Robert Lorayn is an artist cohabitating between two deserts; the Internet and Phoenix, Arizona. Robert’s work includes essays, computer drawings, flash animations and a series of videos which, in particular, have really piqued my interest.  I came across Robert’s site last fall when he made an epic post on COMPUTERS CLUB with a collection of black & white drawings [DRIFTS, 2010]. Since then, I’ve been paying attention to the hands/signs in his drawings and in videos he’s posted of himself on Facebook. The videos are incredible; they depict Robert rhythmically throwing rapid-fire signs; the most articulate hand motions I’ve ever seen. I messaged Robert to find out more about these videos, to see how they relate to his artistic practice. Check out our conversation below and then head over to http://www.robertlorayn.computersclub.org to see + read more!

Do you speak sign language or are you just an amazing hand dancer?

Haha. Sadly, I only know very few words in sign language and just the letters to my name. I’m just a hand dancer. How did this come up?

I’m not sure, your videos come into my mind pretty much every day and I always wondered.

Well, that’s very nice of you to say. Did you know they are gang signs? I’m not sure if I ever stated that plainly.

I assumed. All of them verifiably or do you make some up too?

Almost all of them are verifiable, a few of them are inside jokes using gang alphabet. Although now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure some of the videos I’ve uploaded are just nonsense.

Is it all improv or are your moves choreographed?

The ones with no music are thought about.  The rest are improv.

Do you consider what you’re doing dance, or plain throwin’ up signs?

When I improv, it’s dance.  Sometimes I like to get a certain feeling across and that’s when I usually think of it as signing.

Why gang signs?

I could talk a lot about why, I like building why’s. For me the gang signs are really interesting movements that have a real specific purpose outside the internet. When I use it in private and to record for the internet I like playing with that feeling, which is (in my opinion) agressive and assertive, but entirely safe (since it’s on the internet) and solitary.

How’d you learn all these gang signs?

YouTube and surprisingly (to me), just fiddling around with my hands.  I’ve apparently come across gang signs (after the fact) that I thought were more original.  In any case, it’s one of my favorite hobbies, so I appreciate the interest.

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