We Found Our Favourite Illustrator in the Australian Outback

Mimi Leung

Mimi Leung is one of our favourite illustrators - she used to talk to us and work with us a lot. Then she disappeared and we were a bit sad. Then, thankfully, we discovered that she was hiding in Australia doing amazing things and winning competitions - so we gave her a call.

So – it's been a while since we spoke, what have you been up to, and where?
Mimi Leung: I'm in Alice Springs, in the Central Australian Desert, working in remote Aboriginal communities – doing workshops and stuff.

No wonder we didn't hear from you, what made you go there?
I followed a boy. We were living in a remote place for a bit, but decided we needed more social life/booze so moved to Alice. Most places don't have phone or internet and I'm out of town 50% of the time, so it's pretty hard to keep up them mobile communications.

What are the workshops about?
Domestic violence and sexual assault. It's pretty full-on, I work with women and kids – it's all about empowering people and giving them confidence and information. It's really great and fulfilling, though I know it does sound heavy.

Does art come into it? Or is this totally separate?
Creative skills definitely come into it. We use a few arty communicative processes, a lot of people out here are visual learners so those skills are really useful and beneficial. "Hero"

And have you been working on your own stuff there, or does it take a back seat?
I just had an exhibition at a local gallery in July. Big acrylic paintings based on the work of Rubens and Carravaggio, but in a Central Oz/Indigenous context. Illustration stuff has kind of taken a back seat, but I'm getting back on the wagon now. I'll never stop working on my own stuff, it's too fun and liberating.

I heard you won an award?
Yeah! I won the Central Australia Art Society's Advocate Excellence Award – that's a bloody handful to type…

Must be a big cup, or is it a plaque?
It's more like a laminated A4 certificate, accompanied by a decent cheque. A cup would be awesome! Oh well.

How would you say your work has changed since you last drew a massive psychedelic blob eating a city for me?
Well, I guess I'm more on the human anatomy/neuroscience thing these days. I like blobs, but there's only so many you can do, right? Maybe I'll blob in a different context from now on. It's been a great and enriching break away from blobs and ridiculousness, but I reckon I'm ready to get back on the silliness. "ROFL"

Where did the anatomy part come in?
I've always been into that stuff. I did a few awesome drawing anatomy sessions at RCA and got really into it, then recently I got the Atlas of Human Anatomy and Surgery book and it blew me away. It's so good.

I saw a horrifying book recently called something like the Atlas of the Newborn and it was full of really awful photos of malformed foetuses. It put me off medical books.
I'm going to google that…

I wouldn't.
Oh, how were the riots for VICE?

Riots were fun, if you are into crowds of little bastards wandering about smashing things. When are you back?
I don't know when I'll be back, most probably after the fiasco called the Olympics 2012? "Woman"

Any fears of apocalypse-related danger? Or are you just worried about traffic in London?
No, no. Just lots and lots of sporty tourists, and fun people getting kicked out of their fun warehouses in East London. Where's the party going to move to now?

Dunno, I mainly drink pints and watch football so I doubt it will affect me much…
OK, you suck. You got to watch gymnastics?

Er – no. I don't like the Olympics. I find it really hard to get excited about. The only athletics I ever even looked into was based solely on there being a really stunning American pole vaulter called Alison something… that was the peak of my interest.
Typical. There are some hot guys in the running events recently. Obviously you wouldn't have noticed. Gymnastics is pretty much the only thing I like in the Olympics, all the flimsy, flamsy bodies throwing themselves about on random stuff. "Love Is Dead"

So what are your plans as far as work goes? New shows? projects?
Dunno, I want to get started on a new series of work. I am waiting to hear back from a few clients and I really want to push my illustration work this coming year, especially in the Oz market.

And for now, where is the best place to see your work?
www.mimileung.co.uk.

Probably could have worked that out myself…
Yeah, it's not rocket science tbh.

BRUCE LA VRAI