Amateur Magazine 011

011 1

2

CONTENT:

No. 011 October - April 2012 / 2013

Cover by REVOK www.revok1.com

HELL YEAH, IT'S SWISS DESIGNED.

GIVE THANKS!

SAUCY BITS

page 4

REVOK

page 10

ROSYONE

page 18

CONOR HARRINGTON

page 26

JIRO BEVIS

page 34

THE WEIRD

page 40

14K

page 54

LOWRIDER

page 58

BITCHSLAP

page 62

NUMBER ONE

page 66

CARTE BLANCHE

page 72

FLICKR POOL

page 76

DROP2 POSTERS

page 82

DROP2

page 86

BEEN THERE, DONE...

page 88

WELL DONE

page 94

CREAM & SCREAM

page 96

SHIRTY

page 100

LIL' ILLU BATTLE

page 102

EYES ON TOYS

page 112

IMPRINT

page 114

SNEAKERNESS

page 110

READERS DIG IT 8

page 104 9

2012 Š Amateur Magazine. SWITZERLAND. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Any views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. No guarantee for accuracy of statement.

www.amateur-magazine.com www.flickr.com/groups/amateurmag/pool/ www.twitter.com/AmateurMag www.facebook.com/AmateurMag

3

FAKT F A K T is a temporary project room that combines art and music. It gives internationally renowned artists the opportunity to paint a huge wall. The room is located in Basel next to the main train station. So far, contributors to the 25 x 4 meters wall include Ata "Toast" Bozaci, Onur & Wes21 and Dream from The Wild Side. There will be selected concerts and events going on throughout the month so stay tuned to find out who's up next on the F A K T wall.

Onur & Wes21

FAKT Viaduktstrasse 10 4051 Basel open: TUE - SAT from 4 pm www.f-a-k-t.ch www.facebook,com/faktbasel Toast

PRISM HELVETIA

What does Switzerland represent for you? How could we translate these values?

For their next 'Helvetia' collection, PRISM decided to celebrate Swiss traditions by answering precisely these questions. After having encouraged a great number of Swiss artists and promoting them on the local and international scene for the past six years, the 'Helvetia' collection is like going back to their roots. Fabien Baudin, founder of PRISM, says: “We try to highlight tradition and the stylistic codes of our country - it's the culture that has influenced our artistic choices from the very beginning. You'd be surprised how the traditional leather satchel, once it has been revamped, can become very fashionable.�

The collection is strictly limited, with only ten to twenty of each item. So what are you waiting for?! www.the-prism.ch

4

5

K.OLIN TRIBU In 2009, Matthieu, a passionate collector of Art Toys, and an artist in porcelain, decided to provide an alternative to the production of toys in vinyl and founded the K.Olin Tribu company.

Bringing porcelain to the creative worlds of graphic designers, illustrators, toy designers and artists allows a new approach to decorative figurines, whether in limited editions or as unique pieces.

K.Olin Tribu is based in Limoges, France.

The quality-focused process of the company covers the initial production of the plaster models through to final packaging.

Recent collaboartions include Steph Cop, Frank Kozik, or Ron English. www.kolintribu.com

LOWRIDER X AMATEUR MAGAZINE When it comes to high-quality screen printing, Lowrider Teeshirt is king. The Lowrider headquarters in Fribourg, Switzerland is like its very own world with artifacts, objects and graphics spanning the last two centuries. A place that could be in the middle of Williamsburg, and I mean that in a good way. Since 2000 Serge Nidegger and his team have been producing prints on paper and T-shirts, designed by Serge himself or other international names such as Razauno, Grotesk and Steven Harrington.

Amateur Magazine and Lowrider Teeshirt have now joined forces and the result is a collab print designed

by Serge Nidegger. Read more about Lowrider's story and passion later on in this issue.

You can buy this rare piece of art on cotton from the Lowrider Teeshirt website: www.lowriderteeshirt.ch

Mc Supersized by Ron English Height: 22 cm

6

Potamus Red by Kozik Height: 15 cm

RIO DE JANEIRO 6:17

TOKYO 19:17

GO ALL IN at

adidas.com/originals

7

Š 2012 adidas AG. adidas, the Trefoil logo and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.

CHICAGO 15:17

all originals represent NEW YORK 5:17

Michae

MICHAEL SIEBEN for VOLCOM

Michael lives in Austin, Texas. When he isn't working full time as the art director for Terrible One, or writing articles and working on illustrations for Thrasher, or trying to get Ed Templeton to print some of his stuff for the Toy Machine, or bugging the guys at Volcom about featured art shirts, or working at the art gallery (Camp Fig) he co-owns, he is most likely FA Mike Sieben SS lightweight tee HOLIDAYhalfway 2012 passedA4341251 out on/ FA hisMike couch Sieben S/S Lightweightthrough Tee a romantic comedy which probably stars Hugh Grant. Either that or skating the ditch down the street from his house. But most likely the passed out on the couch thing.

WHT

White

XS S M L XL XXL

• Front & inner neck Featured Artist softhand screen print. Featuring the Art of Mike Sieben.

• Slim lightweight Fit. 50% cotton / 50% viscose, 140 gr.

www.msieben.com www.volcomeurope.com/sieben WHT

Publications 2010 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2008 2008 2007 2007 2007 2006 2006 2005 2004

BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING

Article Huck Magazine Issue 21 London, UK A Film by Neil Berkeley present by Future You Pictures Interview King Brown Magazine Issue 5 Australia There’s Nothing Wrong With You (Hopefully) (Book) Gingko Press, Berkeley, CA For over 30 years, Wayne White has Featured Designer Upper Playground:10 Years Of T-Shirt Graphics (Book) Gingko Press, Berkeley, CA made an indelible mark Featured Designer New Skateboard Graphics (Book) NYC, on NY the creative world. As a designer, painter, puppeteer, Interview Plus One Magazine Issue 10 London, UK sculptor, and musician, Mr. White created images and ideas Featured Artist The Upset Young Contemporary Art (Book) Berlin, DE thatCAare an integral – yet sometimes subconscious – part of Featured Artist Juxtapoz Illustration (Book) San Francisco, Interview Vapors Magazine Issue 45 LA, CA the pop culture lexicon. To this day, he still gets up every Interview Juxtapoz Issue 81 San Francisco, CA morning to do the only thing his body and mind were made Interview Color, Vol. 5, Issue 4 Vancouver, Canada Interview Happy Magazine Issue 41 Costa Mesa, CA to do…create. Whether the world acknowledges it or not.

Interview Arrow Magazine Issue 01 NYC, NY Featured Artist Concrete to Canvas: Skateboarders’ Art (Book) London, UK Featured Artist Arkitip Magazine Issue 0021 LA, CA Part biography, part live performance, Beauty Is Embar-

rassing, tells the irreverent and inspiring story of this oneof-a-kind visual artist and raconteur. The film traces White’s career from an underground cartoonist in New York’s East Show Review in The Pulse Chattanooga, TN Village to his big break as a designer, puppeteer and voiceShow Review San Antonio Express News San Antonio, TX Show Review in the New York Times NYC, NY over actor on Pee-wee’s Playhouse for which he won three Article in ArtLies Magazine Issue 68 Houston, TX Article in Art Voices Magazine Issue 24 New Orleans, LAEmmy’s. It follows Wayne’s success designing and animatArticle in the Austin Chronicle Austin, TX ing for other children’s shows like Beakman’s World and Article in the Austin American Statesman Austin, TX music videos for The Smashing Pumpkins (“Tonight, ToOkay Mountain Interview in The Austin Chronicle Volume 30, No. 3 Austin, TX night”) and Peter Gabriel (“Big Time”) through a dark period Must See List for the Pulse Fair - Miami Herald Miami, FL Show Review in the Kansas City Star Kansas City, MO of struggle and self-reflection before emerging in his present-day incarnation as a respected painter and performer.

The film, like White, embraces the ragged edges and messy contradictions of life, art, and family with rabid humor and honesty.

Wayne White

Okay Mountain Publications 2012 2011 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2008

www.BeautyIsEmbarrassing.com

8

STARFUCKER painting

Michael Siebe in Studio Art Texas at Austin of four founding Gallery (2002-2 member of O and Collective work has been United States a London, Mexic works as a pro designer primar of skateboardin writer and illu Thrasher Mag will participate Anniversary tou which will be ex New York City, C Los Angeles. In Skateboards w skateboarder S Gingko Press book of his rec Nothing Wrong In 2011 he be column for VIC (vice.com). Mic in Austin, Texa their son River and Josie.

Since 2009, with the Okay M taken on a large fine art pract «Corner Store prestigious Pu well as the peo the 2009 Pulse Since then the commissioned and Universitie works and ha roster of repres Moore Gallery i

9

We managed to catch up with Revok in June while he was working on a commission in Switzerland. The perfect opportunity to have a laid-back chat with him about graffiti, the Swiss Alps and his long list of projects.

While flicking through the last issue of Amateur, he pauses at the Toast interview and immediately starts the ball rolling…

«In the early 90s the European graffiti scene was still very focused on New York. L.A. wasn't getting a whole lot of attention. So there weren’t many international writers coming to L.A. at that time. I think Toast was one of the first guys to come over. And he did some really amazing stuff. I remember that I was really impressed by what he did and I paid close attention to him for a long time after that. He is a really talented guy.»

R: Yeah, I can see that. But you know, I think there is no real justification for pure graffiti magazines anymore. I think that limiting yourself to just graffiti is boring. But with the internet you know everybody sees the photos online – unless you are lucky enough to get someone to share photos with you that they haven't yet published. But what makes a magazine valuable is the content; content that you can't just Google and find. I think creating original content is the future….Ah, this guy is really good. Oh, you guys have got good content. Good stuff.

AM: Thank you.

We force Revok to put down the magazine and to stay focused!

AM: Is this your first time in Switzerland?

R: Yeah.

AM: What impresses you the most?

R: It's the mountains, man. These mountains are amazing. This is such a beautiful place. Just this little valley here, in the middle of these giant mountains is fucking incredible. They have us in these two little chalets up on the very top and you wake up in the morning surrounded by these massive mountains. You guys are very lucky. You have a very beautiful country.

AMATEUR: Good to hear.

AM: Thank you. But honestly, this is like picture-perfect Switzerland, the one you find on postcards. Where we live it ain’t all mountains everywhere!

R: Who did the illustration on this cover?

R: Yeah, but they aren’t far away, you know.

AM: DXTR. A German guy – he is also part of The Weird collective.

AM: That's true.

R: He’s dope. The Weird – that's Nychos as well?!

R: I really could stay here for a while.

AM: Yeah, right. And Low Bros and some other really talented guys.

AM: When do you have to leave?

R: Ah yeah, Low Bros from Berlin. Really good.

R: I think my girlfriend and I are going back on Monday.

I have had to turn down a lot of trips this year. Making my art has much more of a priority now. That's part of the reason why I moved to Detroit. To get away from L.A. – not just because of all my legal problems there – but you know L.A. is a very expensive lifestyle and I found myself spending a lot of time working on commercial projects that I don't enjoy and it's not the type of work that I want to do. I felt that I didn't have time for the work that I really love, which is my art. So part of my motivation for leaving L.A. is to be away from all the distractions but also, Detroit is so cheap and it is so quiet which means it's easy for me to focus on what I really want to do.

