A month back Greek street artist The Krah hit up our 6th wall with a striking, multi-method piece. Wet Paint had a sit down with him to ask him a few questions about his style and his background.

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Wet Paint: Do you remember the first mural/wall you painted? What was it and what prompted you to paint it?

The Krah: Graffiti is like an imprinted instinct, with roots in our tribal ancestors’ territorial marking and freedom of speech. Everyone sees Greece as a paradise holiday destination, with beautiful beaches, nice food and hot weather. As a child brought up in one of the most over crowded built up Mediterranean cities, with high unemployment, corruption, police brutality, knowing that you will be trapped in a 12 month army duty after school, it felt like there was no future.

I started doing tags in the streets of Athens as a kid, pure vandalism – it was so much fun. Then I felt the need to use spray paint and to get more creative so I did my first paintings of characters back in 1997 on one of the walls at my school. But that just wasn’t enough I soon got addicted and started painting the streets in central Athens, met other graff writers and then fell in love with painting subway trains. As I got older my passion to create opened lots of doors, I got to travel, meet people and through experimenting with different ways of making art I developed the style I have now.

WP: Graffiti or ‘tagging’ has recently been becoming more prevalent in your home city of Athens. Has this been a long time coming or a gradual build up of tagging? Why is it “all over the city” (or is that media misrepresenting it?)

TK: In Greece like in most Mediterranean countries because of the hot weather, people tend to spend most of their time out doors, in parks or meandering around in the city. Graffiti is not only a way of marking your journeys but it’s a way of changing your surroundings. The graffiti boom didn’t happen in the 80s like in the States or Western Europe, it started later on in the early 90s. Before that you would see lots of political and football slogans but because of our passionate and fiery nature it just got out of control, the youth took over the streets. Now days Greece exports the Sabotage spray paint, feta and olives.

WP: What would you say separates Greek street art from the scene in the UK? How are both scenes different?

TK: I find that we are more influenced by the European and Brazilian scene where as the English have been more influenced by the American style. Seeing the Athenian street-art you see strong references to Greek mythology and a lot of references to the Sea for example mermaids and anchors. You can’t avoid seeing political meanings in the street paintings visualising the current government corruption and the effect it has in the modern Greek society.

Sharp Graphic elements inspired by graphic design, seem to concur the new generation of graffiti in Athens. An interesting element is the new style of roller tagging that has been influenced by the notorious Brazilian pixacao taggers. I showed my Brazilian mate Milo Tchas some photos of them and asked him to compare them. He told me that the Greek style of roller tagging was different because the letters in the Brazilian pixacao are separate to each other and tall but the Greek ones are stack together look more like graphic logos and some have 3d shadows like traditional graffiti.

Check out some Greek graffiti/street art here:

WP: Who are your current favourite artists and why?

TK: Since I stated doing graffiti I always loved the work of Stelios Faitakis other ways known as Bizar. One of the first Greek graffiti artists and one of the most known. His style is influenced by the Orthodox church wall paintings that has a strong visual presence  In the Greek society mixed with themes based on ancient Greek mythology and elements of the far eastern culture, illustrating the struggle of the working class and the fight for freedom against the system depicting scenes of revolutions between angels and riot police.

WP: What role do you think digital photography and the internet have played in the street art boom (if any)?

TK: I remember before the internet and cheap fights we made and watched graffiti videos and graff magazines as it was the only way to find out more of what was going on in the graffiti sub-culture and find inspiration. Now days its easier to travel and you can check on the internet and see the new styles world wide, web-sites like graffiti.org, woostercollective.com and ekosystem.org have been as important to the evolution of graffiti as has the book spray-can art by Martha Cooper.

WP: There is something about Akira in your art, is that a fair comment? Has Japanese anime influenced your art?

TK: Akira is definitely one of the best animated films of all time. In 2002 my mate Eon from my crew (http://www.101crew.co.uk/) gave me a ticket for Tokyo. So, I went with him for a week of non stop graffiti and getting smashed. It was just life changing. They use cartoon mascots instead of logos and the streets of the centre all look like a futuristic Piccadilly circus full of neon signs and digital video adverts on screens, their rich alphabet adds to the visual stimulation… Japanese people of all ages read Manga comics on the tube on their way to work.

I love the Asian Temple roof tops that curl, and the way the Buddhist religion reflects on the population and you can see it in their mannerisms. Everything is different from the food to the smells, I could go on forever. It was a very inspiring trip and has effected they way I think and draw.

WP: You work on a lot of media, which is your favourite to work in and why?

TK: There is nothing like painting in the streets…. Finding spots that fit with the surroundings, so the art-work becomes one with the city. The idea that it belongs to everyone and it won’t last for ever, it is alive and it will deteriorate with the wall or might change by other people scribbling over it or cleaning it off.

WP: Have you ever been in trouble with the law?

TK: Lots of times….

WP: Who or what do you find influencing the work you create?

TK: Hypnotic rivers of sound, the vibrations of bass, spectrums of light, feelings, tastes and aromas of every day experiences.

