Provocative world of Scorpion Dagger
Animated Collages: An Exclusive Interview with Scorpion Dagger. How James Kerr blends historical art with modern themes to create striking animated collages.
James Kerr / Scorpion Dagger
James Kerr under the pseudonym Scorpion Dagger is a digital artist based in Montreal. He is best known for his short animation project Scorpion Dagger, where he mixes cut outs from various paintings from art history to create a world where he comments on our modern age, and pop culture in general. James’ animations have been shown in art galleries throughout the world. He has also been commissioned by various clients, including The New York Times, Gucci, and Adult Swim.
Scorpion Dagger artwork “Phone Puke (Blargh)” described as “When you just can't anymore.” was featured in the second ACCA "Digital Nostalgia" Auction. The artwork is on display at the ACCA Auction House and the Gallery.
Your animations often blend historical art with modern themes. What inspired you to start this unique artistic style you work in?
A/ I started an animated GIF project back in 2012, where I set out to make one animation a day for an entire year. There was no clear direction to the style of the animations other than they’d be these moving collages, so I was grabbing images to use from anywhere I could find them. At some point I fell upon these Giotto paintings, and thought it would be fun to do a themed week of early renaissance GIFs. I kinda fell in love with how easy it was to draw inspiration from these works, and as the year progressed, I found myself going back to historical art until the point where it was all I was using.
How do you go about selecting specific pieces of art to incorporate into your animations, and what draws you to certain works?
A/ It’s got to the point now where I’ve cut up so many paintings that it’s almost impossible to keep track of what’s from where. I really like reusing elements that I’ve already collaged together, and building upon them. Nowadays, when looking for new source images, I’m paying attention to little details that I can use to build new environments. A big one at the moment is plants and trees.
Could you elaborate on the creative process behind your artwork "Phone Puke (Blargh)" featured in the ACCA "Digital Nostalgia" Auction? What was the conception behind it?
A/ It’s that feeling (I’m sure most of us have had at some point) when reading a particularly bothersome post on social media.
What fundamental principles guide your artistic manifesto, and what message or insight would you like to convey to the world through your art?
A/ I don’t know if there’s one fundamental principle to it, but I really like examining contemporary culture and my relationship to it through a lens of sentimentality to the past.
Not sure if that makes any sense, haha.
In your animations, you often comment on contemporary issues and pop culture. How do you see the role of art in addressing and reflecting on the current state of the world?
A/ Contemporary or not, we’re the exact same as we’ve always been (for better or worse). One thing I’ve noticed through the 4 decades I’ve been on this planet is that nothing fundamentally changes, it’s just that we put new terms to things.
I guess one example that I’ve been obsessed with over the last few years is conspiracy culture. When I was in my late teens I was super into conspiracy theories, and over time I began to notice that exactly zero of the predictions any of these conspiracy theorists made ever came true. Also, the so-called ‘enemies’ were always replaceable. Like, no one talks about the Council on Foreign Relations anymore (it’s changed to the World Economic Forum). The conspiracies are the exact same, it’s just the language has changed. It became apparent that it’s all a grift -- Back then it was to sell gold, now it’s vitamin supplements and engagement farming. The more I look back the more that I see that these paradigms have always been there. In fact, a lot of paintings I use touch on this. Just look up antisemitism in renaissance painting as an example.
Who or what serves as your inspiration and prototype, driving your creative process?
A/ It’s hard to say these days. A large part of my work has become somewhat autobiographical. I’m putting my feelings and experiences into this strange past/present world that I’ve been building.
One thing that remains true however is that I get my best ideas when I’m hanging around my friends, and being out there in the world.
Why are there butts everywhere?:D
A/ BUTTS RULE! Who doesn’t like a good butt?
BUTTS RULE! Who doesn’t like a good butt?
What creative pursuits and projects are on the horizon for you in 2024?
A/ Currently I’m working on a solo show in Tokyo for late spring. Aside from that, I really want to find time to get back to paper and glue collage. It was what I was doing before digital work, and I miss it a lot.
ARTIST @ScorpDag
INTERVIEW @YNKAdigital
ACCOMPART'S© — Computer Art Auction House ©