Right now, I'm preparing for two shows. I have a show in L.A. next month at our gallery, Known. And then I have another show in October in Paris.

So I have a lot of work on right now; and for the last four months, that's all I’ve been doing. I’ve had opportunities to do a lot of travelling but I’ve had to turn them all down.

AM: Yeah. The collective is spread all over Germany and Austria.

R: I think they’re great. And I also like the Jukebox Cowboys. Hey, this is a cool magazine!

AM: Thank you. You know, when we started out we never thought we would reach the tenth issue. We just started without thinking too much about it.

R: That's the best way to do anything. Just go for it. Speaking of magazines, I just got a mail from the guy from Bomber magazine. They are finished: they’re making their very last issue and then that's it.

AM: What a shame.

R: It's the oldest running graffiti magazine. 25 years I think.

10

AM: Crazy. That's a long time! But we are not a graffiti magazine, obviously.

ÂŤSometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you can learn from every experience and just move forward.Âť Artist Revok1 (MSK, TSL) - raised in L.A. currently living in Detroit - is actually a very nice guy.

www.revok1.com

11

12

AM: So what made you accept this trip to Switzerland?

In June 2012, Mode2, Esow, Faith47, Revok, Trd, Askew, Demes, Jasm came together in Valais, Switzerland to paint canvases composed of 84 wine cases. Organized by the vineyard’s owner and art lover Yvo Mathier with creative assistance from Lausanne-based writer Jasm, each artist’s work is a representation of wine from the new myFINBEC collection. Please go to www.finbec.ch for more information.

R: I've just been in the studio, working so much and I felt that I needed a little break.

And it was also a great chance to take my girlfriend to Switzerland. She is pregnant right now. We are going to be having our first child so there won’t be many opportunities for us to travel soon. And Ivo is such a nice guy. It's fun. You know, my good friend Askew is involved in the project too. Mode2 is another artist I really respect. I grew up really looking up to this guy. Spray can art was like my bible and the Chrome Angels were some of the stars of spray can art and really inspirational to me when I first started doing graffiti. So to do anything that he is involved in is a big honour. And all these Swiss guys are really nice. Esow and Faith are also really cool. You know, it's cool to hang out with artists from all over the world and drink wine in the fucking Swiss Alps. That's kind of awesome.

AM: So, would you say that it turned out to be even better than you expected? I can imagine that your first reaction to this invitation was not that positive.

R: Like I mentioned before, I purposely try to avoid this type of stuff. I don't want to do commercial stuff; in fact I don't want to do anything with any company. I've really made an effort to get away from that type of work and it's not what I'm interested in doing. But I was talking to my friend Askew who was visiting me in Detroit, because he

www.revok1.com

13

was part of this ‘Beautification’ thing that I've put together, and he told me “Oh I'm going to Switzerland,” and I was like “Are you really?” So when he told me that he was doing it and his girlfriend was coming as well, I thought wow, this is the perfect opportunity to hang out in the Swiss Alps with our girlfriends. Let's go do this. But, this is probably the last time you will ever see me do anything like this.

AM: I see. But if the conditions and the timeframe were right….?

they are struggling to hold on, they are struggling to stay in business. There just aren’t a lot of people out there who are motivated to do something, just for the sake of doing it. Like painting a wall just for the sake of it. You know, everybody is trying to survive there. So, when you approach people and say, hey, I’ve got these very talented guys from Europe, they are great muralists, let us paint your wall for free, they are fucking thrilled, you know what I mean. And they are not trying to hold out because such and such outdoor advertising wants to pay them ten thousand dollars, because no one is advertising in Detroit.

There is nobody to advertise to. So, it's like a perfect place.

AM: Hell yeah!

R: Perhaps. And Ivo is such a nice guy.

You know, I was a bit sceptical at the beginning, but once I met him I realised that he is so cool. He even took us up in the helicopters and was very hospitable the whole time.

AM: Yeah, that's what we thought too.

AM: Hey, you just mentioned the ‘Detroit Beautification Project’. Was it your idea?

R: It was kind of my idea - all the artists are my friends. I kind of put together all the guys, but you know, I'm so busy with other stuff, so I didn't really have the time or the patience to work out all the logistical aspects and organise everything. So together with my friend Matt Eaton, a really good guy, who is the brother of another artist, Tristan Eaton (who have both been living in Detroit for some time), I got some other people involved, like the folk from 1XRUN, Jesse and Dan, they do prints and also come from Detroit, and they are really good at organising things and making things happen. So I put it in their hands and they made it all happen. I just called on my friends and said “Hey, let's do this”.

We also got good support from the American distributors of German Montana cans. They were very supportive and paid a lot of money and contributed a lot of paint to enable this project to happen. And of course also our clothing company The Seventh Letter put up a lot of money.

I've been doing this for almost 22 years and made good relationships and met some good people over time. It's nice to have a network of really good friends and also very talented ones. I had all the pieces of the puzzle right there so why not take advantage of it and put them together and make cool stuff like that happen? And in that city. You know, in any other big city, where there is a lot of stuff happening and there is a lot of business and a lot of creative people, you know spaces – even if you are able to appropriate space and use it, be it illegally painting graffiti or trying to do legal mural projects, it gets a bit difficult. Space is a high-value commodity, you are competing with advertisers who want to buy the wall, or business owners who have been burnt a couple times. Yeah you know what I mean. Whereas in Detroit you don't have any of that shit.

I think sixty percent of all buildings in Detroit are abandoned. And the ones that aren't abandoned, these businesses

14

R: And the ‘Beautification’ project is an ongoing project.

It's not going to end. We had 17 artists out there for the first, kind of official round and I'm about to bring a bunch more people. I also got some local business guys who are kind of risk takers and who really believe in the city and are all about do-it-yourself and making it happen. They have been really excited and supportive about the project and now it's gaining more men and money, so it's just going to keep on growing.

You know, there's a part of me, the graffiti guy who just wants to get over and do whatever he can do to paint walls, but I think if I were in L.A. that would be the case, but in Detroit, you really see how much of an impact it has on people. People really appreciate something as simple as painting a colourful piece on the wall because there is just nothing like that and there is no real kind of inspiration. no glimmer of hope.

Recently, after painting an illegal burner on the wall, the police stopped me and said “That's fucking awesome, thank you for doing that,” And I was like “What? I didn't do that, I'm just taking a picture,” and they were like “Yeah right, I've seen you around and that shit is cool.” Yeah, they love it. In this video that we put together POSE says it best: “Here in that city all the lines that are normally drawn between what's legal, what's illegal, what's art, what's not art you know none of it really matters there, it's just a simple human gesture.” That really explains it perfectly. You are painting a wall and people are moved by it and really appreciate it. They don't stop to ask if you have permission or if it is art or vandalism or graffiti. Most of the time. And that's what I love about that place so much. It's all about getting back to basics and I'm enjoying that very much.

AM: Nice. Thanks for sharing. Let's travel one year back in time to the famous show “Art in the Streets” at the MOCA in L.A. which you were invited to. As well as your arrest just after the show, what impact did the show have on you?

R: You know everything else that resulted from the show is really just a side note.

The thing that will make the show an amazing experience for me and something I'll always cherish and always be honoured and thrilled to be a part of was that it was a culmination of everything from my childhood that I obsessed and lusted and

fantasised about. All of these people who meant the world to me. To have all these people, all these icons, all the events, the records and the paintings, that you would have seen, you know these old Dondi or Lee paintings – to have all these things together under one roof and then to be there in the middle of it as a part of it and to be hanging out with Barry McGee, Os Gemoes, Steve Powers and Reas, Mode2 and so many other guys, like RISK who was one of my idols in L.A., was just an incredible experience. Being with all those guys made me who I am. Without ever knowing it obviously, but they made me who I am. You know, I studied everything that these people did and obsessed over it and learnt from it and tried to do what they do in my own way.

One thing I remember thinking during the show is if I die next week, I'll be satisfied.

I never imagined that anything like this would happen. You know, I never imagined that all these different people, aspects and elements from all over would come together in this one place and especially that it would happen in Los Angeles.

Even though graffiti will always be outside of the art world, it is an art form and an art movement. To see that this creative movement is finally earning some recognition and respect in a real art establishment was the real pleasure and joy of it all.

Obviously, there are a lot of negative things associated with it, like people that should have been involved but weren’t and shit like

that, but at the end of the day I think “Oh whatever! Nothing is perfect”. I ended up having some legal bullshit afterwards, but that probably would have happened anyway. You know, I have no regrets - it was just incredible.

AM: Thanks for the honest answer. Even though these would be the perfect closing words, we have some more standard Amateur questions for you…

R: Okay.

AM: What do you love?

R: I love life. I don't know what there is beyond it. But I know that this is a blessing, it's a gift. It's very limited, you are not promised a certain amount of time and every day is an opportunity to experience and learn and feel and exist, connect with others, and discover. . . I've seen it to be taken away in a flash, many times. Many people I cared about. And every time I realise just how valuable it is and what a gift it is. I love being alive and I just want to get the most out of it.

AM: If you could be one thing, what would you be?

R: It would be nice to be a mountain.

To see time from a different perspective.

AM: What will you bring your parents from Switzerland as a souvenir?

R: a

Pictures n d stories.

They’re always the best things you can bring.

«Graffiti taught me how to appreciate life.»

AM: What lessons did graffiti teach you?

R: Graffiti taught me how to appreciate life. It taught me to face my fears and not to hide or stay comfortable. To always be open to new experiences and not be afraid. Had I not discovered graffiti I'd probably be some ignorant loser in the suburbs of Southern California, not going anywhere in life. Graffiti has taken me all over the place. It opened my eyes to the world. And it has put me into a lot of challenging situations, where I had to see who I really am and what I'm made of.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you can learn from every experience and just move forward. You would think graffiti is such a negative, destructive, juvenile pursuit, but somehow it's been the best thing that has ever happened to me.

AM: Thank you.

R: Thank you! ._.

Words: Lain Photos: Markus Fischer

www.revok1.com

15

PHOTOS: SCOTT POMMIER

DIMITRI COSTE VANS.COM/OTW - ©2012 VANS, INC.

16

PI E RCY

17

ROSYONE

Proud mother and legendary writer RosyOne from Biel-Bienne (CH).

18

DJ, B-Girl, legendary writer - you’re a very versatile agent of the hip-hop culture…

«I wouldn’t call myself a hip-hop agent, but a hip-hop lover. I don't love it like a dogma or a religion though, I just love the music, the attitude and the feeling it gives me. To be honest, back in the days I saw "Beatstreet" on TV and it was totally normal to breakdance, DJ and paint graffiti…Everyone did everything. Today I concentrate on graffiti… that’s my area of expertise.»

trains. I like that too. I enjoy being with my boys.

