Rhino des villes

Cherchant des livres pour mon fils dans le rayon “1ers albums” d’une Médiathèque, je suis tombé par hasard sur “Rhino des villes“. L’album date d’avril 2010.

Les rhinocéros ont été chassé des villes, un seul spécimen y vit encore, Gaëtan Dorémus illustre la présence du dernier Rhinoceros par des photos du Rhino dans la ville avec différentes techniques ( collages, craie, Légo…)

A part l’abécedaire de Michaël De Feo ( Alphabet City: Out In The Streets ) les livres “Street-art” sont tous documentaires, l’originalité de celui ci est qu’il s’adresse à un public différent.



Au début des années 2000 un Lyonnais dessinait des Rhino, j’ai d’abord cru qu’il s’agissait de la même personne, mais finalement le graphisme semble différent.



Rhino des villes
Auteur : Gaëtan Dorémus
Editeur : Autrement Jeunesse
Collection : L’imagier d’Emma
Album à partir de 3 ans
18 €uros
ISBN: 978-2-7467-1389-5
Continue reading
0 Comments

DRAN – I love my world

I LOVE MY WORLD
By Dran

Ean : 9782917409053
prix  : 15 euros

I love my world est déjà le 6ème recueil de dessins de Dran sorti chez les editions populaires.  L’humour noir de Dran parle à tous. Pas besoin d’être porté sur le graffiti pour apprécier ses dessins.

http://www.editionpopulaire.com/

et un petit bonus avec une vidéo tournée il y a 15 jours à Londres pour l’expo de Dran “I have Chalks“.

Continue reading
1 Comment

Art of Rebellion 3 – C100 interview

7 years after the 1st Art of Rebellion, you (C100) released “The Art of Rebellion III“.
On the intro of the new book you describe how things changed last years. Your intro is ambivalent. You are impressed that street-art became big & popular and at the same time you seem to regret that it became an industry.

You also painted a canvas with a slogan that I like very much: “Cash Rules Ruins Everything Around Me”. Are you still excited by today’s scene?

Yes, I’m still excited about the scene seen in terms of quality and its space for surprises, sometimes. But I think people who started before it became so popular and trendy witness how it changed from being underground to becoming almost commercial. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for many artists that they get paid now for their hard work but, however, sometimes I have the feeling that some artists transformed themselves into labels and became the thing they targeted in the beginning. That’s one of the reasons why I did the C.R.E.A.M. canvas – Money can make people do strange things…

Overall, it’s an ethic questions each artist has to answer by himself what is good for his “career” or not. I don’t want to sound like a preacher and leave it to everyone himself how to form his opinion on this!

In the 1st Art of Rebellion, most artists were very influenced by graffiti and street-art was quite naive. Work featured in this 3rd volume is much more mature and interesting I think. Do you think that today’s street-art is still related to the graffiti world or is it a kind of outdoor contemporary art?

No, I think in a way street-art still very often has the spirit of the graffiti world, the “Getting up” attitude and ignoring of existing laws for the sake of art. Maybe street art/graffiti is transforming into “outdoor contemporary art” but where is the big difference in this, honestly, aren’t these not just words to describe the same topic in the end? This whole debate is pigeon holing as overall it’s just art, isn’t it? In the end this collision between graffiti and contemporary art helped pushing the level of quality, which is good!

But I agree that the naiveté from the beginning is missing sometimes which I experienced in other fields like Skateboarding Snowboarding, BMX as well. At one point all these subcultures get professional and trendy which leads to the fact that newcomers appear (like toys in Graffiti) who tend to annoy the old schoolers….
I go by the motto: live and let live :)

I have sometimes the feeling that today’s scene is run by art-school students & what I call the “street-art bourgeoisie”. Almost all the artists featured in this 3rd volume are professional or are trying to live of their art. Is there still a space for graffiti as a hobby? The book is called “the Art of Rebellion”, are there still rebellion & innocence in street-art?

That’s a tough question, hmm – “street art bourgeoisie” is good name for this, haha!
To answer your question: In some way you can call it rebellious when you are ignoring laws for the sake of art and to wake up people. In comparison to other movements it seems ridiculous to speak of rebellion (i.e. fighting for freedom, against nuclear power).

I think there is still space for it to keep it as a hobby. I can only tell from my own experience. Even though I’m very busy in my jobs as a designer and author, I still enjoy doing street art and graffiti – as a hobby. Having that experience and spirit of graffiti has a massive advantage compared to being “just” an art school student who now thinks “this is cool” as your motivation comes more from the heart. For me subcultures like Graffiti, BMX & Skateboarding helped me grow up to the person I am and, thankful for that, I do my best to give something back to these cultures in showing the public the beauty of it.

Is there an artist that you would have enjoyed to include in the book, and for any reason isn’t?

Yes, Steve Powers, he had his reasons.

