March 2008, Friends With You Interview

 Friends With You, Skywalkers, 2006, Art Basel, courtesy FWY

Aimée Sinclair Interviews Sam Borkson of Friends With You

Aimée Sinclair: Can you tell us about FWY?

Sam Borkson: Friends With You is like an adventure fun club that promotes mystical life experiences for the world to enjoy. We tap into all different facets of modern systems to infect our happy virus through entertainment products and lifetime experiences that will impact people greatly. We are learning more and more about all the great things we wish to share with the world and as our voice gets louder the message of magic luck and friendship gets stronger and stronger.

AS: What are some of your influences as a designer/artist?

SB: We are really influenced by, people, the future, religion, information, and all things that are related to the movement we feel we belong to, which is a magically charged world of characters and ideas that will hopefully evolve our perceptions and teach us all to connect and spread love.



 Friends With You, Malfi Doll, 2008, courtesy FWY

AS: When I first laid eyes on the Malfi doll, I thought it was Japanese… Is there an East Asian pop motif going on in the design and if so how did this come about?

SB: YES! The Japanese have perfected consumer graphics better than anyone else in the world due to their super fast fad nation. They can convey an array of emotions with just simple graphics and we use this thinking to convey our own messages through simple branding.

AS: What is FWY’s involvement in the recent art installation at the Aventura Mall?

SB: We designed the playground Rainbow Valley. It was a great challenge and one of the best things we’ve ever done. The kids really attack the free form play area like nothing I’ve seen before.



Friends With You, Rainbow Valley, 2008, Aventura Mall Indoor Playground, courtesy FWY

AS: Traditionally, FWY has been distributed within upscale children’s boutiques in Miami and beyond…What do you think makes the products appeal to children and adults alike?

SB: It is art. They are products with a concept that is more than just an empty product. They are like bringing an adventure right into your home. They help you to believe in magic and that is for everyone!

AS: Going back to the moment when you and your partner conceived the idea for FWY, did you anticipate its growth as both a product line and conceptual art installation?

SB: Yes and much much more. It is really growing some many legs and avenues that each step is new and exciting.



 Friends With You, Wish Come True, 2008, courtesy FWY  

AS: In thinking about the dual roles that FWY occupies as product and art object do you feel a need to reconcile the two?

SB: No. time is really changing and the lines are being so blurred! We are just creating our magic and the world will perceive it as they will. We really put much more care into each object so it has more life and energy than most things that are out there.