Interview with Theo Wujcik
Words: Jay Giroux and Becca Nelson

As far as talent goes, Tampa gets her fair share and also loses her fair share. Not so in the case of Theo Wujcik, a local artist who has called Tampa Bay his home since the late 70s. A professor at USF and founder of the art movement Modo Dado, Theo has been at the forefront of pop art in this area for over two decades. Familiar now to many Ybor partiers more than half his age as the handsome older gent still tearing up the dance floor at local clubs, Theo has been an important personality in the cultural scene for years, and still pushes the limits today.

REAX:  For those unfamiliar with the art and music collective Modo Dado, tell us a little bit about it.
Theo Wujcik:  This was a group of two grad students, Jill Kahn and Gary Wilder, one undergrad student, Michael Cantwell, and myself. We hung around the punk clubs and were all interested in the art and music. The group just formed naturally. The name Modo Dado means nothing, we just thought it sounded cool.  We showed on a regular basis and caught the attention of writers from the newspapers who weren’t necessarily art critics. They were just looking for something interesting to write about in this town.  Our first show was at the Artist’s Alliance gallery, which was in Old Hyde Park.  For our second show, we took over an abandoned building on Franklin Street. We did it during the summer and called it the Canine Corridor. We opened on the fourth of July and it was a complete success. Our third show was in Miami and again we had live TV coverage. The idea behind the shows was rather than waiting for a museum director or a gallery dealer to tack you on a show, you make your own show.

REAX:  That DIY attitude is a huge part of the punk ethos, which was the music you were listening to at the time. What music influenced you then?
TW:  I don’t think there is a single group and I’m really bad at remembering names and stuff like that, but I loved live music. I went to everything I could.  I saw Flock of Seagulls at Tampa Theatre, and U2 when they played at the Jai Alai one time. There couldn’t have been more than 400 people there! Bono was a little disappointed in the size of the crowd, but he said he loved the energy in the crowd, you know what I mean? They did a great performance. Now that thousands and thousands of people go to see them, I refuse to go.

For me, the punk scene was also a fashion statement. I’d go the Goodwill or something, buy a shirt for a dollar and I’d realize that the only thing that dates a shirt is the collar.  So, I’d rip the collar and end up with sort of a mandarin collar type thing.

REAX:  It has become commonplace for fashion-forward creative types to move to big cities like New York and LA. Why do you choose to stay in Tampa?
TW:  I like it here. It’s simple.  If you were in New York, you would have to catch a bus or something.  So, it was simple here and everything was within five minutes.  I moved to Ybor City in ’87 because my friends who had the group the Impotent Sea Snakes opened up The Masquerade and I use to show paintings behind the bar there.

REAX:  You recently showed two new works at the recently closed Neo Trash alongside the work artists who are all in the early stages of their art careers. Does this affect how the older generation of artists and collectors view your work?
TW:  No. The same question arose when I showed at the Gasparilla Sidewalk Art Show. People thought I was making a huge mistake, but the thing that was stimulating to me was not adhering to the rules. I didn’t get myself a tent and hang up a bunch of paintings to sell. I got a ten-foot painting and borrowed some props from the theatre department. The first year I got second prize, the second year I got Best in Show.  A couple years later I got Best in Show again and won 15,000. They changed the rules after that because people were complaining that I only showed one piece. Now, you have to have five pieces minimum.

I don’t care what people think. It’s just like my lifestyle. I mean, I go dance at the Castle and I’m part of that mix, so why shouldn’t my art be as well?