Get over and check it out, as well as his blog, which he promises to update with his burner style on a more regular basis.
Unleash the animal !!! >>( Animal connector flares… PART 1 )
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Sirum1
My homey Sirum has just proudly announced the launch of his new website www.komplexgraphix.com
Get over and check it out, as well as his blog, which he promises to update with his burner style on a more regular basis.
Get over and check it out, as well as his blog, which he promises to update with his burner style on a more regular basis.
Friday, May 25, 2012
SWK Interview
I recently conducted this exclusive interview with my friend SWK for Artillery Magazine
Make sure you check their site for ill content dropped on the regular.
Interview and foreword by Dirty Harry exclusively for Artillery Magazine.
Artillery sketch by SWK.
Images courtesy of SWK.
SWK is renowned as one of Rio’s genuine style writers and graffiti stalwarts, with instantly recognizable, brightly coloured pieces and beautifully structured letters. I was fortunate to hang out and paint with him in Florianópolis last year, where I discovered that as well as being a talented artist, he is also an outgoing and friendly guy who has played generous host to many international writers wanting to paint in the teeming city of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
SWK does not speak much English and I speak even less Portuguese, but our mutual love of the language of graffiti transcends dialect and allowed us to put together this interview for you. -Dirty Harry.
SWK, hello my friend!
Hello Mr Palms!
I know you hail from Rio De Janeiro, tell us a little bit about your beginnings?
My story begins in the favela known as ‘Morro dos Prazeres’, in the Santa Teresa neighbourhood of Rio De Janeiro where I was born and rasied and still live today. When I was growing up adults and children did not have much choice of entertainment and culture, football was something practiced by all my friends leaving me frustrated because I could not play nice ha ha, and still don’t! At 11 years old I had my first contact with “pichação” because I always looked at what was around me. There was too much to repair what had already happened in the streets…
As I got older I noticed that something different was happening on the streets of Rio de Janeiro; huge rounded letters with various designs, panels… Graffiti was coming to Rio!
So like many of us you started to notice graffiti on the walls around you and it captivated you. How did you you become involved?
I frequented a place called the ‘Zoeira’ that is in the center of town. There I met some people who did graffiti and I was interested to go deeper into this universe. I started to converse with them, gathering some basic information, then in 2000 these same people would give a workshop in the community where I lived for three months. This was a good opportunity to learn and I would never look back, been painting ever since.
In graffiti many kids come and go in a very short time, but for some of us it grabs us like an addiction and never lets go. Would you say you are in it for the long haul?
That same year I did my first piece, around 2000, it was just so exciting and something totally new to me, something that my heart directed me to; an eternal love! Graffiti in Rio de Janeiro is still something very new, if I remember correctly was only around 1990 when it started. The evolution and love for graffiti grows every day in the city, and I value this art at every moment to be an important tool for people who do not have much opportunity in their lives. I can say that graffiti saved my life, thank God!
Internationally the favelas of Brazil have a fearsome reputation for being very dangerous places, yet you live and paint there regularly. You must have experienced the truth of it all; the good, the bad and the ugly. Tell us what it is like to write graffiti in these places?
The truth is that the slums are very frowned upon by the media but it is not always all evil as the media makes it seem. I might be afraid to visit the U.S.A or Europe and suffer a terrorist bombing if I believed everything the news portrays, but wow ha ha ha… If you get too attached to the media you will miss opportunities to know different places and cultures such as is found in the slums, where the receptivity of the people is one of the warmest in the world.
Many of us have brought friends to paint and never had a problem here, of course there is a possibility, just as it is possible in any other place. Painting in the community where I live for me is something super natural because I’m painting in the place where I know most people are with me and who will have the same feeling.
I have been told you sometimes play host to visiting writers from overseas, they must have some interesting reactions to painting in your city. Can you share any good stories with us?
Painting here is something totally relaxing; the people here enjoy graffiti and I think graffiti writers from other countries who have visited have enjoyed the vibe. Adverse reactions are very rare, many writers are fascinated with the involvement of the public.
One wild story is about a crazy gringo who was ‘asked’ to paint a character of a dealer. The dealer was there watching him while he painted the portrait, holding a grenade and a pistol during the painting ha ha ha! He was hurrying like crazy! There was no problem though, the gangster liked it.
Most writers that paint for a long time seem to catch the travelling bug. It is impossible not to want to go and see for yourself, the scenes you have seen in magazines and nowadays, on the internet. Have you had the chance to travel much yourself? Any plans to do so in the near future?
