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Speaking with Christian Cortes

October 25, 2012

NYC-based painter and illustrator Christian Cortes has been increasingly exploring combinations of graffiti typography with surrealism, abstraction, South American iconography and New York City culture.

Your extraordinary artwork has graced the walls of 5Pointz for years. Where else have you gotten up?

I’ve painted in France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and in Puerto Rico. I’ve also gotten up in Seattle, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. And here in NYC, I’ve recently painted in the Bronx.

Any favorite place?

Probably Puerto Rico. I had many Puerto Rican friends as a teenager, and I feel a strong connection between NYC and Puerto Rico.

When did you first start getting up in public spaces?

I was in 7th grade when I began paying close attention to what was happening on the 7 train, on rooftops and along the 59th Street Bridge. Soon afterwards I was bombing those surfaces. I was most active on the streets – as Waqs A3crew– between 1990 -1995 piecing. But then I took a ten-year break.

Do you have a formal art education?

I attended the High School of Art and Design and I began fine art studies at three different colleges. But I dropped out of all of them, as I became increasingly involved in my own work.

What kind of work were you doing?

I was doing lots of commercial work such as record covers, backdrops for videos and steady commissions for rap groups. Among my projects was a video for Jeru the Damaja. This was ideal work for me, as I’ve always felt strongly connected to musicians. When I hit a wall with other artists, it’s like we’re all making music!

What got you back into painting on the streets?

5Pointz – for sure! Also traveling and the Internet. I share much of what I do on YouTube these days. I feel a responsibility towards the younger writers, and I love the interaction with them.

Have you any advice for young artists?

Aspiring artists need to learn the value of discipline. Art doesn’t happen quickly or easily.

Who inspires you?

Mode 2 from France and I’ve developed a new appreciation for Seen. I’m also inspired by musicians – such as Sadat X of Brand Nubian and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam.

Tell us something about your skulls. They surface in so many of your pieces.

Skulls have forever been a theme in all genres of art. When I first started painting skulls – while still in high school — I was suggesting that graffiti is dead. But now I think of skulls as a celebration of life through acknowledging death. And in relation to graffiti, the skulls have come to imply rebirth, as graff has been reborn.

What do you see as the future of graffiti?

I see it developing into more of a grass-roots movement. I see us developing our own events, along with smaller brands, as the huge brands have been dictating what kids see.

How do you feel about the street art vs. graffiti divide?

I don’t see them in conflict with one another. I see them simply as two separate genres. But I have difficulty understanding, for example, the Banksy phenomenon.

What’s next?

More traveling, more black book videos, more tutorial videos and more walls. I’m planning to paint next in Brooklyn and I’m starting something new at 5Pointz. Next month I will be heading down to Miami for Art Basel.

Good luck! ‘sounds great!

Photos of Cortes at 5Pointz by Dani Mozeson; in the Bronx by Lois Stavsky and painting in the Bronx by Lenny Collado

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Speaking to David RIMX Sepulveda

October 10, 2012

We first met David RIMX Sepulveda at this year’s Afropunk Festival and at once fell in love with his aesthetic. Soon after he completed his wondrous wall at Bushwick Five Points, we met up with him again and posed a few questions:

When did you start writing?

I started back in ’97. I was 16.

What inspired you to get up?

I was attending an art high school, the Central High School of Visual Arts in Santurce, PR and my friends and I formed a crew. I grew up in the projects of San Juan, so tagging was the natural thing to do.

Have you any preferred surfaces these days?

I like big walls and highways because I like to share my art with as many people as possible.

Have you any favorite artists who influenced you?

I love Rembrandt and the Spanish painter, Joaquín Sorolla. My favorite Puerto Rican artists include: Lorenzo Homar, Rafael Tufiño, Antonio Martorell and José Alicia. I also love the Mexican artists Diego Rivera and Gabriel Orozco.

What about graffiti and street artists? Any favorites?

I have many. Among them are: Sen2, Ske and Rek, Sex, San and Dems from Spain and Sego from Mexico.