Would you like to make a 4th Art of Rebellion?

I remember when doing #1 I never imagined to do #2, same goes for #3. After this development I’d say that #4 isn’t unreal but no one knows when.

You also run a book collection named “Part of Rebellion”. I think you released 3 books: Flying Fortress, Erosie & Dave The Chimp. Can we expect to see a new one?

We worked on #4 about Kid Acne but decided to finish “The Art of Rebellion” first. We’ll see.

You live in Munich are there some local artists we should know?

Hmmm, most of them you probably know already: Flying Fortress, Sat One, Mr. Burns and Benjamin Röder.

Thanks for taking the time to have this little conversation Christian, Any last words?

You are welcome, eko. Thanks for being one of the main hubs in street art since day one!
Keep on keeping on! Peace, C100.

The Art Of Rebellion 3
the book about street art
C100

Languages: ENG
Softcover/Paperback, 21 x 26cm, 216 Pages, 29,90 €
ISBN: 979-3-939566-29-8

Online order at Stylefile

Continue reading
8 Comments

Muralismo Morte

> Can you present yourself ? How did the book come about ? Was it something you had been planning for a long time ?

I’ve always painted in abandoned buildings since i started to make graffiti in 1995. Abandoned buildings are perfect spots to paint relaxed, to make experiments, to have a nice day together with friends painting huge walls and having nice barbeque. Around 2000 i stopped writing my name and decided to paint abstract stuff, characters whatever i liked – in old factories, in the streets, along the line.

During my studies at art school I organized a lot exhibition projects – mostly in connection with street stuff. After my diploma in 2008 I started to work on the exhibition project “muralismo morte“. I invited friends of mine for this show to come to Dresden in march 2009. 2501, Ryan spring, Bera, Eleuro, Macoy, Ema jones, Möe, Stefan Schwarzer aka Syru came to Dresden.  The show was a big success, for the artists, the exhibition place and me. I printed a small catalogue for the show, which was available at some shops. Don of From Here To Fame Publishing ordered one of these. He asked me if I would like to be part of a book about Muralism. Than i met up with Don. I showed him my collection of artists. He was surprised by the wide range of stuff and asked me if I would like to make the book as single author. I could not say no…

The idea of the book already existed before the show in Dresden in 2009. But i did not ask a publisher. I had so much other things in my mind. My own artworks, exhibitions, bureaucracy.. I just finished my studies.

I really started to work intensively on the book in February 2010, when it became clear the book has to be finished in July. I wrote hundreds of e-mails to artist to receive photos in good quality. This was the hardest part…

I’m not sure to understand the title: “Muralismo Morte”? Can you explain it ?

“Morte” means in Italian “dead”.

I’ve used that name already for a show in Dresden. It was mainly focused on painting in abandoned buildings.

These paintings in old/ dead buildings are some kind of a new Muralism in my eyes.

“Morte” also sounds in German like the word “Mord” that means ” to kill somebody ” ( as subjective word).

Somehow the Muralism was dead some years ago , but in the last years it’s amazing how many walls are done. In every city people paint huge murals – in a very fast way.

And i also wanted to have a mixture of languages, because this new mural movement is not only a Spanish movement. It’s Italian, French, German ….

> As for me a Mural is a big & authorized painted wall. Your definition seems to be a bit different.

Muralism to me means a painted wall. In the streets, legal or illegal , in abandoned buildings, also projections .. It’s something painted on a wall. This new movement which grows extremely. After the street art hype a lot people seemed to be unsatisfied with the fast death of their paper works. in 2003 all the guys made posters.. no posters are ” out” everybody does huge walls. Because they stay for a long time.. And the size is different to.

To me wallpainting is also another physical experience. Painting 6 meters high with a moving stick is totally different from painting some posters at home…. if you wanna paint huge – your fitness has to be good – if illegal even more ;)

> Is it your 1st book project? What has been the harder on the making of the book ? Are you satisfied with the finish result?

It’s my first book. before i made small booklets for the shows i organized – “Urban script continues 2009 – Muralismo morte” and “Urban script continues 2010 – about the nightshift”  i wrote texts for other books and made some fanzines,

The biggest stress was to write all the e-mails. Asking again and again. sometimes you think ” ohh i hope i get his stuff ” – and you get it within a day , sometimes you wait for an answer for more then a month … sometimes painters even don’t reply…

The Publisher was really cool – he helped me a lot . They translated everything, made the layout, they manage the whole distribution. I was able to concentrate on the content. Collecting Photos .

I ‘m really happy with the final result!  I like all the works in the book. I had opportunity to print all the photos in huge size. This was one of my aims. To show not only the painting. The atmosphere, the details… The Layout is really simple and paper is fine too – no glossy paper. I’m glad about the texts in the book. Especially those of Robert Kaltenhäuser about whole cars , Peter Michalski about bombing in brazil and Resto’s text about Doel – the ( nearly ) abandoned village.

