“As they say, one man’s trash is another’s treasure, and it applies to all things in life, especially art.”
Vanessa Matic has been publishing her work since the age of 10, some feat. She is the head of art-collective DIY outlet Agape Lodge Poetry Society, and will turn heads and minds with every step of her creative output, hence my need to talk about such matters. I love these types of conversations, those that cover the artist as a person, the need, the desire, where it stemmed into full blossom, and where it could ever lead. A poet, writer, director, one-time journalist, and model, Vanessa Matic has her mind in all places worth venturing. Let her chat with Felten Ink be the latest in further more!
Vanessa, to begin, tell me an anecdote, if you don’t mind.
Anything I’ve ever wanted to do has happened by accident. If you have a talent you also need the luck of accidents. For me especially, since I’m not so outgoing as people assume me to be based on my immediate presence, I’m quite awkward and a hermit. One time during my teen years, I was watching a movie that was a favorite of mine, and I said I’m going to work with those folks. And magically years later, when I was in New York, I met a friend of the guy who directed the movie and when I was writing my short film, I had the pleasure of casting the director of the movie I was so fond of in my teenage years. So, yeah I believe in lucky accidents. Or when Sonic Youth gave me an instrumental to use for my poetry visuals, that was another lucky accident. And now I’m having my second poetry book published by an amazing press. I think as humans we must just be our strange selves and find our luck in the unknown paths we walk to.
When did the Agape Lodge Poetry Society start and why did it start – it’s yours?
Agape is me, completely in and out. I started it at friends’ houses, I moved it into a bigger space, a cooler, and most magical space. I’ve done it all over, from Berlin to New York, to now Los Angeles. I started it for artists to have a place to meet, to share, to gather, and feel loved, to feel connected. I usually start the night with some sort of opening such as music or dance, before that people just mingle for a while and find a place in the room. Then the poets go on and then it ends, it’s a peaceful night but it can get very ravenous.
What’s the one line of poetry or prose you’re most proud of and one line you regret? Do you critique?
“Life is a dark humour comedy and I’m friends with it.” No regrets ever. I hate judging other people’s work unless they’re dear friends and they allow me to be mean. But who am I to judge? As they say, one man’s trash is another’s treasure, and it applies to all things in life, especially art.
Do you plan a novel?
Yes, I have one and it’s done, meaning written, but it must be insanely edited – I’m sure that’ll take a year.
What’s your main profession?
Writing, acting, events, that covers everything, but it’s a hustle for sure, because you have to be entwined with doing multiple jobs. However, I can’t complain, they’re all jobs I like to do.
What has been the most defining moment of your career so far, and why?
For writing, it was when I was first published by Tough Poet Press. Then there’s the now where I’m about to be doing two signed contracted podcasts and another book. I guess it depends what you think is important because when poetry had become least important and wasn’t as mainstream as it is right now, I had a well-known artist meet me in Bowery Hotel for a drink and he told me he was impressed. Because I was publishing in magazines during that time, he said what I was doing was a quiet but revolutionary thing and that he wanted to exploit poetry through outlets to make money. He’s good at that, he sells these handmade poetic works for thousands. And since I’m talking about that maybe I’d say even MySpace when I was a kid and doing blogs and people that were famous were always messaging me about my work.
Tell me about your background, upbringing, where you’re from blah blah blah!
My parents moved before the former Yugoslavian war began, to Germany then to America. My father worked as a professor, did a lot of writing, was on TV, and worked in parliament. My mother studied law and worked at an office, she had a love for fashion and had always been asked to model but she liked to design instead. I think the way I am is most definitely pieces of both of my parents. Traveling a lot has also been a huge part of my life and shaped me into who I am today. With my upbringing, I did ballet and stuff like that… I was a very tireless child so my parents always put me in some classes. My father worked at Saint Joseph’s Catholic School later in his life, Oxford too, and I traveled to Berlin for a while when I was in New York and made short films with my friends, some of which were nominated for upcoming artist awards. One was for the Berlin Film Festival and it won a spot for top 5 shorts. It had an incredible cast from Birol Unel to Clemens Shick, and music by Dinosaur Jr. During my time in Berlin, I did a bunch of projects with Philipp Virus, even poetry visuals with music from Sonic Youth, Atari, Teenage Riot, and more.
Favourite writers or poets—go! Give me a line of prose or poetry that amazed you. Rules shouldn’t make a good writer in my opinion.
Ugh, the Life’s a Killer by Burroughs, he is one of my favorite writers and Hunter S Thompson and I love the quote he has about driving up his street and finally coming home, and what a good feeling that is. I love Patti smith too, Plath, Bukowski, Philp K. Dick, George Carlin. I don’t read much as I write but I love Naked Lunch, it’s strange and diabolically delightful. I tend to agree with you that you never have to follow rules to be a good writer.
What was the reason you never pursued a career in journalism?
Well, I will be doing a podcast, so as you know, it’s in tune with journalism. But no real reason other than it just wasn’t my peruse, just as modeling… I was offered three big contracts but it just wasn’t my vibe, or the record contract I was offered by Sony Records when I first moved to New York. [Modelling] just isn’t very interactive in my opinion, you don’t get to have much say in what your narrative is.
Do you drink or do recreational drugs? If so, what’s your opinion on the good/ bad effects these things can have on creative output?
What a funny question. My favorite liquor is D’usse (Congac). I guess I’m more of an observer, I’ve seen it all or more than I want to see. I think some people go so deep into that stuff that they can’t create any light, any means of life. Sure, some artists are brilliant in that darkness, I wouldn’t advise it though. Many dear friends have died on whatever and their talents wasted on snowflakes.
How did you end up getting published at the age of 10? How did you submit your content and do you remember what it’s about?
Stone Soup magazine, it was a children’s magazine and my parents submitted it for me. The story was about former Yugoslavia, and the war, and so I wrote a story about a family who left their country for hope in another place. It was not a biographical story, but I put myself in the shoes of stories I had heard from my family and families who they knew.
If you could change one thing about anything tomorrow, what would it be?
That the world was a more loving place, that this love filled it up so much, and that there was less suffering.
What’s one thing the world loves but you are in despair about – I’ll give an example, Christmas and fireworks, I can’t stand either.
I like both, Christmas I love because of the presents. I love Halloween the most because that’s two days later from my birthday and I celebrate it all month. Hmm, not sure I love all holidays… maybe sports? Like when there’s some game and traffic is shit, that sucks. Or some shitty concert, I guess traffic, especially in hell A it’s the worst.
What are you working on you want to promote?
My event is always @agapelodgepoetrysociety and my upcoming podcast ‘Automatic with Vanessa Matic’. It’s about artists, I get to interview each guest and learn more about them. Pretty simple and something I love to do, I love getting to know the paths and adventures taken.
Same here. Vanessa, thank you for your time.
Check out Vanessa Matic and her work with Agape Lodge Poetry Society
