Sitting half way between the front and the back of the top deck of the 243, as is my want, I sometimes take out my ‘weirdo-deflectors’, or ‘headphones’ and listen to the conversations of the lovely little young people on their way to a Stamford Hill based school. Most times, it’s a duologue of plain old boring small talk with swearing thrown in to up the ‘look at me swearing of a bus’ kudos factor. But sometimes it’s a lid lifting experience into a whole other world.

GIRL ONE: ah blud, I got mad bubble guts innit

GIRL TWO: what?

GIRL ONE: ’bout this morning innit, mad bubble guts...

GIRL TWO: what? wait, what?

GIRL ONE: i got bubble guts blud, big time

GIRL TWO: (embarrased) …what’s bubble guts?

GIRL ONE: (embarrased) butterflies…

Sometimes the soft plosive won’t cut it, and other harsher words need to be put in place.

n.b. harsher words may add to rep, but won’t be as universally recognised as initially rejected mum taught language.

Hush’s art work is influenced by the pop art sensibilities of the far East. Having grown up in Newcastle and spent alot of his ‘formative years’ working as a illustrator / graphic designer in Asia, Hush has recently been hitting the street art ‘hard’ and his wide eyed girls and tongue in cheek sense of humour (’His latest wall piece entitled ‘Tits Of Terror’) have been making waves in the choppy waters of ‘the scene’.

Hey Hush, quick few questions if you don’t mind. Firstly, what mediums do you use and why?

I use the spray can as a reference to street art/graf, acrylic paint for its flat qualities also it dries very fast which makes you more spontaneous and screenprint for its commercial and graphic references.

How do you work? what’s your normal routine?

I always work on numerous pieces for weeks, months, distressing and aging the ground of the piece to echo the streets then the idea usually forms around the look of the canvas. The works always inspired by the media, cross culture values and politics. I always try to leave the image open to various interpretations though, I like to here peoples interpretations of the work.

Do you have a favourite piece?

My favourite piece is always my next, but I do like the latest pieces I’ve finished, Tits & Terror (right) and Dis-grace-d (further below)

What do you reckon to the state of the “street” / “urban” (uh..) scene at the moment?

I think the passion is growing more and more. The artists are there, the collectors are there the music has always been there. I think the next stage is probably getting the writers, poets, academics on side to really engage the scene into a full blow movement.

what are your favourite websites?

www.feedmecoolshit.com
www.woostercollective.com
www.flickr.com

When was the last time you made a big mistake?

I saw one of my partners friends lately and asked her when the baby was due – she wasn’t pregnant

What’s your biggest weakness?

Saying no

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See Hush at the following exhibitions…

London Show with Opus-Art
Brick Lane
Hush / Copyright – May 29th

Hush - Calma - Ken Garduno (Aug 16 - Sept 2008)

Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art
1257 N. La Brea Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90038

MORE INFO: http://www.studio-hush.com/