I’m sorry that i wasn’t able to publish all the stuff of the artists and also there is stuff missing. just after the book was finished i found new works .. i just say : ekosystem!!! That’s why i started a blog.

BUT – i think this book is a great collection of stuff and there is always a deadline and a limit of pages…  And I’m happy about the photos i received.

> What are your plans for the future (book release events, new book) ?

I already had some releases in Berlin, Dresden and Cologne. the next one is in Leipzig .. then i will see. i would like to make a tour in whole Europe. even i have friends all over europe – from the north to the south , east to the west, but it’s hard to manage this without a sponsor and money… i hope i will find someone and i can make this tour. I really would like to paint with everybody in the book … especially those i just contacted via e-mail. There are so many crazy spots all over Europe !!!

Next year from april till june i will make something like “muralismo morte” show in Heerlen ( south of Netherlands) . The idea is to invite artist from this area ( Netherlands, Belgium, Ruhr-area) to come and paint in empty buildings in Heerlen. I will stay there. Having a nice studio just above the exhibition place. inviting artists… painting … making tours in Heerlen. I guess this will be a great exhibition.

a new book ? hmmm , this one is just fresh .. a lot of things are to be done , but maybe something about trains ;)  maybe you know this blog : http://trainworks.blogspot.com/

thanx and greets – jens

http://jensbesser.blogspot.com/
http://muralismomorte.blogspot.com/
http://www.fromheretofame.com/

Title: Muralismo Morte – The Rebirth of Muralism in Contemporary Urban Art
Author: Jens Besser
Pages: 200, color, ca. 300 Illustrations & photographs
Format: 28.5 x 21 cm (11.22 x 8.27 inches)
Language: English edition

Price Hardcover: 24.95 € | £ 24.99 | US $ 34.95
ISBN Hardcover: 978-3-937946-29-0

To order the book : http://www.fromheretofame.com/books/muralismo.html

Continue reading
2 Comments

Saner from Mexico – Interview

I took the opportunity of SANER book release to ask him a few questions.
All the illustrations come from the Saner book printed by Belio for their Die Young collection.

>Who is Saner ? Quien es saner?

Saner es un loco dentro de un mundo de extraños.

Saner is a a crazy person in a world of strangers.

>How did you came to graffiti ?

A través de mi hermano y mis amigos, en los años 97-98, viendo la calle pintada por crews de ese momento, Los CHK, SF y A. Inicié pintando con otro seudónimo y con pausas necesarias para replantear un estilo propio. Dejé de pintar graffiti durante cuatro años, pero en 2004 volví a esta forma de expresión para buscar un estilo personal.

Through my brother and my friends, in the years 97 and 98, looking at the streets painted by the current crews, CHK, SF and A. At the beginning I painted with another nickname and with the necessary pauses so I could have my own style, then I stopped painting graffiti by 4 years but in 2004 I returned to this mode of expression looking for a personal style.

>You’re a member of two notorious crews from Mexico: DSR & Eyos crew. Do you enjoy painting with other people?

Es interesante compartir experiencias con personas que no son de tu crew. Pienso que trabajar un lienzo o un muro con otras personas, generalmente alejadas de tu cotidianidad y sobre todo de tu estilo, siempre te permite crecer como artista.

It is interesting to share experiences with people outside of your crew. I believe that working on a canvas or a wall with people who are generally apart of your everyday life but most of all away from your style, always allows you to grow as an artist.

>From Europe, Mexico seems to be a quite violent place with kidnapping and drug relative crimes. Is Mexico an easy place to paint in the streets ?

De México, se sabe que es un país violento. Pero para pintar, creo que es un lugar tranquilo. Y aunque tiene sus riesgos, como en todas partes, depende del sitio que se elija.

Everybody knows that Mexico is a violent country. But for painting, I think that it is a quiet place. And even if there are so many risks, like everywhere, it depends on the chosen place to paint.

>Belio invited you in Madrid to work on the book. What surprised you the most in the spanish graffiti/street scene ?

Ahí encontré no sólo estilos artísticos distintos, sino cosmovisiones diferentes. La forma de concebir la vida y el mundo de alguna manera es distinta. La verdad, me agradó mucho ser bien recibido por la escena local. Artistas como Besdo, Gore, Alberto de Pedro, Kafre, Aryz, Grito, Fefe and remed, Zosen, Skount, Escif y compañía me trataron muy bien y también recibieron con mucho afecto mi arte.

There, I found not only diferent artistic styles, but different world views. The way that we conceive life and world is somehow different. The truth is that I liked so much to be well received by the local scene. Artists like Besdo, Gore, Alberto de Pedro, Kafre, Aryz, Grito, Fefe and remed, Zosen, Skount, Escif and friends treated me so well and they also received my art with affection.

