Chris RWK

ChrisRWK

Founder of the much-loved Robots Will Kill, Staten Island-based artist Chris Rwk Chillemi’s creates delightful character-driven artworks that find a home on the streets, in galleries and — most recently — on WAT-AAH!‘s premium bottled drinking water.  I was delighted to interview him.

When did it all begin? When did you first get into graffiti?

It was back in 1988 in Huguenot, Staten Island. I was 11. My brother and his friends started doing graffiti back then, and I would tag along and photograph it. About two years later, I began doodling on public surfaces.

We associate you with your hugely lovable, iconic characters. What was the inspiration behind them?

Letters didn’t hold my attention for all that long, as I’d always been so interested in cartoons and comics. I loved Gary Larson, Jim Davis and Disney stuff. Their styles were all different, but they all had really strong imagery and messages. My first illegal piece, in fact, was the wizard from Hagar the Horrible with a spray can doing a throw up! I can still remember the colors!

ChrisRWK

What about Robots Will Kill? Can you tell us something about its origin?

Back in 1999, while on a fellowship in Vermont, I came upon a friend, Chris Rini, painting a giant cellphone holding a man! That’s when I came up with the notion that “robots will kill.”  If you do something too much and too often, it becomes robotic, and you lose your love for it.

Robots Will Kill – that began with you – has evolved into an informal global collective. Who are some of its members?

At first it was just me. Then Kevin and a bit later Veng joined. Since, we’ve collaborated with such artists as Peeta, ECB, Flying Fortress, JesseR. OverUnder and Mike Die.

Would you rather paint alone? Or do you prefer to collaborate with others?

I love both. In my studio, I’d rather work alone. But I love painting with others outdoors as it pushes me to another level.

Any thoughts about illegal vs. legal graffiti?

Ideally — what begins illegally evolves into something legal.

"Chris and Veng RWK"

You’ve exhibited your work in dozens of galleries. How do you feel about showing in formal settings?

It’s great. There are lots of folks who would never notice my work on the streets.  But when it’s in a gallery, they will have to pay attention to it.

What about the graffiti/street art divide? You seem to successfully straddle both.

Street artists need to respect graffiti writers. They don’t always do. They need to learn the history.

What about the corporate world? How do you feel about sharing your talents with private comporations?

Things aren’t black and white anymore. It’s not a matter of us vs. them. I don’t mind working for a corporation, so long as it’s an ethical one. The corporate world makes money. Why shouldn’t we artists benefit from it?

RWK

What is the riskiest thing you’ve ever done?

I play it safe. I’m not a risk-taker. When I was in high school, my tag was ND – No Drugs…Never Drunk…Never Dull! I’ve been straight edge my whole life.

How does your family feel about what you were doing?

My family has always been supportive. When I was a kid, they built a wall in my backyard, so I could practice!

You have a 9-5 day job here in Manhattan and you live in Staten Island. How do you manage to find time to do so much great art?

My weekday schedule is tough.  I have to wake up at 6am to leave my house at 7, and I’m often not back home until 7 in the evening. I then have to help my son with his homework. I generally don’t begin working on my art until 10pm, and I don’t get to sleep until 2-3am.

RWK

Wow! That is a rough schedule. When you work, do you sketch first or do you just let it flow?

About 70% of the time, I work from a sketch.

Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece?

Yes – but my satisfaction is increased when I get a positive response to it from others.

Have you any ideal work environment?

I need background noise, so that I don’t overly think about what I’m doing!

ChrisRWK

Do you have a formal art education?

I earned my Associate degree at FIT and a BFA in painting from Hunter College.

Do you feel that you benefited from it?

Definitely, as so many elements – from choice of colors to spatial design — are involved in creating a first-rate piece.

Are there any particular cultures that have influenced your aesthetic?

The comic book culture, the sci-fi one and the graffiti culture. I’ve also been inspired by hot-rods and the urban culture, in general.

"ChrisRWK for Wat-aah"

What is the source of your inspiration these days?

I’d say my family, my friends and my personal experiences.

How has your work evolved in the past few years?

It’s become more personal. My use of layers and colors has become more important to me. And when I paint, I tend to take my audience into consideration more than I used to.

How do you feel about the role of the Internet in all this?

