Maxim Turrent

Name, where are you from?
Maxim Turrent, somewhere between Lewisham and Greenwich.

Describe your style in three words?
I only need two: Colourblind Angst.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Frank Ocean at Lovebox. He’s been firmly at the top of my list of favourite artists since 'Channel Orange' and it was an unforgettable experience seeing him live. I had an eye infection at the time, and the dust was getting my eyes all worked up so I was sort of double crying pretty much throughout.

If you could collaborate with any artist in history?
I’d love to make an album cover for Fugazi. I’ve never looked into who’s making the decisions visually but every piece of artwork gives off the same feeling. My personal favourites are the 'Furniture' EP and the 'In On the Kill Taker' covers. They drop me right into the uncanny valley and I’m not even sure why… I’d love to have a go at capturing that same feeling myself.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
Punk and skate culture definitely had an influence early on. My Uncle Jonny gave me all of his CDs when I was about 12. There was one he picked out and told me to never listen to because I wouldn’t sleep afterwards and from that moment on I was fascinated. I listened to every CD he gave me and loved looking through the liner notes. That experience is something I draw from whenever I’m working on artwork and promotional material, I’m always trying to replicate it for the audience by using Instagram as a sort of virtual liner notes.
Although it’s not so much a subculture, in more recent years I’ve been massively inspired by the OuLiPo. They’re a collective of poets who find creative freedom through self-inflicted restraints. I found out about them a few years ago and tried to apply a similar ethos to my own work and I’ve not looked back. I think it can be incredibly daunting to enter that creative mindset when you’ve got all the software and source material in the world to produce absolutely anything. It feels like the creative process nowadays lacks the opportunity for happy accidents and detours compared to analog processes, so by setting yourself a set of rules and limitations that you can’t break, you’re forced to think outside the box.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
David Lynch under the strict condition that he can’t harp on at me about transcendental meditation! I’m fascinated by him, he’s recently started uploading daily videos of him describing the weather and it’s mesmerising.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Wiki - I’ve been a fan since 'Wiki93' and I’m shocked he’s not more popular. He was incredible as part of Ratking, and since they broke up he’s gone from strength to strength as a solo artist. ‘So It Goes’ is an incredible album, I’ve never been to New York and I’m almost reluctant to go since I heard this album because it's painted such a vivid painting of it in my mind I think I’d be disappointed.

Maxim Turrent is a Freelance Designer & Creative Director of Resevoir.

Visit maximtur.rent or rsvr.world for more and follow max on Instagram at @maximturrent.