>We know the Lucha libre mexicana masks (mexican catch) and Maya masks. Why do your characters almost always wear a mask ?

Las máscaras que uso son tradicionales en México. Los jaguares, coyotes, calaveras y demás personajes recurrentes aparecen en mi trabajo porque ese mundo paralelo es su verdadero yo, su rostro real. Pienso que al dejar de lado la máscara no somos nada.

The masks that I use are traditional masks in Mexico. The jaguars, coyotes, skulls and other recurrent characters appears in my work because that parallel world is the real self, the real face. I think that if we disregard the mask we are nothing.

>What are your main influences (in the art world and in the graffiti scene)?

Mis influencias son mis padres, hermanos y amigos. Sin duda alguna, en ese marco referencial es muy importante para mi obra el movimiento muralista mexicano: Siqueiros, Orozco, Rivera.

My influences are my parents, brothers and friends. Without any doubt, in this frame of reference it is very important for my work the Mexican Muralist Movement: Siqueiros, Orozco, Rivera.

>Could you tell us which were the last records you played at home?

Últimamente he estado escuchando Nach Scratch, The Tiger Lillies, At The Drive In y el podcast de XRL8R.

Lately, I’ve been listening to Nach Scratch, The Tiger Lillies, At the Drive In and XRL8R podcast.

>If I visited Mexico DC, which are the places I shouldn’t miss ?

Primero, llegar al Zócalo capitalino, que es el mero corazón de México (la catedral, la zona arqueológica). Luego comer en un puesto de quesadillas o tacos; visitar los museos de la zona: San Ildefonso, Munal, Antropología, Arte Moderno; también, ir al bosque de Chapultepec (es el zoológico más importante del país). Si tienes tiempo, ve a las trajineras en Xochimilco. Y, lo más importante, visita las pirámides de Teotihuacán.

First of all, you must go to the Zocalo, which is Mexico’s city heart (the Cathedral, the archaeological zone). Then you should go and eat in a quesadilla and taco’s stand; visit the museums around: San Ildefonso, MUNAL, the National Anthropology Museum, the Modern Art Museum; also you should go to the Chapultepec Forest (the most important zoo in Mexico). If you have any time left, go to ride a “trajinera” (a colorful boat) in Xochimilco. And the most important is to visit the pyramids at Teotihuacán.

and a last word ?

Thanks to Belio Team (Javier and Pablo), for all the support and the good moment that we have shared.


DY008: SANER
Die Young Collection
145 x 150 mm – 192 pages
ISBN: 978-84-613-4362-1
——

Saner blog
Saner photo gallery

——-

Continue reading
10 Comments

Gualicho from Buenos Aires

I took the opportunity of Gualicho book release to ask him a few questions.
All the illustrations come from the Gualicho book printed by Belio for their Die Young collection.


> Who is Gualicho ?
Is a character

> How did you came to graffiti ?
By ’98 I started painting some bombings and types.. I left it for a couple of years ’till 04 when I made the first paint with brushes on an abandoned square near my apartment on Villa Urquiza neighbourhood.

> According to Wikipedia a Gualicho seems to be a kind of devil. Most of the animals and creatures you paint look quite peaceful and friendly. Is your work a vision of hell, of paradise, a kind of distorted vision of our world, our future or something else ?
I paint what I see. My work is a description of our world, everything you see on my drawings is a reference, a symbol of something happening on the world. And you know our world is almost hell, we don’t live in light, we live in darkness. Each person plays its own character, no one is real.

> It seems that you paint alone most of the time. Do you enjoy the process of collaboration ?
Yes I like to paint alone. I enjoy that process with people close to me.

> Are you close to other street-artists in Buenos Aires ?
I know some of them, but I’m close to one or two. I’m quite hermit.

> Is Argentina a easy place to paint in the streets ?
Yes it is. That’s why a lot of artists come here to paint.

> What are your main influences ?
El Bosco, Brueguel, Bacon, bernie wrightson, Robert Crumb, Carlos Nine, Chichoni, etc

> Could you tell us which were the last records you played at home?
La Magia de Atahualpa Yupanqui and La voz de la Zafra from Mercedes Sosa, two folk musicians from Argentina.

> If I visited Buenos Aires, which are the places I shouldn’t miss ?
The first day you should take a walk from Plaza de Mayo to el Congreso by Av de Mayo. The second day take a walk on Sant Telmo, the third Palermo, and then you are free to take a bus to nowhere and walk with no direction..

—————————

DY009: GUALICHO, Book
Die Young Collection from Belio
Size 145 x 150 mm. – 192 pages printed in full colour.
English and Spanish texts.
ISBN: 978-84-613-4363-8
You can order the book on Belio online shop.
www.gualicho.cc

—————————

Gualicho photo gallery on ekosystem

Continue reading
0 Comments

J’irai taguer sur vos tombes – Oré

Pourrais-tu te présenter ?
Oré, 35 ans, normand. Définitivement accro au graffiti, mais aussi aux autres expressions esthétiques dans les rues (affiches, pochoirs, stickers, collages divers et variés).

