it take you to finish one painting?

A day? Sometimes three days — sometimes three weeks. But I usually work very fast.

What medium do you use? A brush? The computer? A combination?

I start at the drawing-board, with brushes or pens — never pencils. I get the basic down... and then let the inspiration soar!

Often I myself don’t know what method I’ll then use — screen printing, or paint, or collage, or oil... so I often surprise myself! And that’s what makes it all so interesting, for me. To see what the next one will be...

What would be your three best works to date?

One is a toy monkey — it’s the first time I created a character, which has today come to life in many different forms, and opened the doors for me to a range of stylistic characters.

Another would be a piece I’d created even earlier, which I called ‘Chump’ (the font called Chumply is exclusively Gary’s creation). It was on a book cover, where I infused my own typography into the art cover.

And a third would be ‘Ono’ — a little red character, like a sausage with two legs. I did that for the Whitney Museum (in New York City) — and it served to open up new doors to me.

You’re right now excited about...

(Laughs) Oh, my obsession right now is my solo show with Lazarides, where I’m going to show my biggest piece yet, all of 5 x 7.5 feet!

At 43 years, as an artist you’ve already achieved a huge amount — yet you’re perhaps still only wetting your feet in things to come?

You’re right, I’m still only wetting my feet. And it’s the idea, the excitement, of what else can be...
I’m on the Canada Post board, and that’s interesting.

But right now, I’m looking at big works of art — a huge public mural, perhaps?

NPMG: Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Peel Regional Police Fraud Bureau | Computer & Internet Safety © Copyright 2011 Metroland Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, transmission or reproduction of any material from northpeel.com and northpeelmediagroup.com is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of Metroland Media Group Ltd.    North Peel Media Group: Brampton Guardian | Caledon Enterprise | The Independent & Free Press | Orangeville Banner | South Asian Focus