I think it’s amazing that something I do here can be seen minutes later by someone in Australia. But I also think we’ve been oversaturated with blogs and Instagram.

ChrisRWK

Have you any feelings about the photographers/bloggers in the scene?

On the positive side, they help get artists known. But I don’t think much thought goes into much of what makes its way out there.

What do you see as the role of the artist in society?

He’s a muse for the general public. Without art, there’d be a lot less for folks to see, feel, think about and talk about.

What do you see as the future of street art and graffiti?

There’s too much going on right now, and too many people trying to get into the game. And so it is likely to fizzle out. But those who are true will survive its fallout. And what will emerge will be even stronger.

What about you? What’s ahead for you?

I will continue to do what I do. Create, paint and get my stickers out there!

Note: Chris will be a featured artist of WAT-AAH!’s upcoming exhibit in Chicago on July 18-20 as part of WAT-AAH! Taking Back the Streets art campaign, which connects today’s leading street artists with the brand’s mission to fight childhood obesity and promote healthy hydration among kids and teens. Joining the likes of Kenny Scharf, Swoon, Shepard Fairey, Haze and Chicago-based POSE, Chris has created a one-of-a kind WAT-AAH! label design featuring PHA’s “Drink Up” drop, as well as an original piece of art (shown above) that becomes featured in the brand’s traveling art campaign, which has been touring the country since its launch in NYC this past February. For more information, visit  wat-aahstreets.com  and follow @wataahstreets.

Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky; photos: 1. and 8. Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2. Original artwork created for WAT-AAH! Taking Back the Streets art Campaign. Chris RWK.  I Tried to Stop.  36″x48″. Mixed media. Image courtesy WAT-AAH! 3. With Veng, Tara Murray; 4. – 6. Lois Stavsky  7. Limited edition bottle design for WAT-AAH! Taking Back the Streets art campaign. Image courtesy WAT-AAH! 

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This is the twelfth in a series of posts featuring images of girls — and women — who grace New York City’s public spaces:

Brazilian artist Eli Sudbrack in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Eli-Sudbrack

Danielle Mastrion in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

"Danielle Mastrion"

Veng and Chris, RWK in Little Italy

Chris and Veng RWK

Katie Yamasaki with Groundswell youth in Park Slope, Brooklyn

"Katie Yamasaki and Groundswell youth"

Sest 2 on Manhattan’s Lower East Side

Sest

Fin DAC & Christina Angelina — tribute to Lou Reed in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

"Fin DC and Christina Angelina"

Photo of Fin DAC & Christina Angelina by Dani Reyes Mozeson; of Chris & Veng, RWK by Tara Murray; all others by Lois Stavsky

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Beyond-Literacy-Galerie-Protege-Chelsea-NYC

Opening this evening — from 6-8pm — at Chelsea’s Galerie Protégé, a handsome space at 197 9th Avenue, is Beyond Literacy, a selection of imaginative and impressive artworks by Joseph Meloy, Enrico Oyama, Chris RWK, and Herb Smith aka Veng. Here’s a brief preview:

Joseph Meloy whose Vandal Expressionism has become an integral part of NYC’s visual landscape

"Joseph Meloy"

"Joseph Meloy"

Tokyo native Enrico Oyama, close-up

Enrico-Oyama-art

Chris, RWK, close-up

"Chris RWK"

Herb Smith aka Veng

Veng

Photos of Joseph Meloy’s and Enrico Oyama’s artwork by Lois Stavsky; of Chris RWK’s by City-as-School intern Anna Loucka and of Herb Smith’s by Joseph Meloy

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Bronx graffiti

It’s been busy up on Boone Avenue near the Sheridan Expressway in the Bronx these past few days. Here are a few images captured yesterday during its current transformation:

Marthalicia Matarrita 

Marthalicia Matarrita

Cern and Lady Fever at work

Lady K Fever and Cern

Cope2

Cope2

Fernando Romero aka Ski at work

Mike Baca

Skeme, Reme at work and Chris RWK

Skeme, Reme and Chris RWK

 All photos by Tara Murray. Part II to follow.