Quand as-tu commencé à t’intéresser au graffiti ?
En 1989, je trace mes premiers tags au marker dans des cages d’escaliers. Depuis le Graffiti fait partie de mon existence. Pas un jour ne s’écoule sans que je sois traversé par l’envie de peindre tel ou tel endroit de la ville.
Pour ma part, le Graffiti est davantage un mode de vie qu’une simple activité créatrice (« We do Graffiti, we fuck Graffiti, we are Graffiti »).
J’ai découvert le Graffiti en liaison avec la culture Hip-hop. Cependant, ce lien originel n’a plus beaucoup d’importance maintenant pour moi. Mes références proviennent désormais autant du Rock (je suis notamment grand fan de Noir Désir, Manu Chao, The Clash), même si j’adore des gens comme La Rumeur ou Casey.
Mes voyages et mes lectures m’influencent énormément.
Cependant, les racines du Graffiti classique sont toujours en moi, elles forment mon « background » culturel : je n’oublie pas que j’ai peint des lettrages et des tags durant de longues années.

Ce livre, c’est histoire de garder une trace de toutes ces années ?
En effet, après 20 ans de peinture, j’avais envie de faire un bilan.
50% des œuvres présentées dans le livre ont aujourd’hui disparu.
J’ai voulu retracer mon parcours de graffeur et montrer l’évolution de ma peinture.
Je débute ainsi le livre par des photos de mes premiers lettrages, pour finir par une présentation du spectacle « Ecoute Les Murs Parler », en passant par le collage des Quetzalcóatls et les réalisations de fresques.
Enfin, je suis depuis deux ans membre d’une association (La Sauce Aux Arts) où il existe une branche Éditions. Donc il y avait les gens pour m’aider à réaliser ce projet.

Qu’est-ce qui a finalement été le plus compliqué dans la conception de ce livre ?
Créer une ambiance et trouver une rythmique au niveau de la mise en page qui soient cohérentes et agréables tout au long du livre.
Et que l’aspect général de cet objet traduise bien mon état d’esprit de peintre.
La première maquette élaborée au bout des 4 premiers mois de travail avait d’ailleurs déçu les potes de l’association. Ce fut un long et difficile processus pour trouver la bonne manière de présenter mes peintures.

D’où te vient cet intérêt pour le Mexique et les civilisations précolombiennes ?
Les mystérieuses cités d’or ou une séduisante  prof d’Histoire Géo ?

Depuis mon enfance, j’ai toujours ressenti un profond intérêt pour l’Histoire.
J’ai d’ailleurs obtenu une maîtrise d’Histoire il y maintenant quelques années…
J’ai toujours trouvé la muse Clio très séduisante…
Pour ce qui est du Mexique, j’y suis allé pour des séjours plus ou moins long depuis 1996.
En 1996, c’est la possibilité de rencontrer les Indiens zapatistes au Chiapas qui m’a décidé (et l’envie de voyage en terre latine…).
Au fil du temps, et de plusieurs séjours là-bas, j’ai visité les principaux sites archéologiques et musées du Mexique et du Guatemala. Différentes lectures sur les mythologies mayas et aztèques m’ont également apporté certaines références, notamment celle du Serpent à plumes,  le « Quetzalcóatl ». Le dessin animé « Les mystérieuses cités d’or » est d’ailleurs excellent pour les petits, pour acquérir certaines notions sur les civilisations précolombiennes.

A part le Mexique, y’a-t-il d’autres pays ou villes qui t’ont marqué ?
J’aime le voyage. Une de mes expressions  fétiches en anglais est « Travelling, Smoking, Painting ». Beaucoup de lieux et villes sont importants pour moi. La Grèce a une place particulière, comme le Mexique, car l’histoire de ma famille est fortement liée à cette terre méditerranéenne.
Mais, on peut déplorer une espèce de culture urbaine mondiale qui nivelle tout (plutôt vers le bas) et qui tue les différences entre les lieux. Ainsi,  dans mes souvenirs d’adolescent, certains quartiers d’Athènes avaient une réelle saveur presque orientale (comme le marché du boulevard Athinas). Aujourd’hui, c’est grande enseigne (Zara, Séphora, Mac Do et compagnie…) et caméras de surveillance. Et quasiment toute l’Europe, voire le monde entier, s’uniformise ainsi à grand pas.