Of course, travelling is always good and never hurts but it is expensive to do! The main place I have travelled to outside of Brazil to paint is Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was very good to know another culture and make new friends. This year I have a possible trip planned to Miami and another for Europe. I will wait to see if it goes ahead, I hope so!
For those not lucky enough to have visited Brazil, your country has some dope, talented writers who may not get a lot of exposure outside of their hometown. Whom would you recommend we should check for?
Ha ha ha yeah dude this is difficult because there are many good writers here, I’m afraid of forgetting some but check out FINS, AFA, CH2, AJUMA, TARM, SNEK, BTS, VALEN… And there is many many more!
Thanks for chatting with Artillery my friend, any final words?
Thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to painting and beers with you soon!
More: marcioswk.blogspot.com
Make sure you check their site for ill content dropped on the regular.
Interview and foreword by Dirty Harry exclusively for Artillery Magazine.
Artillery sketch by SWK.
Images courtesy of SWK.
SWK is renowned as one of Rio’s genuine style writers and graffiti stalwarts, with instantly recognizable, brightly coloured pieces and beautifully structured letters. I was fortunate to hang out and paint with him in Florianópolis last year, where I discovered that as well as being a talented artist, he is also an outgoing and friendly guy who has played generous host to many international writers wanting to paint in the teeming city of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
SWK does not speak much English and I speak even less Portuguese, but our mutual love of the language of graffiti transcends dialect and allowed us to put together this interview for you. -Dirty Harry.
SWK, hello my friend!
Hello Mr Palms!
I know you hail from Rio De Janeiro, tell us a little bit about your beginnings?
My story begins in the favela known as ‘Morro dos Prazeres’, in the Santa Teresa neighbourhood of Rio De Janeiro where I was born and rasied and still live today. When I was growing up adults and children did not have much choice of entertainment and culture, football was something practiced by all my friends leaving me frustrated because I could not play nice ha ha, and still don’t! At 11 years old I had my first contact with “pichação” because I always looked at what was around me. There was too much to repair what had already happened in the streets…
As I got older I noticed that something different was happening on the streets of Rio de Janeiro; huge rounded letters with various designs, panels… Graffiti was coming to Rio!
So like many of us you started to notice graffiti on the walls around you and it captivated you. How did you you become involved?
I frequented a place called the ‘Zoeira’ that is in the center of town. There I met some people who did graffiti and I was interested to go deeper into this universe. I started to converse with them, gathering some basic information, then in 2000 these same people would give a workshop in the community where I lived for three months. This was a good opportunity to learn and I would never look back, been painting ever since.
In graffiti many kids come and go in a very short time, but for some of us it grabs us like an addiction and never lets go. Would you say you are in it for the long haul?
That same year I did my first piece, around 2000, it was just so exciting and something totally new to me, something that my heart directed me to; an eternal love! Graffiti in Rio de Janeiro is still something very new, if I remember correctly was only around 1990 when it started. The evolution and love for graffiti grows every day in the city, and I value this art at every moment to be an important tool for people who do not have much opportunity in their lives. I can say that graffiti saved my life, thank God!
Internationally the favelas of Brazil have a fearsome reputation for being very dangerous places, yet you live and paint there regularly. You must have experienced the truth of it all; the good, the bad and the ugly. Tell us what it is like to write graffiti in these places?
The truth is that the slums are very frowned upon by the media but it is not always all evil as the media makes it seem. I might be afraid to visit the U.S.A or Europe and suffer a terrorist bombing if I believed everything the news portrays, but wow ha ha ha… If you get too attached to the media you will miss opportunities to know different places and cultures such as is found in the slums, where the receptivity of the people is one of the warmest in the world.
Many of us have brought friends to paint and never had a problem here, of course there is a possibility, just as it is possible in any other place. Painting in the community where I live for me is something super natural because I’m painting in the place where I know most people are with me and who will have the same feeling.
I have been told you sometimes play host to visiting writers from overseas, they must have some interesting reactions to painting in your city. Can you share any good stories with us?
Painting here is something totally relaxing; the people here enjoy graffiti and I think graffiti writers from other countries who have visited have enjoyed the vibe. Adverse reactions are very rare, many writers are fascinated with the involvement of the public.
One wild story is about a crazy gringo who was ‘asked’ to paint a character of a dealer. The dealer was there watching him while he painted the portrait, holding a grenade and a pistol during the painting ha ha ha! He was hurrying like crazy! There was no problem though, the gangster liked it.
Most writers that paint for a long time seem to catch the travelling bug. It is impossible not to want to go and see for yourself, the scenes you have seen in magazines and nowadays, on the internet. Have you had the chance to travel much yourself? Any plans to do so in the near future?