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This is the second in an occasional series featuring images of males who surface on NYC public spaces:

Chris RWK at the Woodward Gallery Project Space on Manhattan’s Lower East Side

Chris RWK

Luv1 at the Bushwick Collective

Luv1

RAE and Abel Macias in Bushwick, Brooklyn

RAE

Zimer does James Gandolfini at the Bushwick Collective

Zimer

Magdalena Marcenaro aka Magda Love in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Magda Love street art

The Dude Company does Talib Kweli in DUMBO, Brooklyn

The Dude Company

Owen Dippie in the Tremont section of the Bronx

Owen Dippie

Ces at Hunts Point in the Bronx

Ces

Icy and Sot in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

Icy and Sot

Photos by Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

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The once-abandoned trailer on East First Street off First Avenue in Manhattan has been transformed once again.  With assistance from the young members of Cre8tive YouTH*ink, a creative arts youth development organization, it currently showcases a vibrant mix of styles from over 20 artists who had participated in the Centre-Fuge Public Art Project‘s first five cycles. The following images were captured these past four days:

Iranian artists Icy and Sot at work

Icy and Sot

Beau, Icy and Sot and Samuel Ashford

Icy and Sot, close-up

Icy and Sot

 Brooklyn-based artist Samuel Ashford, close-up

Samuel Ashford street art

 Jerry Otero aka Mista Oh,  founder of cre8tive YouTH*ink, Moise Joseph of cre8tive YouTH*ink and Cram Concepts

"Centre -Fuge Public Art Project"

See One and Yuri Valez at work

"See One and Yuri Valez"

Baltimore-based Billy Mode, Jose Aurelio-Baez, See-One, Yuri Valez & photographers Kenny Rodriguez & Osvaldo Jimenez

"Centre-fuge Public Art Project"

Billy Mode and Jose Aurelio-Baez, close-up 

"Billy Mode and Jose Aurelio-Baez"

The Muffin Man, Zera at work, DMZL and Dr. Whom

"Centre-Fuge Public Art Project"

Optimo Primo

Never

Never street art

Danielle Mastrion, Michael DeNicola, Lexi Bella and Fumero

"Centre-Fuge Public Art Project"

Centre-Fuge Public Art Project founders and First Street residents Pebbles Russell and Jonathan Neville have announced that Cycle 7 submissions are due by 12/31.  They may be sent to centrefuge@gmail.com.  We are looking forward to another year of energetic public art on East 1st Street, dedicated to the memory of former East Village resident Mike Hamm.

Top image: NOIDone, Veng RWK, Cram Concepts, Chris RWK, Mastro, Never, Samuel Ashford, Icy and Sot, BEAU and Adam Kidder; photos by Lenny Collado, Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

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"Icy and Sot, Chris and Veng, RWK, and ND'A and OverUndeer street art"

The East Village was the place to be this past weekend as the Centre-Fuge Public Art Project was at it again — transforming a once-abandoned trailer into a masterpiece of urban art.  Here are some images from Cycle 5 captured over the weekend on East First Street off First Avenue:

Brooklyn-based ND’A at work

"ND'A street art action"

Completed piece with OverUnder

ND'A and OverUnder street art

NYC’s prolific Chris and Veng, RWK at work

"Chris and Veng, RWK street art"

Close-up

"Chris and Veng, RWK close-up"

Iranian brothers Icy & Sot at work

"Icy and Sot stencil art"

Close-up from completed piece

"Icy and Sot stencil art"

Baltimore-native Billy Mode

"Billy Mode street art"

The legendary Cost and Brooklyn-based Enx at work

"Cost and Enx street art"

Completed piece

"Cost & Enx street art"

Brooklyn-based Jose-Aurelio Baez & Ponce, Puerto Rico native Noidone at work

NYC native See One

"See One street art"

Photos by Lenny Collado, Tara Murray and City-as-School intern Hallie Lederer

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The walls of Bushwick, Brooklyn — off the L train’s Morgan Avenue and Jefferson Street stops — have become a canvas not only for the most innovative street art to surface in NYC, but also for some of its freshest writing styles.

Deem and Rubin415

"Deem and Rubin415 graffiti and street art in Bushwick, Brooklyn, NYC"

Rubin415

"Rubin415 street art and graffiti in Bushwick, Brooklyn, NYC"

More after the jump!

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