Pourrais-tu nous citer quelques artistes dont tu apprécies le travail ou qui ont eu une influence sur tes productions (pas forcément seulement dans le graffiti) ?
Je suis admiratif, et je les considère comme des « maîtres » pour moi, de gens  comme Invader, JR, Bansky, Jace. J’aime particulièrement aussi les travaux de L’Atlas, Os Gemeos, André, Zeus.
Je suis un peintre autodidacte, c’est le tag qui m’a amené à ce que je fais aujourd’hui.
Donc je demeure extrêmement influencé par les gens du milieu Graffiti et Art de rue.
Cependant, je me forge petit à petit une culture artistique classique, afin de connaître un peu mieux l’art occidental en général, et nourrir ainsi ma création.

Si je passe par Caen as-tu un ou deux endroits à me recommander ?
Au niveau graffiti, peinture ou en général ?
Les deux…
Au niveau général, rien  de particulier à signaler sur la tranquille capitale de la Basse-Normandie…
Au niveau graffiti, là aussi on pourrait dire qu’il n’y a pas forcément beaucoup à voir.
Il se passe quand même des choses. Des gens comme Sane2, Akor, Blast peignent beaucoup et font avancer le mouvement, chacun à leur manière. Leurs crews  322 et DLT sont les plus actifs dans le coin. Les KSF et ECF, avec Nore, Hope, 1ER, Kaps posent aussi pas mal. Et puis, le pochoiriste Artiste Ouvrier vient de s’installer ici.
Sinon, si il y a un endroit à visiter pour voir du mur peint, proche du centre ville, c’est selon moi sur le Campus Universitaire 1 que ça se passe. Forcément, il y a plusieurs de mes fresques, mais pas mal d’autres gens viennent se  poser là  car on y trouve des murs sympas,  vus par tous les étudiants, et pas de patrouille de police pour te déranger.
Le long du canal, le mur d’enceinte de Renaults Trucks (RVI) était  beaucoup peint, mais je ne sais pas si c’est encore le cas. Enfin, sur la commune d’Hérouville, Sane2 met en place pas mal de projets divers. Le site de la SMN à Colombelles est à voir, car c’est le plus vieux terrain, mais trop de toys de gamins.

Des souhaits, des envies, des projets pour les prochains mois ?
Diffuser bien sûr le bouquin le plus largement possible.
Mais surtout, poursuivre dans la belle dynamique de mes 3 dernières années.
A savoir : des serpents à plumes collés un peu partout en France et ailleurs, de belles commandes de fresques, des dates sur de bons festivals avec les potes slamers, zicos et vidéastes pour notre spectacle « Ecoute Les Murs Parler », et enfin, si ce n’est pas trop demander, encore quelques endroits sympas pour exposer.
Et pour finir, avec une légère ironie : avoir des critiques dithyrambiques, avec  des articles de 5 pages,  dans tous les magazines du petit milieu graffito-streetarto-tendance-fashion…

Le site d’Oré: http://www.artore.org/

Pour commander le livre d’Oré (20€ frais de port compris):  J’irai taguer sur vos tombes.

Continue reading
2 Comments

9 things about 2009 from <++

To end 2009 and to start the new year.
I asked a few ekosystem friends and contacts 9 things about 2009.


<++



http://www.myspace.com/yallahguiboldugland
————————————-


1 – Une de tes photos:
extrait de ‘Tire la chevillette et la bobinette…’  Book dedié a M.
Photo/<++
<<bouh! @nti Fada!>> ++> m M. for ever!……………………..@nti Human c©py rights 2009<++

2- Une photo trouvée sur le net:

Ted Nieters

TED NIETERS Photograph> <ELSEWHERE Independent community dedicaced to fine art and social visualization.

3- Une vidéo:


HOT CHICK! PIMP MY RIDE! SEX BOY!
ALICYA><100%BOMBAS><100%TUNING
Quand tu freines…j’accelere…
http://www.hotchick.fr/

AAAAAOUUUUUUUU!!!!!
JUST FOR SEXUAL FEELING
HOT CHICK !DANS MON CUIR JE SUIS A L’AISE
YEEEEAAAHHHHHH!!!
TIEE BONNE TOUAAA YEAHH
QUAND TU FREINES! J’ACCELERE….

4- Un artiste:

Pour le jeu, l’absurde, la dérision, la pesanteur >< l’apesanteur >< gravité (2)
Maurizio Cattelan/ plasticien italien, dans la lignée des grands joueurs avec le Global village
apres JeffKoons… http://www.mauriziocattelan.org/


5- Un livre:


Olivier Razac/ L’histoire politique du barbelé. 2009
nouvelle edition/champs essais (8€)
ou <<echarpe du Diable>><<mur virtualisé>>
histoire de ce fil>< frontiere>< visible invisible a nos jours…