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The Krah is currently working on a deck series for a British Skateboard Company and has three shows running at the moment in Birmingham, London and Brighton.

He will be appearing in some group shows in Athens, Berlin and New York.

Keep an eye on his travels and his trade-mark pieces appearing all over the world here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/the-krah/

You can also buy some The Krah limited edition prints from here:

http://thekrah.yokaboo.com/

The French Trio 3megabits, triple-teamed a wall a month back. They also adorn this month’s Cargo flyers.

How did you guys end up painting together?

Fabulon : What?
Go Frida : It was at the Shunt Lounge in June 2008, Fabulon had the opportunity to exhibit some work and paint on walls. Got scared and called us…we had a great time, free drinks, met great people and decided to carry on with the trio thing.
Barth : …

What are the benefits & disadvantages to working in a trio?

Fabulon : Qu’est ce qu’il a dit?
Go Frida : It helps you to go out there and do stuff rather than just planning on doing it and moaning about not having the time or the energy. The disadvantage is that it’s a democracy and you’ve got to take into account other opinions and ideas. Some people see that as an advantage though…
Barth : …

Is there a medium you guys prefer to work in?

Go Frida : We’re trying different medium as we go along and depending on the surface but our favorite combo is paint and markers because it’s got the speed and allows a good level of detail in the drawing.
Fabulon : Stencil is cool too, it’s easy and it looks good.
Barth :…

In a fight, who out of you lot would win?

Fabulon : Quoi?
Go Frida : Me. Period.
Barth : … (smoking)

Paper, Rock or Scissors?

Go Frida and Barth :  Rock!
Fabulon : We mostly use painting and markers…

more: www.3megabits.blogspot.com

Covering one half of the 4th wall and the front of our monthly flyer this month is Eye Saw. So staying with tradition with fired over a few questions about his background and put up a few of his other pictures. In what we like to call the Artist of the Month slot.

“I was really into graffiti as kid, i got into a lot of trouble drawing and painting on things that i shouldn’t have… not a lot has changed there.”

“Anyways i got this book “stencil graffiti” from my sister for my birthday one year, i was amazed at what i saw the detail the humour the pure amount of information you could put in one stencil the size of a A4 piece of paper.”

“I remember cutting my first stencil it took hours to cut it was only a smiley face with a spliff it had some text at the bottom that read “puff puff give”, I went out and sprayed it on a wall down the road from my house only to find out the stencil was the wrong way round and the text was backward.. its still there now and always raises a smile every time i see it.”

What drives you artistically?

What really pisses you off?

Lazy Bullshiters, people that say there going to do this and that then never get off there arse and a do anything, If ya gonna talk the talk then at least stand up..

What makes you really happy?

Finally getting home spending time with my family and chilling out, safe in the knowledge all my work is done for the day.

MORE EYE SAW HERE:
Eye Saw’s Flickr
Buy Eye Saw’s Work at Big Cartel

The Italian artist Run came down to paint in Cargo’s yard in December,

we filmed him at work and liked his art so much that it adorned our January monthly flyer…

For more information on Run, go to www.thedownhill.org

As winter drew in to 2008, The rather lovely Sam3 came down to Cargo to introduce the world of Rivington Street to his huge murals. We love them and now we love him. You need to get to know Sam3

The guy is a freakin’ renegade of the best kind and his video work makes us think too much, cry a little then sleep like innocent babies in a world full of malice.

OUROBOROS from sam3 on Vimeo.

more at Sam3’s blog: http://sam3-security.blogspot.com/

A rather nice stream of art has cascaded on to the walls of Cargo’s yard of late. All sorts of art from all sorts of artists. 6 artists in a month, that has to be a Cargo record. First up was Hush and Asbestos painting at King Adz Urban Cook Book launch

Hush has been painting here frequently in 2008, the same year in which his technique of melding large eyed temptresses in various form of undress with furious backgrounds consisting off newspaper cuttings, 1950’s americana quotes has become much sort after. Click here for my interview with Hush, more work and a clever video from Romanywg.

It was only a matter of time until Hush painted ‘his’ women with their breateses out…

click on the picture for the full effect

Also painting that day was Asbestos. Mysterious, hand obsessed Irish artist who has been making his mark on the art scene through subtle ‘finger painting at the Cans Festival and the Take A Deep Breath Show at the Carmichael Gallery across the pond. One to watch out for.

Click here for Asbestos website and click on the picture right for a the bigger picture.

The following Saturday, Anthony for Opus sorted out for Part2ism (or part2 for the oldschool folk) to come and paint with Copyright down at the Yard. Everyone was pretty miffed that Part2 had painted over Hush’s piece, but he assured us he rang Hush to ask him personally. Here’s Copyright’s piece below, for more info on Part2 and Copyright check the Opus Underground website.

Gent of the scene Blam painted down on Cargo’s infamous ‘5th wall’.  The dude has his ‘painting open mouths’ down. Click here for Blam’s website.