Of course, travelling is always good and never hurts but it is expensive to do! The main place I have travelled to outside of Brazil to paint is Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was very good to know another culture and make new friends. This year I have a possible trip planned to Miami and another for Europe. I will wait to see if it goes ahead, I hope so!
For those not lucky enough to have visited Brazil, your country has some dope, talented writers who may not get a lot of exposure outside of their hometown. Whom would you recommend we should check for?
Ha ha ha yeah dude this is difficult because there are many good writers here, I’m afraid of forgetting some but check out FINS, AFA, CH2, AJUMA, TARM, SNEK, BTS, VALEN… And there is many many more!
Thanks for chatting with Artillery my friend, any final words?
Thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to painting and beers with you soon!
More: marcioswk.blogspot.com
Monday, May 21, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
TUES
Awesome interview with my big homey Tues by the fine people at Artillery Magazine
INTERVIEW 004. TUES for Artillery.
Interview and foreword by Jamfingers exclusively for Artillery Magazine.
Artillery sketch by TUES.
Images courtesy of TUES.
TUES’ particular history of Brisbane graffiti is a credible one. He’s old school, humble, and hasn’t stopped pushing his art form. TUES is spawned from an era of Australian culture with ethics that are all-too-often forgotten; he’s not overstated, means what he says and doesn’t tend to mince words. His voice not only rings out now but I believe he will offer insight to younger generations in years to come. It’d be great to have ‘The Brissy Times’ according to TUES documented somewhere someday, but for now let’s get the ball rolling with an exclusive scoop for Arteezy Magazine. -Jamfingers.
Morning Tuesy!
Morning Jub!
Let’s start by recapping the early years. Give us the low-down on when you started writing; do you remember how old you were when you first noticed the writing on the wall? What was it about graffiti that caught your attention?
I lived in the country in a very small town (west of Ipswich) until I was twelve. At the newsagent they had these chewing gum sticker packs with graffiti on them, (I have no idea who the writer was?) that is probably my earliest memory. I remember walking back from the shop thinking this stuff is pretty cool. It wasn’t until I got to Brisbane and started to ride the trains that I noticed real graffiti. It wasn’t until 1989 that I caught the bug.
What inspired you to first pick up a spray can?
I used to give my brother shit for being a ‘homeboy’ until one night I went along and dropped some marker tags with him. The rush of being caught got me hooked instantly. For the next few years we simply bombed everything we could. It seemed like the right thing to do.
Tell us more about your formative years coming up on the C-Line. Any notable crews or individuals to mention?
I’m not sure if all these guys lived on the line but I definitely was inspired by the pieces I saw locally. ODIE, CRUEL, JELOUS, DIABLO, KASINO, HAMS, BROKE and SEIZ come to mind. I’m sure there are countless others who made an impact. For much of what you call ‘the formative years’ I spent away from Brisbane so when I would return to hang with crew etc it was always a party. Actually most of the time Graffiti came second to partying which probably explains why it has taken me so long to achieve any level of competency on a wall, ha ha. DIEKS, SKELT, ACIDS, IVO, FEAR, FONS, BERKS, DORPS and PUPES definitely got me motivated to paint more in the early 2000′s and from there I started to take the game a little more seriously.
To me you have a pretty classic graffiti style, with your own twist of course. What are your thoughts on style and whom would you credit as shaping your style during its development?
Have you seen how I dress? Style eludes me in all arenas hahaha. In terms of graffiti I still don’t consider myself as having style, like most things in life though if you work hard enough at it you can achieve a decent result. Just as some people are naturally gifted athletically, I believe true stylists are born with it. People that have influenced me, wow thats just about everyone from SEEN through to DOES. I love seeing how different people bend their letters, but if I had to pick three I would say DARE (RIP), BATES and SWET. It’s pretty rare that I take a sketch when I paint these days, I have been enjoying just painting what comes to mind and tweaking it as I go.
I recall you once saying, “I’m a bit too long in the tooth to be doing anything new,” which clearly isn’t the case. What keeps you pushing your style these days?
The challenge of making the letters sit well together is the most enjoyable part of a piece and I guess this is where style comes into play. I use up to five different colours to sketch/mark up to get the letters I’m happy with, and it takes up approximately a third of the entire time I’m painting. For some style is generated in a black book, for me it’s at the spot, on site. I will never be a master at it, but it’s something I aspire too. I don’t really get too creative with fills, it’s all about the flow of the letters for me.