When I work, I love to work in my atelier listening to music or audiobooks while drawing or painting, or I go out to paint a wall. Once a week I play soccer, in summer I often go to swim in the lake or river and one night a month I help to organize the rap history party at the Coupole in Biel.

How do you make a living?

It’s a total mix: I do customized airbrush stuff, sell canvases or pictures, do party backgrounds, clothing designs, flyers and posters etc…I recently did an advertising film where I had to spray a wall and I earned really good money that enabled me to concentrate on unpaid work for the exhibitions, where you can never be sure if you’ll sell something or not.

It’s no secret that you got busted for train writing. What do you think about the whole story today?

They tried to crack a nut with a sledgehammer.

What happened?

One day in 1996 they stopped me while I was taking a photo of a whole car. After that, they shadowed me and tapped my mother’s phone for three months. Eight policemen came to my home and sent me to prison for two weeks. It started a long odyssey through all levels of jurisdiction as the phone tapping turned out to be

Have you ever been active as an MC? I did some bad trials when I was younger, but I’m not a showgirl. I’m far too shy!

Please introduce yourself.

My name is RosyOne. I’m 35 years old and have been doing graffiti since 1989.

I’m really tall and tough and my head is as hard as stone. If I get an idea in my head, I have to do it. I have two boys (aged 4 and 2). I draw a lot and collect old vinyl, ranging from the sweetest soul to the toughest rap music, as well as old audiobooks on tape, nicely illustrated children’s books and everything that reminds me of the golden age of hip-hop, including sneakers, clothes, magazines, books, boom boxes…

Can you describe a typical day in the life of Rosy?

I wake up at seven o’ clock in the morning and either work, in which case I start to draw or paint at nine o clock, or I spend the day with my two little boys. My older son is a real trucker fanatic so his favorite thing to do at the moment is to watch trucks driving past on the road in front of our house. We sit on the roof, hoping for the next bigger truck to come.

My younger son loves to play with Lego

www.rosyone.com

19

20

illegal. I ended up in a really bad financial situation and got 4 months prison on probation.

After that they often stopped me or took me with them when I was painting legal walls.

Last time they came to my house was in 2006 to take me to prison and take my DNA. But I won the case in court and was awarded 100 Euros compensation. Which isn’t actually that much.

I don’t have to do anything illegal... The fact that I do is reason enough and the police probably really love me so much that they just want to see me a lot... Haha!

How did train writing influence your life?

I still love the noise and smell of trains and stations. I still love the night. I still love the attitude of young, wild and anarchic boys. I love hoodies and sneakers (the perfect outfit for making a fast getaway) – I’m still always dressed like that.

The experiences of trials, prison and court and growing up with a million dollars worth of debt hanging over my head affected my life too. It has made me a lot more critical and political.

Let's talk about your art. How would you describe it to someone who has never seen it before? Just imagine you met Picasso in heaven…

My graffiti is simple and makes references to the subway art of New York in the 80s. Readable letters, sweet and fresh colors. The characters are nasty, but humorous. I am not sure if he’d understand what I was saying!

I don’t normally bother explaining graffiti to people who aren’t into it...

Last year you started doing exhibitions. What made you get into the art world?

It wasn’t a well-considered decision. I was asked to do exhibitions and I did it. I had already done a few exhibitions before, but suddenly people

www.rosyone.com

were more interested. I think it helped that Os Gemeos, the famous artist duo from Rio, asked me to do some artwork for them.

You did three solo shows in four months. How did that come about?

No idea, but it was loads of work! I didn’t want to show the same work twice.

Tell us something about the exhibitions…

First I did this exhibition called "Off the Cuff" at the LaGrille Gallery, a very nice, small gallery in the middle of the old city of Yverdon. I took the theme of "Backpiece and Jeans" and focused on that and painted on denim etc. It looked really good.

Then there was the exhibition at the Speerstra Gallery called "Too Much is Never Enough".

The title says a lot about the graffiti philosophy of painting as much as possible, something which has stayed with me over the years.

I painted fast, spontaneously and intuitively on large-format paper. I think paper is the best medium to paint on, because canvases are expensive and you're always afraid of making mistakes. Painting on paper is like painting outside in the streets, you paint and if it’s no good, you just do the next one.

That’s what keeps that raw and fresh character alive.

It was fascinating to see the whole Speerstra collection and a huge honor to be part of it.

The third exhibition was at the Yard5 store in Berlin and involved more illustrative work. I did a series of rap music artists and called it "Mixtape Vol.1"…It reminded me of being a DJ! What are you currently working on?

At the moment I’m working on a series of illustrations called "We Want Colors", which I will be showing at a group show at the Trafacka gallery in Praha this month. I have to get rid of my antipathy regarding clean cities.

Biel, where I live, was a very colorful, vivid city, but it's getting cleaner and cleaner by the day: no tags, no graffiti, no posters, no stickers...

21

22

Would you say your art is still graffiti?

What I really love about graffiti is its easy-going character. Often it is like a children’s drawing, unaware of how it might appear to other people, or how it would sell… That allows the artist to be spontaneous, raw and socially critical. Lots of graffiti writers currently exhibiting in galleries are doing that decorative, pleasing art thing.

That’s just not something I can do: I’m much too affected by 20 years of doing graffiti and I really hope that I can keep this easy-going, fresh, but critical aspect of graffiti in other work I do.

Last year you released a photography book about posing in Europe during the 80s and 90s called "Cause We Got Style!" Tell us about the idea behind the book.

It was a project called "Dopepose", which started with a website talking about the art of "posing": the art of presenting oneself, about hip-hop fashion and old-school style.

People sent their photos to show them on the site. The book was the next logical step. I collected hundreds of photos, and I showed the best ones in a book, which got published last year by Dokument Press in Sweden.

I’m really proud of its success. But I’m already moving on to other projects and ideas.

If you had the choice, which artists would you create cover art for?

Missy Elliott, Public Enemy, 50 Cent…

Who are your idols?

Dondi, Skeme, Futura2000, Jay One, Bando, GeeOne, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jean Ziegler, Richard Scarry, Tomi Ungerer ...

What has the hip-hop culture taught you in life?

To be open to every other music genre and lifestyle.

And what’s next on the cards for RosyOne? First I want to go on vacation with my boys, after that I’ll be working on a RosyOne book.

I’d like to continue with exhibitions, sell a lot and make good money. I would love to do my own clothing line... Mmmh, we will see …

Anything else you want to say?

Buy art - not cocaine! ._.

Words: Lain Photos: RosyOne

www.rosyone.com

23

24

www.rosyone.com

25

CONOR HARRINGTON Bristol, 2012. Photo by Paul Green

Artist Conor Harrington, born in Cork (IRE) in 1980. Lives and works in London.

26

Could you please give some advice to our younger readers out there who might want to pursue a career as an artist?

«Go to art college. It doesn't seem as necessary now but critical education is invaluable. And work your asses off!»

When did you move to London and why?

I moved eight years ago. Cork is nice but big cities are always best for artists. There are a lot of artists here so it pushes you on. The art market it quite healthy too which always helps.

What does a typical day in the life of Conor entail?

It's all very dull to be honest. I get up early and hit the gym with my mate four days a week. Being self-employed can be tricky with the discipline but exercising early in the morning sorts me right out. The rest of the day is basically painting loads, eating loads, drinking too much coffee and avoiding my emails.

When did your education in fine arts merge with your passion for graffiti - by using spray paint and oil colors?

It happened about half way through art college. I loved both worlds and thought it made most sense to bring them together to see how they got on.

My tutors weren't too into it at the time so it’s amazing how the attitudes towards graffiti have changed in just ten years.

What do you like most about each medium?

They're both incredibly vast and varied in their own ways but I like the control of historical painting and the immediacy of graffiti.

Looking back, what was the biggest boost to your career?

There have been a few good moments over the years. The first was in 2005 when I exhibited a painting called 'Turn Up The Silence' at the Outside Institute. It was my first time exhibiting within the London scene so that piece brought me a lot of attention and opened a few doors.

You are being represented by the famous Lazarides Gallery. How did the collaboration come about?

Steve opened the gallery in 2006, about three months after my first show in London. He was looking for new artists and my show was still fresh in peoples’ minds as there weren't a lot of shows happening back then so the timing worked out nicely.

Let's talk about your art. How would you describe it to someone who has never seen it before?

It’s a modern take on historical paintings, re-painting the past but with a few modern elements thrown in to annoy the history buffs.

Being a professional artist represented by galleries also means having to answer lots of questions about the content of your art.

Do you think it is really necessary to speak about your intentions?

I prefer to let the paintings do the talking as words aren't my strongest point, but it’s always good to let people know what your work is about. I find a lot of people get the wrong idea by judging it at face value, as I often do with the work of others.

And if there is no way out, what’s your response?

I tell a few lies!

You also like to mix it up in terms of the content. Where do you get the ideas for your images?

I used to go to historical re-enactment events to photograph the men dressed up as soldiers. I liked that false sense of power and authority. But more recently, with the help of a couple of photographers, I've been staging elaborate photo shoots with models, costumes and props. I like exploring systems of power and how they fall apart. What goes up must always come down.

Vardo, Norway, 2012

www.conorharrington.com

27

For your last show "Dead Meat" at Lazarides you art directed a photo shoot based on an 18th century feast. What kind of an experience was that, and how did it influence your style of work?

It was my first shoot and a completely new experience. I was shitting it and completely out of my depth but I got through it in the end. Recent shoots have proven more successful though so I must be getting used to it.

Which artists do you look up to? Why? I think Jenny Saville is the best painter on the planet. Nobody can use a brush like her. I also like the German painter Neo Rauch with his warped depictions and surreal figures. In the graffiti world I guess Barry McGee is everyone’s favorite and certainly one of mine. He is one of the few who has successfully taken his work beyond graffiti.

Will we be able to see any of your works exhibited in Switzerland anytime soon?

I don't have any plans just yet but you never know. I'd love to come and paint some walls.

If you could be anything, what would you be and why?

Hmm, maybe an external hard-drive because my own memory is rubbish.

That’s pretty boring though.

If you had one last song to listen to before you die, what would it be?

BB King's 'The Thrill Is Gone' is my all-time favorite. But it would be a bit too sad and accurate when you’re literally about to die though!

What do you love?

Finishing a painting! ._.

Text: Lain Photos: Ian Cox & Eoghan Brennan

The Killer Inside. Oil and spray paint on linen, 183cm x 122cm, 2012.

Photo by Ian Cox

28

Death in the Afternoon. Oil and spray paint on linen, 183cm x 152cm, 2011.

Photo by Eoghan Brennan

www.conorharrington.com

29

Underbelly, Paris, 2011

30

www.conorharrington.com

31

Tardis of Delight. Oil and spray paint on linen, 152cm x 122cm, 2012.

Photo by Ian Cox

«My tutors weren't too into it at the time so it’s amazing how the attitudes towards graffiti have changed in just ten years.»

32

Three Wise Men. Oil and spray paint on linen, 183cm x 240cm, 2012.

Photo by Ian Cox

When We Were Kings. Oil and spray paint on linen, 183cm x 300cm, 2012.