A couple of weeks later the 5th wall was covered in twisted icons of capitalism, self imposed happy heroes of our generation, ugly spokespeople of the dumb founded kids from the 80’s. That’s right, Australia’s finest Ben Frost, at the tail end of his Craptalism show on Dray Walk, came down to throw up a black and white version of his take on the corporate world. We all think we should have a massive colouring in competition like Wimpy used to have. Don’t go outside the lines!!

If you want to paint or know someone who would like to ‘do their art’ down in Cargo’s yard, then drop an e-mail to art@cargo-london.com. Thanks to everyone who comes down and keeps the walls ticking over, and an extra special thanks to Anthony from Opus Underground. Big Up

Lots of love

WetPaint

Another installement in the series happening in Cargo restaurant features 8 graduating Photography students displaying their work in a exhibition entitled ‘Off The Map’. The students come form diverse cultural backgrounds and this is reflected in both the approach to their work and its content. Issues of identity, urban alienation and consumerism are addressed and personal and social narratives explored. In making the work various technical approaches have been employed, including moving image projections and a range of digital and analogue photography, mirroring the scope of subjects undertaken.



This exhibition is part of the Photomonth’s Exhibition. For More info click here



Off The Map runs from Monday 6th of October until the end of the month.

Next week, as part of the successful Polish Deconstruction series, acclaimed Polish director Rafael Kapelinski, will screen his new film ‘Emily Cries’ and gives a talk on its origins and meanings.

“I’ve made this film to have my say about Martial Law in Poland. My memories from those days are very vivid, and I will always associate that time with humiliation and suffering. Emily Cries is my personal statement over what happened then and an expression of  my grief that my generation had to grow up during such a difficult time. The film is also about first real love and the fact that it is always great to be in love regardless of politics.”

Don’t miss Polish Deconstruction and the screening here at Cargo on Tuesday the 23rd of September

this month on Cargo’s third wall, a complex, dark and eerie piece was put up with Oliver Winconek, a upcoming painter, who’s hand-crafted stencils and attention to detail has been garnering head turns from everyone who walks in the yard and from some rather big name artist agents as well…

Your new piece is very striking and detailed… What’s your method of painting?

How did you get into stenciling in particular

Stenciling and street art are things that have always fascinated, I love the idea of taking art away from designated spaces and stenciling is a great way to do this. It always fascinates me how many hours of painstaking stencil cutting translates into what might only be a couple of minutes of painting yet the results can be stunning. Stencil art is heavily in fashion at the moment and so many Artists are picking up a spray can for the first time, its an exciting time but it is getting harder and harder to be original, I rely heavily on colour to set myself apart from others.

Where’s your favourite place to be?

Nowhere in particular, I do love to be in a big city, I love the buzz that only a big city can exude. As nice as it is to get away to the country or the sea I just always find myself yearning to get back. You can almost feel a heightened tension as you get closer to somewhere like London or New York, it’s incredibly exciting as an artist to pick up on that.

Any upcoming exhibitions or other cool stuff that you want to bump?

A well as being represented by Castle Arts in Canterbury I have just been taken on by OPUS Underground in Newcastle, I am involved in a group show alongside C215, Hush, Jef Aerosol, Pure Evil and the London Police. I will be doing some live painting on the night of the private view alongside some of the other guys. I have created some brand new work for the show so it will be great to show it off and see what people think

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To get in touch with Oliver hit: mail@oliver-winconek.co.uk

and check out: www.oliver-winconek.co.uk

Roughe came down last month to Cargo and created two pieces which are completely unlike anything that I’ve seen in the yard, not your normal street art from not your normal street artist. In his words ‘in no way part of the street art movement’ which is a refreshing change from all the scuffed shoed people hanging running along behind the bandwagon.

I chatted to him while he painted and asked him a few questions and told him that ‘he’d missed a bit’…

Your art on our walls is pretty much unlike anything we’ve had up there before, can you tell us a bit about you, a bit of background?

Firstly I should say that I am by both trade and history; a graffiti artist. I am in no way part of the “street art movement”. What I do is pretty much a natural progression from where I came from, letter shapes have reformed into abstract shapes, architecture also plays a big part in what I paint, as a Londoner, I find it hard to ignore the concrete that surrounds me. I love the aesthetics of graffiti… Tags, throw-ups, handstyles, wildstyles… It’s everything that’s shaped me as an artist, although it’s nonetheless a far cry from what I produce now.

The key most important factor in my wall paintings, which so few artists seem to either understand or care about, is composition… form and function is fine, but if you don’t have a grasp of negative and positive space, then you’re wasting the space you have in my humble opinion. Being a designer also aids you’re understanding of colour work, line, typography and application. I constantly look through mags and books and get ideas simply from reading paragraphs that are nicely laid out. Again it all harks back to architecture.

What’s your favourite city in the world?

The best thing is seeing someone else take pleasure in what you do. The worst thing is having to let go.

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Roughe and System’s exhibition in Strasbourg in ongoing. More info here

Look out for Roughe’s book and exhibition in 2009.

Check out more of his stuff: