HEYOKA MAGAZINE. INTERVIEW WITH JOHN LEKAY

JL. Heyoka magazine is a non conventional and experimental humanitarian art based magazine, encompassing various art forms such as painting, sculpture, photography, music, ballet, poetry, journalism, fashion, film....There are also eastern and western philosophies in a magazine forum to create awareness about various issues. However, it is a work in progress and things will probably change like everything else. I see it as kind of conceptual and collaborative art project.

JL. My role is basically the Art Director and editing the Q&A. My only intentions are to follow my mental radio. I don't really have any expectations other than to play it by ear. I know that I would like to work behind the scenes and focus on other people’s artwork, photography, drawings and writing. It would be nice if it would happen slowly and organically. I like the idea of collaborating with other artists, emerging and also established.

KJ. How will it differ from artnet or other magazines like Artforum, Flash Art etc.?

JL. I will not be so commercially oriented. It will also be much more diverse in subject matter. There will be interviews; features philosophy, music, world politics, poetry, mysticism, world news etc. There will be columns on topics that the media do not like to address and some investigative reporting (even about the media itself). I could be wrong but I don't think that you will find an interview with someone like Tich Nhat Hahn in Flash art. It will also have a lot more humor and un-orthodox advertisements. The ads will be about raising awareness, or for charity. I don't think that it will have as much art news or reviews. .

JL. No, not at all; labels don’t matter to me. I think art should be a way of living. Making a painting or a sculpture is just a by-product.

JL. I have always been fascinated by all kinds of shamans from China, Tibet, Mongolia and especially medicine people from the American Indian cultures and their history. I was looking for a title for one of my sculptures and came across the word in a book by John {Fire} Lame Deer and Richard Erdos "Lame Deer Seeker of Visions". John {Fire} Lame Deer’s book is a masterpiece and eye opener. I highly recommend it to any art student, art historian or anyone else;

JL: Heyoka magazine is essentially about raising awareness and hopefully expanding consciousness by asking questions through art, poetry, psychology, humour, philosophy and other means. The traditional heyoka were quite fascinating the way they brought about balance, self awareness, a kind of reality check and order by doing this in similar ways. Makes me think of Lenny Bruce and his humour which was deadly serious and lethal like a Zen slap or a bucket of ice cold water over your head. Humour is very powerful medicine and can hit you like a thunderbolt, but like other medicine, needs to be measured and in the right dose.

EM: What do you think about all the cynicism in art and the art world these days?

JL: Cynicism is just a callous coat of armor born out of a disillusioned idealist. It feeds on fear of exposure or revealing true intentions, fear of rejection, failure, being laughed at. Once you get over these fears, cynicism seems absurd and even pathetic. Like looking at a crab with its shell cracked open on a beach. It's sad and it changes your perspective.

EM: What about printing heyoka?

JL: I am working on it. The printed version will be different from the online one and will focus more on the artists and their work.