Photo by Ian Cox

www.conorharrington.com

33

JIRO BEVIS

34

You mix very different elements to create something new.

How do you come up with these ideas?

«I don’t know, I guess I'm quite inquisitive and am always looking up stuff and collecting images or reading about things that interest me so my head is usually full of a few ideas at any given time. Then it's just a case of picking one of those ideas and trying to translate that into a piece of artwork, but within my own style of work.»

What does a typical day in the life of Jiro look like?

On a working day I wake up, make a coffee, go for a walk and probably go to the local street market to get some food. Then I get home, check my emails and make sure I've replied to any ones I still need to (I try and make sure I always reply, unless of course they’re bullshit!) Sometimes I try and play squash but if not I make some lunch or go out for some food with a friend then get home around 1pm and start drawing. I'm not much of a morning person and can't really get going until lunch time. Then from 1 to around 8pm I try and get as much drawing done as possible although I get distracted a lot by looking at stuff online, usually music blogs. I end up losing track of time when I discover a band or musician and spend hours trying to find their music. Then in the evening I might go out for a drink or if I need to finish work I'll stay up late drawing, listening to nice relaxing music. There are a lot fewer distractions at night so I always seem to get more done. Then I watch a film or read a book before hitting the sack.

it, as well as a lot of humor that really appealed to me, as I felt these were attributes I wanted to come across in my own work. But there are a whole load of artists I look up to and discover all the time: I recently got a book on the sculptor and painter Ken Price: I love the shapes and colors he creates.

What’s been playing on your mind recently?

Usually the thing that's on my mind and stresses me out more than anything is my football team, but the season is over now so I don't have to worry about that at the moment. The weather's been crap recently, that's been annoying me too. I want to be out in the sun but it keeps raining every day.

If you had one last song to listen to before you die, what would it be?

I don’t know, that's a tough one. I have so many songs I love and they change pretty much day to day but I guess the B-side of Abbey Road by The Beatles. I know it isn't exactly a song but they all merge into one and they are my favorite band.

What do you love?

Sleeping Anything else you want to say?

I discovered the other day that my great uncle from Japan designed the Mitsubishi A6M aircraft, which was the plane the Japanese manufactured and used most during World War II. According to a friend who's a big plane fan that was the coolest plane of World War II, which is pretty amazing. They were used a lot in the attack of Pearl Harbor, as well as by Kamikaze pilots. ._.

Words: Lain Photos: Jiro Bevis

And what about a perfect day in the life of Jiro?

Ideally not having to worry about needing to do any work. Waking up whenever I feel like it, eating some nice food, good weather, maybe watch a United game, meet some friends, go for drinks, go to a record shop and find a load of amazing records I want that are really cheap. Then eat some more nice food and go out and get drunk with friends and listen to good music.

How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it before - e.g. someone from the planet Mars?

Just a collection of drawings of things that I'm interested in and care about; with an emphasis mainly on music, film, popular culture, nostalgia, nature, science and anything else that interests me.

What do you love about London? What would you change?

London is an incredible city to live in; I think I probably don't fully appreciate the magnitude of it some days, but there is so much going on all the time. I think what makes London so special is the multiculturalism: it really creates such a diverse setting that you just don't get anywhere else on the planet. The only thing I wish was different in London is the weather, especially right now. We're in the middle of summer and it's been pissing it down for the past three months which is incredibly depressing. But then again the weather creates the environment so if it were sunny all the time everybody would probably just be chilling out not doing much and the city would be a lot less interesting.

Who are the artists you look up to? Why? I've always been a huge fan of the artist Fergus Purcell whose work I first discovered when I was at art college. I think at the time I was still unsure of what I really wanted to do and seeing his work opened up so many possibilities for me. His work was fun and you really got a sense of who the artist was and what he cared about. Plus the references were things I was really into as well. It had a very innocent and unpretentious feel to

www.jirobevis.co.uk

35

36

www.jirobevis.co.uk

37

38

www.jirobevis.co.uk

39

THE WEIRD

THE WEIRD are: CONE (Saarbr端cken/Munich) | DXTR (D端sseldorf) | FRAU ISA (Vienna) | HERR VON BIAS (Berlin) | NERD & QBRK are LOW BROS (Hamburg/Berlin) | NYCHOS (Vienna) | LOOK & VIDAM are PEACHBEACH (Berlin) | ROOKIE (Dresden/M端nster)

The Weird crew united. Saarbruecken (GER), August 2012. Photo by Rich Serra

40

AM: You are spread all over Europe. How often do you meet and where?

What is The Weird?

«The next 'ish, destroying the game. Fighting all that bad shit with weirdism. More than a crew. More than graffiti. More than spray paint on walls. More than you see.

More quality. More laughing.» CONE

COLLECTIVE INTERVIEW with Cone, Look and Dxtr.

AM: How did you come together?

Cone: Polygamy on the wall. The same old thing. It just felt absolutely right, for the first time after years and years. Magic.

Look: A few of us first met in Vienna at a really weird festival. We painted there and stayed at Nychos' place. And it just felt right. From the very first second.

Dxtr: A few of us have been really good friends for years. Last year, Nychos managed to arrange for most of us to come to that festival in Vienna. That was one really weird week.

A few weeks later I had the opportunity to bring them over to the Ruhr Area here in Germany for another festival and The Weird was born.

Look: We always meet under different circumstances. Always something new and fresh. So it doesn’t get boring. Traveling is really fun for us. Getting on a train or plane and staying at good places. 500 years ago you needed a lifetime to see all this stuff.

Cone: Hmmm, let's say about every two months in changing constellations in changing places. And one, two times a year with the whole family. So far, it was mostly in Europe where we showed up. But we are hot to travel the world. Word.

AM: Let's talk about your art. How would you describe your art to someone who has never seen it before?

Dxtr: Rookie once called it "pop surrealism". Nice word. Hot and fast like a bird-eating tarantula.

Look: You put a lot of different characters, meanings, styles, drugs and shit in a mixer and exactly in this moment you recognize that you are standing in the middle of nowhere and see that there's no electricity at all to put that shit on and then the mixer explodes.

Cone: Weird | figurative | post-comic | not graffiti | mural love | same but different | your mother | ill | unique | most loved | most hated | most innovate | beer | “geil, geil, geil”

AM: Creative people tend to be egocentric, but your artworks seem to be the perfect sum of all the individuals working on them. What is your secret?

Dxtr: You can't imagine how much fun we're having. I guess that’s the secret and most important ingredient in our work.

THE WEIRD, ALICE IN WEIRDOLAND

«You can't imagine how much fun we're having. I guess that’s the secret and most important ingredient in our work.» DXTR

www.facebook.com/theweirdcrew

41

Cone: It's The Weird. Not really a secret, but undefinable to anyone not being The Weird. Sorry mates. Cheers.

Look: We respect ourselves and others. That’s all.

AM: When doing crew productions, do you have an exact sketch before going on the wall or is it freestyle?

Look: Yes and no. We have a pool of concepts and before we start something new we look into this folder. If we find something we discuss colors and get them, and if not we buy colors and think about what we are doing in front of the wall. Then we work out a concept and a composition with the sketches we made. That’s it.

Cone: Not an exact sketch but a certain workflow. A main idea results from our never-ending concept collection. Someone defines a color scheme, everyone sketches. We put the sketches together to try out the order and composition. We discuss, we argue, we laugh, we drink, we start doing first lines, we drink, we talk crazy shit, we laugh, we rock.

AM: Do you have any rituals when working together?

Dxtr: We meet, then drink and party a lot. So usually we start painting the next day with a big hangover.

Look: We eat some rats and drink their blood and start painting.

AM: Is there a project you are especially proud of? Why? Look: Pushing the weird as a side dish amongst our normal modern day illustrator design chaos.

Cone: Founding The Weird …

FRAU ISA

42

LOW BROS

LOW BROS

www.facebook.com/theweirdcrew

43

AM: What would be the project of your dreams?

Look: THE WEIRD WORLD TOUR. Cone: A world tour with the whole gang. Paid of course. To spread "Weirdism" around the globe.

Dxtr: I'm sure it’s going to happen soon.

AM: What are your plans for the future?

Dxtr: We will spend more and more time together in the near future, so you all better be prepared.

Cone: Going down the weird path with no particular direction. Keep on working on our different kinds of styles. There are some things in the pipeline. But this year showed that you should never announce anything until it is 100% confirmed. We’re trying to push the Weird to the next level.

AM: Any crew exhibitions planned?

Cone: Of course. The thing is that several dates were delayed. The best thing to do is follow us on FB and our TMBLR account for details. There are some intense things awaiting the world …

AM: Anything else you want to say?

Dxtr: Let the good times roll.

Look: Stay weird and DANCE your brain away!!!

Cone: Receiving so much love for our work stokes. Thanks to all of you.

Stay tuned. Cheeeers! ._.

Words: Lain Photos: The Weird

LOOK

HERR VON BIAS

44

NYCHOS

«We eat some rats and drink their blood and start painting.» LOOK

NYCHOS

LOOK

DXTR

LOOK

http://www.facebook.com/theweirdcrew

45

ARTIST

FRAU ISA

LOOK

LOW BROS

ROOKIE

Favorite word?

Maaadonna

Vogelspinne

Street beer (thanks Gauky!)

Zack

Favorite song to wake up to?

Debbie Reynolds – ‘Aba Daba Honeymoon’

Booker White – ‘Aberdeen Mississippi Blues HIFI’

Dirty Gold – ‘California Sunrise’

Kid Loco – ‘Relaxin' with Cherry’

Favorite way to waste time?

Baking cakes and eating them afterwards

Diggin' in the crates

Favorite artist outside The Weird?

Walton Ford

Favorite porn movie title?

Working out ideas you'll never implement, or getting worked up if someone else implements one of your ideas

Lying down and chilling

Keith Haring

The legendary Bob Ross, who else?

There are lots good artists out there.

‘Edward Penishands’

‘Fick und Fotzi im Bumsbomber nach Thailand’

‘The Weird Walrus Sluts from Outta Space’. Maybe that’s a good theme for the next Weird wall!

Sorry, I don't know… haha!

If you could be a thing, what would you be and why?

I think I would be a coffee cup. I love the thought of having fresh coffee poured into my body.

I would love to be a color but I don't know why

A wild thing! …Or at least a weird thing. No explanation needed, guess you all know the book. R.I.P. Maurice Sendak

A machine that answers all the questions, so I don't have to spend so long on it!

What do you love?

Mini spring rolls

Nature, friends, good beer and food, girls and painting alone in the sunshine!

As well as our girlfriends and graffiti, good food, music, movies, books, traveling and street beer

My girlfriend Sarah, my family, my crew, my friends

ROOKIE

46

HERR VON BIAS

VIDAM

HERR VON BIAS

DXTR

CONE

NYCHOS

Egéségetekre (Hungarian for “cheers”)

Flitzpiepe, Freund Blase

Fugbaum

Word

Mayhem!