A few years ago I read somewhere that you were ready to quit graffiti before you met the owner of Ironlak and sparked a friendship, which led to a sponsorship later when Ironlak actually got moving. Why were you ready to give up on graff? And what impact has being involved in Ironlak had on your life?
Yes that’s true, I had gotten to a point where I didn’t rack paint anymore, was painting the same old spots and just in a bit of an all round rut. Through a mutual friend, DAHNS MRS, I got talking to a bloke who said he wanted to make some spray paint. Fast forward to 2005 and the same guy offered me a sponsorship, it really isn’t what you know but who… As for the impact Ironlak has had on my life well it pretty much changed everything. A few years after the team was created I was offered a job with the company, which I jumped at. The chance to work with mates, travel and do something that you love for an occupation is more valuable than any paycheque out there, period.
I’ve seen you at walls banging it out quicker than everyone else and then bouncing to handle your commitments. What impact has your family life had on your graffiti career? And vice versa?
Like everything in life it’s about balance, you cant have one without the other. If I spent all my time painting my family would reject me, if I spent all my time with my family I would probably go insane. Of course sometimes you have to draw a line for one or the other, and when you have children they definitely come first. So yes, family has restricted me somewhat but then I dicked around for years prior to starting one so it’s my own fault and I have definitely learned how to ‘trim the fat’ of the process as a result ha ha.
I heard you caught the Brissy leg of KRS One’s recent tour of Australia, no doubt some reminiscing to be had that night! Did the other elements play an influence in your development?
Best show I have ever been to, KRS is still the ‘teacha’! The other elements had very little to do with my development, other than of course way too much early 90′s gangsta rap which made me beat women and sell crack cocaine.
In graffiti terms, what does “keeping it real” mean to you?
Trains. I take my hat off to the guys that put in work day in day out.
Do you think there’s a lack of fundamentalists in the game these days?
Each to his own, I know I personally admire a well executed back jump over a billion colour wall burner any day. Someone’s got to keep the cops on their toes.
You’re very much a roll-your-sleeves-up, hardworking Australian bloke who has been around for a minute. What pisses you off about the world we live in today?
Mostly not having enough time in the day to get my job done, spend time with my kids, walk my dog and relax. That and people that don’t drink beer, everyone is so fucking health conscious these days.
The age of accessibility is certainly upon us; I’m sure you’re even guilty of battering that palm-sized touchpad from time to time. What are your thoughts on the internet and how the availability of information has effected the movement?
There are obviously massive advantages to it with file sharing etc, but it seems to have really sucked the soul, or mystery, out of the graffiti world. I remember travelling to Melbourne in my early teens and walking the lines around Clifton Hill, catching flicks of pieces by REACH and PUZLE etc, they were like gold and stored safely in a photo album. Unless you bought a magazine the only way to experience other cities and countries was to go there yourself. It’s all at the click of a mouse now. People become experts so quickly now without any real life experience, it’s just a little false is all. One other thing is that information at your finger tips is great if your the one seeking it, not so great if it’s your personal info that’s being sought.
In your opinion, how will graffiti survive in generations to come?
It’s been around since the first fellas drew pictures of themselves stabbing T-Rexes on the walls of their huts so I guess it ain’t going anywhere soon.
Now for a few short Q&As… What are your thoughts on:
Sushi?
Fresh seafood is a good start.
Shit-talk?
Makes painting legal walls fun, although some seem to have created an occupation out of this bad habit.
Johnny Cash?
The Baron.
Shoplifting?
Way too heavy, can barely lift a shopping trolley.
Ten-Pin Bowling?
Where has this been all my life?
Bourbon?
Yep.
Smoking?
Might as well hoff STD-ridden dong.
SBCs?
Stockmans at Bulimba will not disappoint.
Bucket Hats?
Time for an upgrade, my man in Boston will hopefully help cover this magnificent chrome dome.
Best meat pie in Brisbane?
Back in ya chair Jub…
Hahaha… Thanks for turning back the page with us TUES. I hope we’ll pick this up again someday. Cheers!
More: ironlak.com/tues.html
Kab + Redhen = dope!
ganked from http://ilovegraffiti.de
Redhen 412 x Kab101 & Order55
As part of the arts exhibition project, Station To Station, KAB101 and ORDER55 have been commissioned to paint a carriage of one of Adelaide’s classic heritage passenger trains, Redhen Rail Car #412, which is currently running between Mt Barker and Victor Harbour. Check the flicks after the jump
Redhen Rail Car #412 prior to the makeover at Victor Harbour Station
Photo courtesy of Johnny’s Pages
Artwork by Kab101 & Order55
Photos courtesy of DS Creativ and Graff Central
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