Public Radio

Artists Talk with LVA: February 16, 2023

Yoko Molotov is a multimedia artist specializing in transgressive, gender-fluid cartoons, comics, art books, poetry and performances. She is also in the bands Sweatermeat, Cowabunga Lullaby and in the music/performance group Harpy.

“I think everything I do is art. I think my whole life is art. Everything I do is for art. Every expression I make is an extension of that … I just live to create.” – Yoko Molotov

Yoko Molotov was born and raised in Louisville, KY nestled in the basin of a polluted river. She decided at age 9 she would do comics, at that age on college rule and the backs of important documents like her original birth certificate. Five years later she discovered the saccharine and disturbing world of manga and anime and knew it was where she belonged. Inspired by such artists as Mita Ryuusuke (Dragon Half) and studio GAINAX (Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL), she carved her own world with imagination and Bristol, constantly chastised for drawing in her High School days. In 2006, Yoko made top 20 in Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga Competition with her entry "NecrOphealia" and went along to create a Shoujo-ai Web Manga called "Stray Crayons". Both titles are now published by Demented Dragon. Yoko loves her city, her better half and best friends in the entire world, and loves nothing more than to get lost in a good story (whether it be manga or not) in a song, or better yet an adventure. Some of Yoko's other hobbies have included public access TV shows and a band she is in called Gentleman Stabber.

Regretfully, the archive recording of this interview was corrupted and is not available. Apologies to Yoko.