Para One – ‘Kiwi’

Sisters of Mercy – ‘Temple of Love’

Aesop Rock – ‘Daylight’

I’m too addicted to good music to restrict myself to just one song

I currently recommend Justice – ‘Phantom II’

Producing music

Hiking

Any kind of public authorities

In a good/bad bar with good people enjoying this magic potion called "beer"…

On Facebook ....maybe not my favorite but it happens way too much.

Thomas Bangaltar

Satone, Aryz...

Robert Crumb

One of my faves Robert Crumb.

Sick shit. On the can it's Erosie.

At the moment I really like Jason Freeny

‘Hairy Potter’

‘There's A Black Man In My Wife's Ass!’

‘The Cobra of Nottingham’

‘Die Stoßburg’ aka ‘Wenn nächst die Keuschheitsgürtel klappern’

‘Two Girls, One Cup’

A Function One subwoofer, because of the heavyweight bass waves

I don't want to be a thing because there's no life in things

A time travel machine, obviously to travel in time

Hmm … The collar of my ex-girl’s dog. So I could still be around him. I haven't seen him for far too long now and I really, really miss him

A rocket launcher to blow your fuckin’ sox off!

Bun Bo nam Bo

Life!

Paint, beer, sun, travel, paint

Music, good weather, a perfect wall, the right combination and amount of colors, no stupid questions and a good flow. All this together with my crew in a nice place on this planet. Perfect.

My beloved girl, friends and my office, of course…

I agree with Cone!

www.facebook.com/theweirdcrew

47

DXTR ROOKIE

LOOK (PEACHBEACH)

48

VIDAM (PEACHBEACH)

www.facebook.com/theweirdcrew

49

THE WEIRD, 4 HORSEMEN

THE WEIRD, CHASING THE RABBIT

THE WEIRD, KNEIPEN TERROR

«We discuss, we argue, we laugh, we drink, we start doing first lines, we drink, we talk crazy shit, we laugh, we rock.» CONE

50

www.facebook.com/theweirdcrew

51

CONE VIDAM

52

CONE

CONE

www.facebook.com/theweirdcrew

53

14K Founded in 1988, Zurich-based 14K was one of the first graffiti magazines worldwide. This summer, we spoke with one of the initiators, d.d.fresh.

54

Please describe 14K for our younger readers. What, where and when?

«It all started in 1988 when me and Sharee The Wizard, Dee Chill and Razzo Raz decided to start a hip-hop newsletter for Zurich. The scene was stagnant and we wanted to provide some new inspiration.

In June 1988 the first four pages were published – printed on one side and tacked together with Bostitch. The first issue had the slogan “Get active”: and we’re still appealing to people to actively participate in the culture to this day.» d.d.fresh

What was your ambition for the magazine?

We quickly realized that there was a need for information on the scene – not only in Zurich, but also far beyond its borders. People wanted to know what was going on. But back then, the technical possibilities were limited, which is why we weren’t able to show lots of graffiti pictures. Instead we told stories and wrote about rap music and concerts. Over time we were able to print black and white graffiti pictures as well – thanks to screen printing.

Where did you sell the magazine?

In the beginning it was available in several stores in Zurich. Later on, also in vinyl and underground stores nationwide. In the end we had stockists all over Europe and even in Australia, Japan and the United States, where it was available at Tower Records.

Nowadays it's quite easy to get in touch with most artists – thanks to the web. How was that possible in the early nineties?

I think – now and then – the most important thing is to have a strong network. That's how most of the contacts came alive; someone knows someone who knows someone. Over time people got to know us and would contact us directly by sending us their pictures.

So they sent you envelopes containing pictures?

Yes, photos came in frequently and in varying qualities. Interviews were held in different ways: sometimes we actually sent out the questions by mail but most of the time we carried out interviews by phone or a personal meeting was possible.

reason we have the diversity we do these days is because there was always someone who defied existing restrictions and who was willing to cross the boundaries.

Which issue are you most proud of and why?

I'm rather proud of all the issues: with the very modest financial and technical means available to us we were able to achieve a lot and reach a lot of people. The covers were often our personal highlights: when Won & Cowboy, Dare & Show, Lord, EKR, Craze aka Cee, Cruze, Phase 2 or Cope 2 made a cover it was always an amazing feeling.

And having Zeb.Roc.Ski aka Zebster on board to design parts of the issues, or Mason from Dortmund who designed a complete issue, was really cool.

Do you have a favorite cover?

No. There are lots that I really like and only a few that I wasn’t so keen on.

What was the best story you had in the magazine?

It’s also really hard to pick one certain story. Looking back there was a good deal of great “behind the scenes” moments that make a story special. For example an informal talk with German band Die Fantastischen Vier before one of their concerts, or the chilling out with the then up-and-coming Ice-T who was very amused by a “Fuck the Police” sketch in one of our issues, or the friendly backstage chat with Isaac Hayes who was happy that, thanks to rap, his music was reaching more listeners and being appreciated more.

These are just a few examples from a long list of such stories.

I can only imagine that it was very hard to get advertising partners for your project as there were no streetwear brands interested in graffiti during that time. How did you keep your head above water?

It was a daily struggle for survival. Most calls to possible advertising partners proved unsuccessful. That's why the readers had to pay the lion's share: 14K was never cheap, unfortunately. The stockists also wanted to see money, so our income was even smaller. I never worked out how much of my own money I invested into the project.

And finally it was just too much, right?

At some point down the line the income-expenditure ratio was no longer paying off: several stockists – one of which was a big one that was also an advertising customer – didn't pay their invoices, we couldn’t find any new advertisers and the production and shipping costs rose. When the contract with our last big sponsor ended, we not only ran out of money but also the motivation to continue.

After how many issues?

After 39 issues in A4 format and nine more issues in A3. 14K was published for ten years, from 1988 to 1997.

Have you ever thought of doing another graffiti magazine?

Often. But fortunately there are excellent alternatives today, and Amateur is definitely one of them.

Thank you. You still run a website (14k.ch). What else do you do?

The website 14k.ch continues in the tradition of the print magazine. When

Did you ever get on the wrong side of the police for doing the magazine?

Surprisingly, in all of the years we never had any problems with the police.

I have several theories: on the one hand I think the cops used 14K to collect information. I once heard the rumor that the German police used copied 14K magazines as demonstration material in their seminars on the topic of graffiti. I don't know if that's really true...

On the other hand, I'm convinced that the cops knew there was nothing to get from us. We always made sure that the material that we got could not be linked to its sender.

What are some of the best and worst things you've seen during the three decades you've been observing graffiti?

It’s amazing how the styles have developed over the decades. Be it letters, colors, characters or techniques: virtually everything is being done. To the same extent as the styles have increased, the number of style policemen preaching tediously long sermons of what's allowed and what’s not has also risen. I think that these people forget that the only

www.14k.ch

issue 12 (1989) & issue 19 (1990)

55

It was also cosMiss who encouraged me to put the collected photos online. First we made the gallery with the walls, later we added the train gallery. That step had a big influence on the traffic to our site. But not only that: it also motivated younger guys to go out and take pictures of walls or wait at stations for painted trains to pass by. Today we have a good network of reporters such as d.k.77 or Beka, who frequently provide us with good content.

Another one, Rubiks Cube, works for 14k and is a huge asset to our team. He is a breath of fresh air and contributes the visual know-how of his young generation.

We still try to organize parties, at least once a year. aN8b4xMas (A Night Before Christmas) is always held on December 23rd and has become legendary. The first part of the night is traditionally a gathering of the older guys, almost like a school reunion, while the later hours belong to the younger crowd. For us it's a great example of how different generations can come together and get on brilliantly.

What plans do you have for the future?

At the moment we are about to print new shirts for our shop. We print them ourselves, in small series of 14 per design.

One design by Amboz is already being sold. For the tenth anniversary of 14k.ch we're launching an online design contest.

The design with the most votes will get printed.

Alex Pistoja aka d.d.fresh, co-founder of 14K magazine, in Zurich, 2012. Photo by Markus Fischer

«I consider them an integral part of the enhancement of our urban environment, which is normally dominated by commercial, profit-oriented advertising.»

56

the last issue was published in 1997, I was tired of the hiphop culture at first. But not for too long: when my friends gave me a digital camera in the year 2000, I began taking pictures and soon I had photographed most of the city. The photos then lay on my hard disk for two more years. One day csizee motivated me to take my collection of rare rap vinyls out of the basement and to play them. That's how “the 14K DJs” came about and started to organize parties.

To promote the events and share the party pictures, we launched 14k.ch. To keep the site updated we started writing short news posts. Soon cosMiss joined our troop.

She played the booty-shaking sounds for the ladies at the parties and showed great technical and graphic talent for our website.

Suddenly things were in motion and 14k.ch soon advanced to what it is today: the independent source for news and insights into the local, national and international hip-hop movement.

What’s been playing on your mind recently?

When I was speaking of the style police before, I should also include myself to some degree. Although I was always open to styles and techniques within graffiti, for a very long time I was kind of blind to the many different facets of street art. That has changed drastically in the last two years: what I didn't notice in the past meanwhile gets my full attention. I became aware of the – mostly illegal – artworks in public spaces, the so-called urban interventions, are a huge playground, of which graffiti is one part. All the stencils, wheat pastes, stickers or installations are worth a look.

I consider them an integral part of the enhancement of our urban environment, which is normally dominated by commercial, profit-oriented advertising.

As well as the individual photos that we publish on 14k.ch, I also have an Instagram feed of street art that I find on my daily explorations of the city. Want to see more? Visit 14K.ch, like us on Facebook.com/14Kmag, follow us on Twitter @14K_Magazine or check out my Instagram profile @pistoja. ._.

Words: Lain Photos: Markus Fischer

www.14k.ch

57

LOWRIDER

Serge Nidegger - sign painter, L.A. Lakers lover, screen printer, artist and head of Lowrider. Fribourg (CH), 2012

58

What is Lowrider?

«It's a whole state of mind, a kid named Pedro on a bicycle in L.A., a hitchhiked ride on the north shores of Hawaii, a song by the Californian funk band WAR, a few West Coast music videos from the 90s and a mighty fine screen-printing studio in Fribourg, Switzerland.» Serge Nidegger

How did you start Lowrider?

I started my screen-printing apprenticeship in 1989, practicing in various local print shops for a few years. Then I went travelling the world, surfing the best waves of every ocean. After getting back from a long stay in Central America, it was clear that I couldn't go back into the system if I wanted to pursue my printing passion in Switzerland. I had to start my own studio. So in 2000, with nothing more than an old four-color T-shirt press and a hairdryer, I started Lowrider. We now have a fully-fledged self-running print shop for film processing, art prints, stickers, tees and much more. We can print anything in any size!

Who works at Lowrider now?

My wife Valerie takes care of the online shop and the distribution of Lowrider T-shirts and some (boring) office stuff. We have two apprentices, Noah and Mona, who are responsible for the screens and squeegee. They are the fifth and sixth apprentices we have trained with success. They all seem to like what they do now. And last but not least, taking care of pretty much everything else, and always contributing his artistic skills, is Michel FR. How did you get into silkscreen printing?

I collected stickers when I was a kid. Once I discovered how they were made I knew I would be a screen-printer for the rest of my life. I had the chance to test a squeegee really young so I never changed my mind. Thirty years later I'm still really happy with my choice of profession and I always have stickers in my pocket.

What do you love about it?

T-shirts, stickers, skateboards and art prints were all screen-printed back in the day, so as a kid of the 70s it was easy to fall in love with the process.

It's one of the most beautiful printing processes as it's all done by hand; the colors are brighter than any other, they last forever, you can print in white or gold, in BIG and on almost any surface.

What makes a good T-shirt graphic?

As a screen-printer I'd say: one or two colors, maybe three on a dark fabric and simple and centered, not too big. As a graphic designer I'd say: the one that lasts longer than the three months of the spring-summer collection!

The T-shirt industry has been crazy this last year. Almost boring. The life of graphic designs is too short right now. At Lowrider when we like 'em we keep 'em! But everyone has a different point of view. We used to love full print five years ago and now it's pocket print. Today I'm wearing a NO MAS “Muhammad Ali” T-shirt, two colors, simple and not too big, that's a good tee graphic.

Do you have a favorite Lowrider graphic of all time?

It was a nightmare to print and not an easy one to wear, but it definitely has to be the . It will become a classic one day. We did a mix tape with Cultural Warriors and nice packaging to go with it and I think it's a really well designed Lowrider product.

What has been your best-selling graphic?

The already classic “We love donuts too” image in collaboration with //DIY studio in Lausanne, rest in peace J Dilla!

You’ve worked with many great artists such as Steven Harrington and Grotesk. How did these collaborations come about?

In 2006 my friend Grotesk had a show at the Lazydog Gallery in Paris and I was in charge of the art prints. At the opening I met the gallery owner and the show curator and they were very happy with the quality of the work, so we are continuing to work together on various art shows. I'm a lucky screen-printer, even if I don't believe in luck. When it all started years ago I could have never imagined that I’d be printing for all the talented artists I respected back in the day.

How do you come up with the designs? What are your sources of inspiration?

I don't need much to motivate myself as I’m always happy to go to work, but travel, a surf session or a wall painting with friends are a good help sometimes. I'm clearly inspired by the places I visit; every sign painter in the world, the music I listen to, flea markets, thrift shops and the good grass of God. If you could make a shirt with any artist dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Well that would be a masterpiece, so an art print or a poster would be more appropriate than a T-shirt! There are so many, but I would pick Swiss graphic master Celestino Piatti. He gave us a huge graphic and pictorial heritage and we all grew up with his beautiful imagery. I've always been touched by his art. Brun, Leupin, Sendak, Steinberg, Morvan, Griffin are also on my list. If they are alive and well I'm sure I’ll make it happen one day.

Os Gemeos can you hear me?!

www.lowriderteeshirt.ch

59

What would your dream project be?

A big mural project somewhere in the world with Steve Powers from Icy Signs, NYC. I'm a lot more into murals and sign painting these days. After twenty plus years spent breathing in ink fumes, I feel like I need some fresh air.

What do you love?

Passion, craftsmanship, Swiss quality, painting, printing, drawing, surfing, skating, rolling, eating, learning, gettin' a new tat, diggin' in the crates, lookin' at art

by Cody Hudson, listenin' to Roland Kirk records, lovin' my wife and spendin' time with my kids, Lee and Ulla.

Anything else you want to say?

Dwight Howard has signed to the Los Angeles Lakers so the next NBA season is gonna be very interesting! ._.

Words & Photos: Lain

Haile Selassie designed by Raza Uno

The crew. Where is Mona?

60

ÂŤT-shirts, stickers, skateboards and art prints were all screen-printed back in the day, so as a kid of the 70s it was easy to fall in love with the process.Âť

www.lowriderteeshirt.ch

61

BITCHSLAP

Nick and Danny, founders of Bitchslap Magazine, lost in Copenhagen.

62

Bikes, Babes, Beers and Bitchslap We all know that Nordic kids are pretty smart and evolved when it comes to design and style. The ever-progressive city of Copenhagen can get bitterly cold and extremely windy, even in the middle of summer. It might even be the lack of sunshine that makes our Scandinavian friends cook creative things in the kitchen.

When it comes to the Danish capital, there’s a lot to talk about and never enough time. Nick and Danny, the founders of the magazine Bitchslap, better known as Dick and Nanny, love skateboarding, snowboarding, art, design and fashion, amongst other things. So their magazine touches on all of these topics. It doesn’t cost a penny and every now and then it comes in a different format. And it’s straight forward, down to earth and often funny, like a gentle slap in the face. So it’s about time we got to know these guys…

How did you meet?

We met when we were just five years young. We both got skateboards for Christmas and after that we always went to the same skate park. One day, by coincidence, we were wearing the same tartan shorts and that’s how the story begins.

What made you want to create a magazine?

A couple of things. The Danish winter can get pretty boring. Sometimes boredom leads to productivity. Plus a severe lack of any free reading material that didn't sound like the bastard child of a PR release and a department store catalogue! Not to mention the promise of free beer, backstage access and a steady flow of sneakers, which all made the idea very tempting.

How do you hope people will feel after reading your magazine?

We are trying to make a magazine that you leave in your toilet. And every time you leaf through it you find something else that’s interesting.

Our magazine is a mix of nonsense, social commentary and interviews inspired by art, design, fashion and sports. Of course we make fun of ourselves and other things, so hopefully our readers won't take it the wrong way and get angry with us.

Cover of issue 11

Nick & Danny

Tell us about Copenhagen and how much the magazine is influenced by this city.

To us, Copenhagen is windy, wet and cold. But full of bikes, babes and beers. We call it home and our base and it’s an influence for our magazine.

Quite a bit of our content covers people from the various Copenhagen scenes. Even though it's printed in English, you can still sense a Danish touch. A lot of our meetings take place in cozy bars with lots of beer, which is definitely very much a Danish pastime.

Do you have any other jobs? Do you have any other project you are working on or anything in the pipeline at the moment?

Nanny is a freelance web and print designer. Dick is the PR manager for Norse Project and a couple of other brands. We run a silly little blog called Girls Are Awesome, which is going nowhere fast due our time being spent on trying to properly video a lot of the print content and get our fingers into some more project-based editorials. Getting to the bottom of the bottle ranks pretty high!

Where can we get our hands on your magazine?

Shops, cafés, bars, skate parks and pretty much anywhere we enjoy being ourselves. We drop most of them in Copenhagen and a couple of thousand find their way to Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, London, Amsterdam and Malmö. You can also read it online.

What have you learned from past issues that will influence future ones?

Articles are always submitted late and photographers are generally not good writers. Keep the party simple, and pay for cleaners! ._.

Words: Stefanie Bracher Photos: Dick & Nanny

www.bitchslapmag.com

63

Cover of issue 8

Cover of issue 12

64

Cover of issue 13

Cover of issue 15

www.bitchslapmag.com

65

Once again we are taking you back to the old school. Back to the golden days of NYC train bombing. If you want to understand your future you must understand the past. So on this occasion we hooked up with P-JAY ONE to chat about the good old days.

P-JAY started playing around with shoepolish and tagging up the insides of trains when he was 10 years old. That was back in 1972. He was a member of the legendary UA crew and did many well-known masterpieces together with Seen. UA was one on the most successful crews in the history of the 6 line. Other UA members were SEEN, DUSTER, MAD, MED, AZ ONE and SIN. Txt: Wink One Interview: Super

Opposit page: P-JAY at work Photo courtesy of COPE 2 Following double-page spread: Photo courtesey of CHINO BYI

66

NumberOne Magazine

P-JAY ONE // BACK IN THE DAYS

Do you see elements in style today that you guys developed almost 40 years ago?

Who were the guys you got up with?

Just about everyone who was out there back in the days. Mitch 77, Seen, Haze, Ban 2, Cope 2, Dust. You name it at one time or the other I must have painted with them.

Was there any specific mentor you had?

Seen showed me a lot. It was like a mutual thing, he showed me certain aspects, I showed him certain aspects, you know. Like superglue on the windows to close the windows on a whole car, so the windows always stayed closed to take the photos. One didn’t have to worry about people opening the windows in the summer. We were complementing each other well.

You have seen the very early development of style up to now. What do you think about it?

I think it elevated to an unforeseen level, like I couldn’t even compete with them people these days. You know, these kids today, I don’t know if they are aided by computer designs or people coming out of graphic art schools that are doing this stuff now. It’s a whole other level. I mean; it looks photographic, like airbrush. You guys have a much wider array of colors that ever was available to us as well as different caps that give you a different range of execution, which we didn’t have. We were like early cave men, we didn’t have matches, we had flint. We had to bang a rock together to get something going on, you know.

I still see certain color schemes that will never go a way. Like even advertisement steals them from graffiti. There is a cool mellow yellow to a burnt orange to purple blend that was done in graffiti. You see that wherever you go. In print adds, on TV everywhere. But the one interesting thing, no matter where the people are going, people always try to innovate.

You know, talking about a mentor, the reason I started doing block letters was because Seen told me at one time: “You know, if you can do a straight line, you can do anything.” There are a lot of people that can’t do a straight line. It sounds simple, it sound idiotic, but if you start to think about it isn’t, because if you can go straight you can control. So that is why I was banging out the blockbusters. It’s so simple. To me, I must admit, I’m long-drawn to readable graffiti. I like impact. Bang! You know, my mother used to come home and say I saw one of your graffiti and she wasn’t out there hawking the trains everyday. She got on train and boom, smack on your face, you read P-JAY ONE and that is something like, wow what is that! You know, it’s all about recognition; people want to stroke their ego.

I used to do whole cars in the train yard and when we came out of the yard, like 7 or 8 o’clock in the morning on a workday, we would see the people going to work, sitting at the train station reading their newspapers. When the train would pull up and the sun hit the fresh paint, they would put down their papers and were like, wow what the hell is that!

Back in the days, did you have a lot of beef with toys?

No, ‘cause you know what, I always respected them. You can ask anybody.

I had kids coming up to me, who are acknowledged writers now, and came up to me and said: “Yo, I met you 15 years ago when I was a little kid”. Hey, they were like 10 or 11 years old back then and they could tell me what I

www.numberone-actiongear.com

67

68

NumberOne Magazine

www.numberone-actiongear.com

69

was wearing that day. I am approachable, you know, I am not all about my self, ‘cause I remember what it was like to be kid and be a toy. I’d see a 12 or 14-year-old kid out in the train yard at 2:00 in the morning, I say cool man. I’m giving that kid props. He is a kid who snuck out of his house, is going to miss school and you know, the pupil, he is scared shitless. He doesn’t know what to expect, about being electrocuted or being beaten or robbed by someone else.

Hey, I remember when I was there. I think that is a big thing; people forget what it was like for them. Now they all have their nose up in the cloud.

People forget where they came from. ‘Cause you know what? Everybody is still learning. It’s a continuous process. Don’t think you are here or there, there is always someone better than you.

Have you got any last words?

