Friends and UW MFA graduates Fred Muram and Mike Simi created Fire Retard Ants to artistically revist the awkardness of their childhood.  Their work about “growing pubic hair, fighting ninjas, eating Cheez Whiz, all while maintaining a C+ average, so their parents will take them to Pizza Hut” is featured this month at SOIL in Pioneer Square.

Title: Fire Retard Ants Curiously Investigating Wearing Ski Masks
Medium: 35″x”35″ Archival Inkjet Print
Date: 2007

1. Who or what is your biggest artistic inspiration?
FRT#2 (Mike) believes that his is confessional literature.
FRT#1(Fred)thinks his biggest inspiration is his angst pot… which is
animaginarycauldron created to hold all of Fred’s angst.

2. Where is the best place to view art in Seattle?
FRT#1 (Fred) Has a fondness for SAM and the Henry Art Gallery and
Western Bridge.
FRT #2 (Mike) FRT#1 agrees with FRT #2.

3. What is your favorite local bookstore?
FRT#2 (Mike) Amazon.com - avoid the crowd- buy books in your undies.
FRT#1(Fred)There is a cool little shop somewhere downtown that sells
tonsofsocialist lit, but there’s also a really cute girl that works
there, whoI always tell I’m Canadian.

4. If you were a typeface which one would you be?
Are there any other typefaces than Helvetica?

5. What is the best blog that we don’t know about yet?
Other than the FIRE RETARD ANTS BLOG?
FRT#1 (Fred) I’m kind of a fan of We Make Money Not Art
FRT#2(Mike) I don’t really read blogs all that much, but really likewatching
television, reading books, and listening to music.

http://fireretardants.wordpress.com/
 

[Editor’s Note: As in the print magazine’s Artist Portfolio, the blog feature will showcase exceptional visual talent in all mediums. Please send submissions to ali @ rivetmagazine.org.]