Have you any formal art training beyond high school?

Yes. I studied art in college in Puerto Rico at la Escuela de Artes Plásticas. I’m trained as a classical painter.

Do you feel art school helped you develop your craft?

Definitely! And learning about the history of art was important to me.

Do you tend to paint alone or with crews?

Both. I paint alone, and I also paint with El CORO, ADM and APC.

Where have you painted?

I’ve painted in Puerto Rico, Miami, Barcelona, Granada, Japan and New York.

Have you a favorite place to paint?

Puerto Rico, because of the weather. But I like the scale of the buildings in New York City.

What about galleries? Have you exhibited your work in galleries?

I’ve exhibited in galleries in New York City, Miami, Paris and Japan.

What percent of your time is devoted to art?

Almost all of it. During the day, I work at a tattoo shop.

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

It’s great. It gets our art out to the world.

What are your thoughts on the so-called street art/graffiti divide?

I think of graffiti writers as purists. They gain their respect by being everywhere and by hitting hot spots. Street artists are more focused on ideas. But the two disciplines will merge.

What’s ahead?

More projects that engage more people. I want to continue to integrate everyday people into my work.

That sounds great! We are looking forward to seeing more of your artwork on the streets of NYC!

Photos by Lenny Collado, Tara Murray and courtesy of the artist.

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Speaking with KR.ONE

October 4, 2012

As passionate today as he was back in the 70’s when he was making his mark on a range of public surfaces, Louie Gasparro aka KR.ONE recently shared some of his experiences and impressions of the ever-evolving graffiti culture with us.

When and where did you start getting up?

I started getting up in 1977 in Astoria, Queens. I was part of what is considered the third wave of original NYC graffiti writers.

Why did you begin writing?

We were trying to be somebodies in a world of nobodies. There was no money. It was our way of advertising ourselves…of getting our names out in a big way. The pieces and tags we did were essentially ads that we didn’t have to pay for. And we loved that it was so underground. We had our own way of saying things that outsiders didn’t understand. It was cool.

Any formal training?

Nothing formal. I was inspired by comics, some how-to-books, hard rock album covers and television cartoons. And I used to cut out of my school and hang out at the High School of Art and Design. Through Fome 1, I met writers such as Erni (Paze), Doze Green, Lady Pink, Daze and Seen TC5. But I’ve been drawing since I was a little kid – everything from hot rods to the members of the band Kiss. Once, the principal walked into my classroom when I was drawing a caricature of Gene Simmons with his tongue out spitting blood. He looked at the piece, and I thought, “Oh my God!” But he said he liked it and decided to hang it up in the hallway. I was amazed at his response.

With whom did you write? Any influences?

TSS (The Super Squad), TKC (The Killer Crew), RTW (Rolling Thunder Writers), IRT (Invading Rapid Transit) and NWA (New Wave Artists) . I wrote with KB, Fome1, Erni, Sick Nick, Mace, Robert 78 and RCA (Reckless Car Artist). I was influenced by Don1, Dean, KB, Son1, Roto1 and Zephyr.

Have you any particular memory from back in the days?

I was almost killed in the M yard in 1980. There is a bus depot nearby, and there were always bus drivers hanging out. They would usually just chill, but one time as I was writing and piecing with Fome1, they began throwing bottles in our direction. The glass was shattering around us as they laughed. We took cover under the trains. Suddenly the train began to move, and I was almost hit by an oncoming motor.

Wow! What were your preferred surfaces back then?

I liked painting on everything. I started on paper, then walls, then trains. And when that era was over for me in 1983, it was back to walls and paper and then canvasses.

How do you feel about graffiti’s evolution? Do you follow the current scene? Any favorites?

It was all about New York City. And then it was the whole world. It went from dudes writing their names in simplistic plain letters through a metamorphosis of styles and a global expansion. It’s truly amazing. Favorites? Some of my favorites from today are actually European-based artists such as Swet from Denmark, Daim from Germany, Mode2 from Paris and Uor and Rife from Italy. I still really dig what Daze, Part, Ces, Kaves and Whisper are still doing, as well.

How do you feel about the so-called street-art and graffiti divide?

Those are just categories that do just that — they divide. It serves as a way to market both. Street artists and graff writers have their distinct styles and mindsets. Sometimes their differences are subtle; sometimes they’re not. But both come from the streets.

What do you see as the future of graffiti? How do you feel about the movement of graffiti and street art into galleries and museums?

Graffiti and street art deserve to be in galleries and museums. There should be entire museums dedicated to urban arts. Scholars realize what’s going on and can see that this movement — that began largely by children — has become a true phenomena. What essentially started in the streets has become the biggest movement in art history.

What are you up to these days?

Since my last show, Bringer Of The Kolorstorm, this past March, I’ve been creating new works for my new solo show this coming Saturday, October 6^th. This latest offering, A Fistful of Stars, is a selection of illustrations, mixed media pieces and canvas work. I return to my old stomping ground in Long Island City at a place called C.A.W.S. (Cause Art Will Survive).

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

The Internet is the cyber bench to the graffiti world…the window to the whole world. You can be sitting in a place like Milwaukee and see a piece that was just painted in Scandinavia. It’s an instant get-up — a world-wide instant get-up. I remember when we would wait all day just to see a certain piece pass by on a train. I remember waiting on a train station for a Dondi and Lee piece to roll by, so that I could just look at it and absorb it. I don’t have to do that today.

What’s ahead?

I plan to stay as creative as possible and continue to share my work with others.

Interview by Lenny Collado; Photos by Tara Murray, Lois Stavsky and courtesy of the artist

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Speaking with Toofly

July 11, 2012

A self-described artist, designer and entrepreneur, Toofly is best-known for her signature character that has made its way onto walls across the globe, as well as onto a range of fashion items. We had the opportunity to meet up with Toofly this past week and ask her a few questions.

Your alluring character has been surfacing all around town. We’ve recently seen her in Williamsburg, at Welling Court, at 5Pointz and even on a Lower East Side rooftop. Can you tell us something about her?

She’s kind of like my alter ego. An outlet where I can express my emotion and ideas. She was once tough and with an attitude, but she has mellowed down over the years. And, like me, she is continually evolving.

More after the jump!

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Speaking with NEVER

January 20, 2012

Never street art and graffiti in Brooklyn

For the past year, Atlanta native NEVER has been gracing the walls of New York City with a range of artwork from first-rate graffiti pieces to stylish street art murals. Recently Street Art NYC had the opportunity to speak with him.

We’ve been wondering about your name, NEVER. It must have a story!

After I’d been writing for a few years, my friends started to make fun of me for being so overly critical of everything I do. They started calling me “Mr. Never Satisfied.” That name stuck.

We started noticing your work here about a year ago – when we met you at 5Pointz. What brought you to New York City?

I grew up just outside of Atlanta. It’s a great city but also a very small city. I got tired of it and eventually decided it was time to move on. I couldn’t even walk into a random grocery store without bumping into five folks I knew.

How do you feel about Brooklyn – where you are living now?

I love it. I love its diversity, and New York City is a constant source of inspiration.

Anything about New York City you don’t like?

There are far too many cops here. I rarely had trouble with cops down in Atlanta, but here they hassle me all the time. While throwing out the trash, I was accused of drinking in public. Then they accused me of painting graffiti because they noticed some paint on my arms. I do a lot of painting at my job so it’s very rare for me to actually NOT have paint on me. One of my friends here spent a night in jail for having a sharpie on him. He isn’t even a writer.

Never street art at 5Pointz in New York

You seem to seamlessly blur the line between graffiti and street art. How did it all begin?

I’ve always been good at drawing since I was a kid. Then I hit my skater punk days and stopped drawing for a while. I began tagging on things when I was 14 or so. A girl in high school cheated on me, and I got a laugh out of writing the word “Trust” everywhere. At the time I didn’t think it was something I was going to get so hooked on, and I definitely did not think of all the politics behind what I was doing. After a few “name changes,” I did my first actual “piece” under a bridge when I was 16.

We’re curious about your owl. It seems to surface in all of your pieces.

A little over a year ago — just before I moved to NY — I got stuck in a hospital room in Atlanta overnight with a nasty staph infection while “recovering” from knee surgery. I was in a drugged-up state sitting in a hospital bed in a depressing hallway, and for whatever reason I felt compelled to draw a sad little handicapped owl. After that night I decided I liked the thought of making that a recurring character for me.

Have you a formal art education?

I studied graphic design at a university in Atlanta. But to anyone who thinks that getting a formal art education makes you a legitimate artist, you are dead wrong!

Have any specific artists inspired you?

I love Aryz. He inspired me to pick up an extension pole! I also love How and Nosm, Daim, Roa, Nychos, and Os Gemeos. Honestly there are way too many others. But any artist I had to study about in school lost credibility….except for, maybe, Duchamp. That dude was pretty hilarious. I always had a tendency to reject information that I felt was being “fed” to me.

Never street art in Brooklyn New York

As you actively collaborate with both graffiti writers and street artists, what differences have struck you between the two?

I grew up in the graffiti community and find it a source of constant inspiration. I generally don’t like to differentiate between graffiti and street art. It’s really all in the same realm to me. But there are differences. Generally, there’s too much tension, jealousy, and hate among writers. I now find myself more among “street artists.” But before anyone coined the term “street art,” I had plenty of friends who I painted with who fit the “street artist” description, and at the time I just saw them as a person I painted with who didn’t do letters. I also enjoy painting legal walls. To a lot of the writers back in Atlanta, I’ve turned into an “art fag.” But that’s okay. I’m proud, in fact, to be called an “art fag.”

Any other differences you’ve observed?

Another big difference is that a lot of writers have no interest in getting any messages across. It’s a lot more about technical skills and/or having balls to do crazy things. Most of my graffiti friends don’t like any kind of political references in their pieces. But if you are going to call yourself a “street artist,” then you are a fool if you don’t pay respect to graffiti, whether you like it or not. The way I see it, the lines between graffiti and street art will continue to blur.

Have you ever created artwork that is overtly political?

I despise corporate crime. And when I went through a phase of creating portraits, I was obsessed with Ken Lay, the main guy behind the Enron scandal. I couldn’t stop painting portraits of him. I did it for about two years, just before the Enron trials started. My graff friends hated it, but it managed to get attention from people who otherwise did not follow graff.

How have people here responded to your art?

I’m not very up on what people think. I do what I do regardless of what people think of it. It’s nice to get the occasional compliment here and there, but at the end of the day I am doing what I do to stay sane.

Never graffiti in Brooklyn New York

Have you painted outside of the U.S.?

I’ve painted in Barcelona, Berlin, Venice, Milan, and Tuscany. I hope to travel more once I get myself a little more financially stable.

What is your ideal space to paint?

I love empty buildings with awesome textures and walls with history that I can work my pieces around.

Any memorable experiences while getting up on the streets?

Many back in Atlanta — amidst the crackheads, prostitutes and perverts. There are way too many funny stories to go into. I’ve also stumbled on to a couple of meth labs and discovered a bag of heroin stashed in a cinder block.

We’ve found almost a dozen walls of yours in Bushwick. Have you a day job?

I pick up work in a carpentry shop. I help build things for movie sets and fashion shoots. I also prowl around for graphic design work. I have not had a “normal” job with a set schedule in over seven years now. I’m kind of hoping to find some stability these days.

What about the future? What do you see yourself doing in five years or so?

Painting more ugly walls, I guess. I’m not sure.

Well, you are certainly beautifying them. We’re looking forward to seeing many more!

Photos by Street Art NYC & Dani Mozeson

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Next Entries →

Search: High School of Art & Design

Speaking with Christian Cortes

Speaking to David RIMX Sepulveda

Speaking with KR.ONE

Speaking with Toofly

Speaking with NEVER

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