I never did drugs or anything. I was never a drinker. You know, graff was my drug, the whole element of it. I racked all my paint; I never bought a can of paint all my life. On a good day, I used to come home with 800 cans! That was all day racking. Saturday was dedicated for racking. Any girl I was dating I’d say to: “Hey, that’s where I will be Saturday morning.”

And then there was the painting. You know, there were only a few people, that one: -that could to it two: -that had the balls to do it and three: -that had the dedication and the persistency to see it through.

Graff is more than a full time job, between racking, painting and track sitting all day waiting for you car to pull up to get your pictures.

Any credits?

Yeah, big up to MITCH 77 the most unacknowledged graff writer there ever is. .-.

This double-page spread Hanging out in the train yards Photo courtesy of COPE 2

70

NumberOne Magazine

www.numberone-actiongear.com

71

72

OLIVER TOMAN

www.waldundschwert.com

73

74

FRAU ISA

www.waldundschwert.com

75

Jack Coltman | www.flickr.com/people/jackcoltman

76

Mike Bauer | www.flickr.com/people/mikebauerrules

All artworks taken from our flicks group | www.flickr.com/groups/amateurmag | Upload your artworks too!

77

Evgeniy Dikson. Chelyabinsk, Russia.

78

www.flickr.com/photos/evgeniy_dikson

All artworks taken from our flicks group | www.flickr.com/groups/amateurmag | Upload your artworks now

79

Nach Prieto | www.flickr.com/people/nachoprieto

80

Inso Mundo | www.flickr.com/people/insomundo

Wayne Horse | www.flickr.com/people/waynehorse

hari_d | www.flickr.com/people/hari_d

LNY | www.flickr.com/people/lnylnlny

All artworks taken from our flicks group | www.flickr.com/groups/amateurmag | open to everyone

81

82

Kkade (Bern, CH) for DROP2 | www.chaoz.ch

Flame (Lausanne, CH) for DROP2 | flame-tat.tumblr.com

83

84

Steinwurf (Vevey, CH) for DROP2 | steinwurf.tumblr.com

Rea Christ (Lausanne, CH) for DROP2 | www.reamarisa.com

85

DROP An exhibition about urban graphic culture in black and white

The second edition of DROP, an exhibition organized by the PBK9 association, took place this June 16th and 17th in Lausanne.

DROP is an event dedicated to urban graphic culture, a two-day exhibition with live performances and a party with sets by DJs and VJs on the Saturday night. A wide public is given the opportunity to discover works by a hundred Swiss and international artists for free. These artists are totally free to express their own style; to draw, spray and paint whatever they love, using the

materials they want. But there is one rule imposed by PBK9: “No color: black and white only”. PBK9’s members believe that black and white are the essence of every graphic work. Using two non-colors also means enabling as many artists as possible to express themselves by taking part in DROP and avoids any judgments and connotations that others color may have. And simplifying the color code also opens up doors to people who have different tastes and who are interested in different things to discover the works of various personalities, all united by this “black and white” rule.

During the warm and sunny weekend of June 16th and 17th, visitors were able to appreciate an array of different disciplines. In the Base Bar garage, around fifteen representative Swiss graffiti artists, including members of the Schwarzmaler crew and the WLK Collective, as well as Meyk, Sybz, Shem and Skelt from Lausanne, all took part in the creation of a huge 150 m² mural. They combined their own styles and artistic flair, much to the delight of the public. And a live art toys customizing session took place over the two days, also in the Base Bar. Eight 40cm-tall art toys were carved up, painted and modified to create unique and original new pieces. In the concert hall of Les Docks twelve groups of artists worked to create impressive sculptures made from cardboard. Giving free rein to their imagination they transformed simple cardboard boxes, for example into a real town inhabited by strange monsters, a walrus, a shark and a half-ant, half-monster queen wearing a long black cape, to name just a

86

DROP 2 | June 16th & 17th, 2012 | Lausanne (CH)

few. Simultaneously, on the Les Docks stage twenty white panels, measuring at least 2.80 meters high, were painted live during the weekend.

So the visitors got the chance to watch and learn all about the working methods of artists such as Boosher and Dr Acid, Ti and Phly from Innocent Ink, the French illustrators Russ, Monsta, Plot and Khat and the Swiss French tattoo artists Jo and Dorea1 from Steel Workshop and Christophe Isaaz from the Abilis Tattoo studio. The concert hall of Les Docks also the venue of an exhibition of seven Eastpak rucksacks and six Maxi Swatch watches that had been customized beforehand by young Swiss French artists (Giom, Serge Nidegger (Lowrider), Inso, etc). And, as if that abundance of creation wasn’t enough, around 60 posters created by graphic designers and illustrators from all over the world were exhibited on the Les Docks balcony. And last but not least, Les Docks also hosted a party on the Saturday night, which served as a bridge between the two days of DROP. Food For Ya Soul, Solange la Frange and Supalame DJs manned the turntables, while PBK9, Les Boloss and Supalame VJs took turns looking after the visuals. ._.

Words: Valentine Buvelot Photos: PBK9

Founded in 2009 by four young creative people from Lausanne, PBK9 is an association that aims to promote and spread urban graphic culture by organizing events, workshops and creating works of art. About twenty people are now part of PBK9, which plans on sharing this passion with as many people as possible.

Their aim is to enable collaboration and exchange between artists from different backgrounds. The first edition of DROP, in 2010, was the first project organized by the association, but it definitely wasn’t the last! After this event, the members produced a video for a song called BABEL, part of the Rap Titan project by the rapper Robert Roccobelly from Lausanne, which won the Video of the Year prize at the 2010 repreZent Awards. In July 2011 PBK9 also set up a painting workshop for the Lausanne Olympic Museum: in one month approx. 500 young people from all over the world worked together to create a 40-meter-long mural. In that same year, the association was asked by the Electrosanne Festival committee to create 3-meter-high totems, which were installed in downtown Lausanne during the festival. PBK9 is also involved in social work, organizing painting or paper toy workshops, in partnership with various community centers.

www.pbk9.com/drop

87

SEMOR

For the second time round, Amateur Magazine has hosted the ‘Molotow Graffiti Gallery’ at the 2012 Royal Arena Festival. A laid-back jam with 20 spray can and street artists resulted in an all-round successful event. Thanks to the entire Royal Arena team, G-Shock, Molotow and the Layup store for the support.

With ROSY ONE, M8, MALIK, QUEENKONG, MISTA, RAS LE BOL, LACK ONE, FAFA, SONIC, WES21, KKADE, MOWER, KESE27, AERO, KLEX, SEMOR, NOTE, BUSHSTYLE, KEOM, JONES. ._.

Photos: Markus Fischer

SONIC

88

KEOM

ROYAL ARENA FESTIVAL | August 17th & 18th, 2012 | Biel (CH)

M8

QUEENKONG

www.royalarena.ch

89

The Carhartt Gallery is a gallery for contemporary urban art in the tri-border region of Basel. This public space is a forum for both provocation and individuality. Physical limits dissolve here and new spaces are being conquered – like gallery walls for example. And the tools for this are no longer just the classic spray can, but also paintbrushes, acrylic, oil, chalks, markers and mixed media installations.

PUBLIC PROVOCATIONS IV shows the beginnings of provocation and what becomes of it. A single contemporary artistic language that is timelier than ever before.

A cross-section of the current works of the scene is exhibited, with a focus on the true pulse, creativity and power of the art of the moment. PUBLIC PROVOCATIONS IV feeds on colors and their performers – international legends and explosive young talents from Europe, the US and the Middle East. This kind of artistic expression, with its urban origins, combined with character and authenticity, has both a provocative and an inspiring side to it.

A vibrant and unique exhibition on show until October 2012 at the Carhartt Gallery in Weil am Rhein in Germany. ._.

Words: Francesca Fresta Photos: Daniel Künzler & Markus Ruf

PUBLIC PROVOCATIONS IV 90

Installation by HONET

www.carhartt-gallery.com

91

JEF AEROSOL MARCO ZAMORA

92

PUBLIC PROVOCATIONS IV @ CARHARTT GALLERY | June - October, 2012 | Weil am Rhein (GER)

HONET

KLAAS VAN DER LINDEN

Carhartt Gallery Schusterinsel 9 79576 Weil am Rhein Germany OPENING TIMES Closed on Mondays TUE - FRI: 2pm - 6pm SAT: noon - 6pm

Opening

JEF AEROSOL

PUBLIC PROVOCATIONS IV ARTISTS: A1one (IR) / Bezt (PL) / Czarnobyl (PL) / Dave The Chimp (GB) / Eme (ES) / Honet (FR) / JEF AEROSOL (FR) / Klaas Van der Linden (BE) / Maoma (NL) / Marco Zamora (US) / SatOne (DE) / Tasso (DE) / The London Police (NL)

www.carhartt-gallery.com

93

by Design favorites selected by Marius von Holleben, editor of MVHABC.

Rubia Spectrum by Glithero The London-based design studio Glithero was asked by Kvadrat to experiment with their classic fabric Hallingdal 65 and this is the honest and beautiful result – a Cappelini sofa dyed with natural rubia dye.

Glithero is definitely one to watch out for – this is only just the beginning. www.glithero.com

Meta by Sebastian Schönheit Mr. Schönheit is part of the great 'My Bauhaus is better than yours' collective. Based in Weimar they reinvented the game by taking on the design, production and distribution all by themselves. Due to a recent order overload, my Meta table still hasn’t arrived - but I’m positive it will be worth the wait. blog.betterbauhaus.com

Giessfluss by Lorenz Schibler In preparation for his final project at the Zurich University of Arts, Lorenz Schibler wanted to dig deeper than usual. Over the months he experimented with different molding techniques and material mixes to come up with a cast process that combines polystyrene pellets and is then epoxied to provide a stunning surface. I’m not sure whether this has been done before – touch it if you can. w w w . a r c a d e m i.c o m / d e / p r o f i l e s / portfolios/?user=13032

94

Ziggurat Containers by Oeuffice First I liked the stripes, and then I wondered about the spelling of their name. Eventually I ended up reading the information on their product cards. 'Oeuffice explores the world of Middle Eastern architecture and ornamental structures. Collaborating with a Lebanese craftsman specialized in wooden inlays, Oeuffice has created a system of four individual boxes that stack together forming a monumental tower fitted for the domestic landscape.' Bought the story, like their work. www.oeuffice.com

Last Stool by Max Lamb Max Lamb seems to be an innovative type of guy.

His way of doing things often surprises, simply because he doesn't behave or produce the way most industrial designers were taught to at university. Who needs 3D renderings when there is a chisel and a hammer right in front of you? For one of his latest projects he designed a stackable copper stool, available in a choice of colors. www.maxlamb.com

Raymond by David Amar David Amar graduated from the Royal College of Arts in 2010 and this is his diploma project. Raymond is made up of various powder-coated cast aluminum frames and wood. It is an open system that can be changed individually by the user according to their needs. If you prefer it rough, just slip in some old floorboards instead of the tulip wood.

David's homepage is currently under construction.