6- Un film:

http://www.d-9.com/
vazi prends ta claque, mec!
ou
IDIOCRACY

7- Un truc pénible
je dirai GAZA mais pour rester chez nous (dans nos ‘frontieres’)
Le Marché DOLLAR (de l’art)
<<l’art n’est pas l’art>> il est <<Ailleurs>>
PRISON>< L’art de la COUR…
RECUPERATION
Lire/Kool killer et l’insurrection par les signes
Jean.Baudrillard 1972
download/ http://www.lpdme.org/downs.php
Perte du SAVOIR REGRESSION
SPECULATION sur la VALEUR marchande
Perte du desir spontané, de la pensée philosophique
ou l’ethique.
FETICHISATION mortifere
CULTURE UNIFORME>< E-CORPUS><E-BANK
Produit marchand><Leitmotiv <<j’achete donc je suis>>
Mortifere>< posseder><s’accaparer du pouvoir
Perte du libre  échange de la richesse intellectuelle.
Le rêve ne s’achète pas! bientot…

8-Une radio

ha! important ça!
CANNIBAL CANICHE><radio suisse open source/
http://www.radiowne.org/

9- Un dernier mot

—————-Pourquoi?—————-

—————-


Continue reading
1 Comment

Ruedione’s Backflashes

back_1

Please introduce yourself. Where are you from? When did you start photography? Did you paint before starting photography?

My name is Ruediger Glatz aka Ruedione and i come from the beautiful city of Heidelberg in Germany.

Like many people I’ve shot photos my whole life.  When i was 7-8 I had as well some darkroom moments with my father, but the real start of my photography was in 2000…soon i became a photonerd.

I started to write around `91 but slowed down around `98….today I piece just once a while, but can’t claim myself being an active writer.
My focus is on my photography

back_3

Backflashes is a big book with large pages and only 1 big photo per page. Was it important that your photos were presented on such a big format?

The book was still a compromise for me….if it was only on me, i would have put just one image per doublepage, but i was as well grateful to the publisher, as doing such an uncommercial book in this period of time, while tons of graff books come on the market and most sell way less, than they used to sell, is a certain risk I appreciate a lot.

indeed…this kind of presentation was important to as I want to see my “babies” getting the right focus.  The composition of an image is very important to me…normally i don’t crop my images. I go even so far, that the images in the book, that go over a doublepage and had get cropped for that, fall in my eyes under grafic design and are no more part of my photos in that book.

I personally don’t crop to push myself becoming better. With crops you can easily optimize your images and you don’t  have to focus much while shooting.

The presentation of my images is quiet an emotional point for me.

back_4

Your photos are all in black & white and some are a bit noisy. They look like film photography. And it works great for night photos. Do you like the current trend of clinical precision that allow digital photos? (and by the way, do you actually use digital cameras?)

When I started this series in 2002 I was strictly shooting film and the T-MAX3200 gave me the needed speed to shoot this series. I like the grainy and raw look of this film and had the feeling, that this format was supporting my look.

In 2005 i switched to digital, as the first camera came on the market, that gave obviously better results than film plus i found a mentor who opened my eyes for a certain general view on photography.

…but i kept the same look for the series.

Today I shoot mostly digital, but use film for some series.  I experiment a lot with all kind of cameras and always try to push limits.

I am very grateful for the possibilities, that the digital photography gave me, the same time you have to be aware of all kind of risks, that come with that medium.

When i shoot a series i always make up my mind first, what kind of style is underlining my message. I do shoot as well “technical perfect and precise” digital images, but for most of my series i use a retro look, as it gives me the emotional intensity, that i always look for in my images.

back_5

Backflashes must be one of the 1st books about graffiti where it is not shown a single graffiti. Is it a way for you to tell that adrenalin, friendship, tension, & night-missions are what really matters in the graffiti?

I see my book being the second book, as Alex Fakso published his HEAVY METAL in 2006.

My aim was to visualize that feeling that kept me going out at night for so many years. Graffiti -and specifically bombing- influenced my life a lot and i wanted to preserve that precious feeling for me and others, that might be interested in grabbing the book in 10-20-30 years and get a backflash.

The way i chose to shoot the series in, has the focus completely on the feeling….the identities of the persons are totally not relevant…it is even important for me, that they are not being recognized, as graffiti is a movement, that creates idols, who might disturb what I was looking for.

In a way i think that the community aspect of graffiti is probably the most important factor to me, that made this movement so special to me, but this is somehow what my next book is about…i am already working on for 7 years. BACKFLASHES is all about the bombing-feeling itself.

…a piece made for night-lovers.

back_6

As a former graffiti writer, is it frustrating sometimes to take some risks with people in front of a train and not painting on it?

It is funny…it seems that this is the question almost everybody asks me. The answer is quite simple. Photography is no different than writing for me. It is about style and achieving aims, therefore I always saw myself as part of the production, but in another way. While i spent formerly 7-8 hours on a mission plus had to chase in the morning trains (what was as well special to me) to get my piece, i join today the production and have mostly 10-20 masterpieces in a very basic format on me. Those I can finish in the perfect moment. You could compare it to a writer, who does his firstlines and fills in the yard, but is able to do his outlines at home.

This was always a wonderful way of working for me.

As well i was never able to satisfy my personal view on quality and style in writing, while i am able to do so in my photography. Of course there still has to be a certain challenge, to be able to evolve, but i love my images and it feel like carrying home babies.

back_7

Which photographers do you admire most? Did some of them influence your own style?

I wouldn’t say that there is a specific photographer, who influenced my style or who i even admire.

When i started in 2000 very soon the images and the approach of MAGNUM photographers like Bresson, Burri and Capa influenced me, but over the years i had the feeling something was missing and it were finally images of the American civil war and other vintage prints, that showed me what i was seeking for.. that influence added darkened edges and a certain retro look to my style. Somehow the opposite of what seems to be perfect to the most is perfect to me … it gives warmth and emotional focus on details to my images and this is what was a bit missing before. I never wanted my photography to be neutral.

Several years ago the concept of “stars” faded for me and today i don’t see any photographer or “star” in general, who I would like to switch life with…i enjoy my life.

ruedione

Is this book the end of a period of you life? Do you still shoot graffiti writers or like Alex Fakso you are now experiencing new photographic themes?

I would say that this book was about a former period of my life, that was even over, when i started shooting…so i called it BACKFLASHES.

Since i started taking photos, the challenge of learning was always a very important matter to me. Therefore i shoot since years as well photos in other directions than graffiti, but i like to separate things. About 4-5 years ago i started to work also as a photographer, but what i shoot job wise has nothing to do with my personal work…but it keeps me learning.

Next to BACKFLASHES i have other long term projects i was working on, and since i finished BACKFLASHES in December 2008, i focus on my series ARTISTS (just a workingtitle), that i started shooting for in 2002-2003.  Here i shoot portraits of around 90-95 protagonists of the graffitimovement. I join them sometimes for a couple days and the focus is on the person and their living environment…this series should be finished by the end of 2010.

…but there are a couple more series. I am addicted to shoot and i enjoy it a lot.

ruedione

And a last one if I visited Heidelberg, which are the places I shouldn’t miss?

It depends on the day, but for sure you shouldn’t miss the ZUCKERLADEN …a crazy candystore with a crazy owner.

I always call Heidelberg “happy land” as everything seems to be alright and good.

backflashessss

http://www.ruedione.com/
http://www.backflashes.com/

backflashes book

Continue reading
8 Comments

Momo interview

momo rojo book

If you were French, Momo would be a short name for Maurice or Mohamed. Where does this name come from? Where are you from Momo? What five words best describe you?

I’m sure that MOMO sounds better in French.  Its just a silly nickname.  I’m from San Francisco, all my family is; three generations on both sides, but I live in Brooklyn now.  A friend from high school sitting next to me wants to say: “icon”, “positive”, “loves to laugh”, “stylish”, “obsessive” to describe me, but its with a dry sense of humor (and more than 5 words).

Your work is often a mix of clean and sharp shapes and some more spontaneous/random shapes. Does it reflect something about you; a fight between order & freedom? a split personality : Mondrian vs the Sex pistols?

I think you’re right.  I made loads of drawings while in Paris from medieval tapestries that feature crumbling castles (Armageddon imagery) in 2003.  It was “order and disarray”, and since then its interested me.  Entropy… we’re doomed while we’re uptight, and its a confetti party if you let go.  Or how hard I worked all my youth to draw well and now I do scribbles and blobs(?).  There’s also anger, & seeing order destroyed feels good, for stupid fun, and also smart revelation, ’cause order is superficial.

Momo New Orleans

Your work is often based on pasting many geometric colored papers. Do you know where you will display your work when you are working on it? Does the final work look always exactly like what you planned in your studio, or does it change a bit when you paste your material? It looks exactly how I plan it.  I’ve tried other ways, like carrying cut paper that could fill any space, like 100 cut dots or stripes, then spread them like paint anywhere. But I enjoy having as much as possible thought-out, and really collage is not so flexible.

Who is your art for? When did creating art become something important in your life? My art is for anyone at all (seriously, that’s the best), but not everyone.  I was hooked at age 3.  The weird experience was: I was making kids drawings, like wishing I had access to video games: so one character shoots another and you scribble them out…. then I wished I had a camera, so I made drawings to look like photographs, with foreshortening, cropped elements- and adults freaked out.  I thought that was pretty cool.

Momo

There are trends in graphic design and art: Pixels, Deer antlers, drips, stencils… Fluo colors & rhombi were pretty popular recently. Do you feel close to this 80’s revival?
Yikes, no way, none of it.  Its sexy, but I came to the loud color thing from time I’d spent in the Caribbean.  My inspiration is their self taught wide-open use of color, I’d like to avoid “Pop”, retro or otherwise. (more…)

Continue reading
0 Comments