LED Light by Naama Hofman Israeli designer Naama Hofman's LED lamp '001' is constructed from a bent metal rod and illuminated with LEDs. The light fixture is secured to an acrylic pipe containing approximately 120 LEDs. The bent metal construction allows you to place the lamp in different positions. www.naamahofman.com

Bearbrick by Karimoku Kids are a powerful consumer group these days – and they’re very hard to please. Perhaps that was the reason toy maker Medicom wanted to step up its game. Together with the self-declared tree lovers from Karimoku they have come up with this Bearbrick wooden bear that glows in the dark. And retailing at just $790 USD, it won’t necessarily break the bank!! www.karimoku.com

Bolt Stool by Note Swedish designers Note have teamed up with French furniture maker La Chance to create this pair of stools. Held together by a copper ring, the four cylinders of solid wood can be used either as a stool or as a side table. www.notedesignstudio.se

Builder’s Bench by Sebastian Marbacher Sebastian Marbach’s comment on the ongoing building boom in many Swiss cities and the rising gap between the size of industrial sites and recreational space. The builder’s bench transforms traditional barrier components into a simple sitting solution - a subtle invitation to pause for a moment in the daily grind.

The bench was presented during Art 43 Basel. It was installed temporary at different spots throughout the city. www.people.zhdk.ch/sebastian.marbacher

www.mvhabc.com

95

EASTPAK CAVE FIN BEC X MODE2 VOLCOM

OBEY

SWATCH

ALIAS ONE

MAKIA

INCASE

EASTPAK

CARHARTT WORK IN PROGRESS

MAKIA

MAKIA X ETNIES

MAKIA X ETNIES

ADIDAS ORIGINALS X RANSOM ADIDAS ORIGINALS X RANSOM ADIDAS ORIGINALS

96

NEFF

GOLF WANG HUF

OBEY X KEITH HARING

NUMBERONE ACTIONGEAR X RO* OBEY X KEITH HARING

OBEY X KEITH HARING OBEY

CARHARTT WORK IN PROGRESS VOLCOM

CARHARTT WORK IN PROGRESS

EASTPAK X WOOD WOOD

VOLCOM STONE-AGE

MAKIA

VANS VAULT

G-SHOCK X IN4MATION FUCT X EBBETS FIELDS FLANNELS CASIO

CLAE

VANS OTW

NIKE ACG

97

What with her job in a fashion agency, product management studies and her passion for street fashion and accessories, one might think that Melanie aka Melplosive never sleeps. And on top of all that, she takes care of marketing and sales at the blog “eVe without adam” and still manages to find time to research the coolest products for Amateur Magazine. Melanie always has a smile on her face and a pink lipstick and camera in her bag.

Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @melplosive

EN'S

BARBOUR

SWASH LONDON BOY LONDON

5 PREVIEW

ADIDAS ORIGINALS

EMMA MULLHOLLAND

STAMPD LA

WU TANG PAMELA LOVE CARHARTT WORK IN PROGRESS

TOPSHOP

ACNE COOPERATIVE

KENZO X VANS

BE@RBRICK

98

SKULLS DIMEPIECE DESIGNS

PAUL&JOE

ZOE KARSSEN

ADIDAS ORIGINALS

OBEY

TIFFANY & CO.

OBEY X KEITH HARING ADIDAS ORIGINALS VOLCOM

SANDRO PARIS

WILDFOX

CARHARTT WORK IN PROGRESS

LAZY OAF X BATMAN CARHARTT WORK IN PROGRESS

MONSERAT DE LUCA NIKE

ADIDAS ORIGINALS

CLAUDIE PIERLOT

99

PRISM

LOWRIDER VOLCOM X MICHAEL SIEBEN

MAKIA

ALIAS ONE

WEMOTO

SOM-TEE

100

BWGH LOWRIDER X AMATEUR MAGAZINE

NUMBERONE ACTIONGEAR

WEMOTO ALIAS ONE

VOLCOM

NEFF

TEAM YACHT

101

ROGER REAL www.eselfreunde.ch

In each issue 2 chosen artists draw against one another. Each artist gets his page (left or right) with an object placed in the middle

102

IUNA TINTA www.iuna.ch

(the musician with the monkey, done by our man Ti, for this issue). Amateur then just puts the two pages together as they come in.

103

Niels Shoe Meulman: Painter

16

Artist ‘Niels Shoe Meulman: Painter’ is an avalanche of visual poetry and poetic visuals, in which alert readers will find a story about an artist who rejected being called an artist, who ran several design and advertising studios, then invented the new art form Calligraffiti and became a globetrotting painter after all. After the worldwide success of his first book, ‘Calligraffiti: The Graphic Art of Niels Shoe Meulman (2010)’, the artist and his co-author Adam Eeuwens take his bold venture to a place where street art meets abstract expressionism. Messing up book sections. Again. ‘Calligraffiti’ gained followers within graphic design, architecture, typography, advertising, calligraphy and graffiti. Sharing an interest in the visual arts and an appreciation for print, they came to understand that a word is an image. In this volume Niels Shoe Meulman expands his ever-evolving artistic territory to include wild paintings and fine art, this time around in vivid full color. www.fromheretofame.com www.nielsshoemeulman.com

24

104

17

If yOu dOn’t stand fOr sOmetHIng yOu’LL faLL fOr anytHIng 14

15

26

27

by Niels "SHOE" Meulman & Adam Eeuwens 144 full color pages, 23.4 x 23.4 cm ISBN 978-3-937946-44-3 Price Hardcover: 19.95 €

25

105

OUR SIDE OF THE TRACKS Photographers Oahu and Phil America present a book that contains 10 years of images showing the faces, places and spaces the photographers have visited throughout both Europe and North America.

The photos include everywhere from New York’s grimy subway tunnels, Copenhagen’s ever-clean Metro layups, Milano’s gypsy-controlled train yards, Washington DC’s high-security spots, Paris’ legendary underground, to even Switzerland’s perfect trains. Catania’s subway before it was a tourist attraction in the graffiti scene, looking cleaner than ever.

Bucharest wholecars covering the windows in 2006. Switzerland’s capital of Bern in the buff. Action in Toronto, Canada. Climbing through windows in Milan. Between the lines in Miami. Belgium, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Germany, England, Spain, France and Austria. Over 35 cities with places and times of the photos.

Our

Side O

f The

T rac k S

PAPER OF WALLS – The other city guide

98

Graffiti is one of my favorite drugs.

— Homo

Published by Hakuin Publishing, Zurich www.hakuin-verlag.com www.yvessuter.com

106

32

Homo, Pilchi, Smit Øresund station, Copenhagen, Denmark April 25, 2012 05:15 pm

Growing up in a small mountain village in the alps, the Swiss artist Yves Suter (*1983) is fascinated by cities, their construction and their complexity.

By choosing two of the worlds most vibrant and innovative cities, New York and Tokyo, he wanted to show his view on the two cities he spends most of his time. Inspired by the work 'On the walls of the Lower East Side' (1976) by the american artist Sol Lewitt (1928-2007) consisting of 666 pictures of walls from the New York city's Lower East Side quarter, as well as the book 'Abstract Reality' (1998, Korinsha Press) by the american artist Dennis Hopper (1936-2010) showing several plates of wall photographs from 37 years of work, Yves tried to concentrate his view on art in the public space.

Not particularly focused on existing graffiti or street art, he wanted to show excerpts of the public space which to him are pieces of art in their own way.

Be it a construction of architecture which due to the year's of human and weather influences became in an abstract way to a 'piece of art' enclosed in it's surroundings, or structures and walls which seem to be an abnormality to their situated places in constructed cities. The pictures of the book are tablets of time, showing 'pieces of art' of random places selected by the artist for it's uniqueness. Most people step by these 'art pieces' everyday without noticing it or being aware that they even exist! In the artists opinion, art is def nitely going to be reinterpreted in future, clearly into the direction that 'the art of the future' is everywhere! As Marcel Duchamp said: 'The artist of the future will merely point his fnger and say it's art – and it will be art'.

Tragic Acton Town, London, Great Britain February 20, 2009 11:30 pm

There’s no better feeling than packing a small bag of clothes and starting an interrail, no complications and little money in your wallet. The rules are simple : paint many many trains, power-nap, eat well, drink well, pay for nothing. It’s very liberating.

— Tragic

www.alias-press.com

PHOTOGRAPHY © WWW.CLAUDIOCASANOVA.COM

WWW.NUMBERONE-ACTIONGEAR.COM

107

DRIFTING DECADE After ten years of documenting the snowboarding scene, photographer Daniel Blom now sums it up in Drifting Decade, book portraying some of the most influential riders of the 21th scenery, on and off the mountain. Mixing documentary style images with crisp action and snapshots, this book presents the full spectrum of this subcultures ramifications including big mountain lines in Alaska, stadium contests in Germany to urban riding in Finland.

Daniel Blom is an editorial and advertising photographer hailing from northern Sweden, based in Stockholm. In Drifting Decade his images showcase a wide range of techniques and approaches, but always balanced with an honest and subtle touch.

Featured riders: Travis Rice, Nicolas Muller, Gigi Ruef, Torah Bright, David Benedek, TJ Schneider, Jussi Oksanen, Mikey Leblanc, Eero Ettala and more 240 pages, hardcover, 194x297mm 1000 numbered copies, of which 20 are signed with an included original print. www.driftingdecade.com www.danielblom.com

108

109

Matheus Simoes Pires, founder and designer of Mutta Shoes in his factory in Brazil.

«MUTTA is an independent project of handmade footwear. We focus on quality, originality and uniqueness.» Matheus Simoes Pires

How long have you been collecting, and where did you get your passion for sneakers?

When I was about 14 I started skating and was thrashing one pair of shoes per month, that’s how I started collecting. But I fell in love with sneakers when I started learning about the production process and making my own shoes.

How did you come up with the idea for Mutta Shoes? Tell us more about what motivated you.

I’ve always been a big shoe buyer, but I also often felt let down by the shoe industry. Sometimes it was because of the quality, sometimes because of the presentation, sometimes because too many people were wearing the same pair as me. After learning the makings of a shoe I decided to create a product that would be awesome on all fronts. A brand that would treat its customers the way I wanted to be treated. Great design, quality and presentation, all made in Brazil. Something classy and crafted with an experimental feel.

What do you think about the history of sneakers and its sneaker heads?

How has it developed during the past few years?

I love to see the growing power of the sneaker culture and the connection within the community. It’s so good to see the love and excitement kids have for fresh kicks. That’s the same feeling I get when a new Mutta model is being developed: it’s something divine. That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning and the reason why I started making custom shoes: because you feel like you’re getting your hands on something that is a product of your mind and that is really life-changing.

How will the business develop in the future?

My plan is to always have a development unit that’s bigger than the production unit. To always make amazing shoes and have a great time. I also want to start talking to kids and telling them how I started out in the business. I think there are too many creative minds out there working regular nine to five jobs.

What are your plans and hopes for the future?

We are working on some great overseas projects that will be released by the end of the year. I’m having the time of my life, so I just want to work harder on making the dopest shoes possible. ._.

Words: Diana Cabarles Photos: Mutta

110

muttashoes.com | www.sneakerness.com

111

From now on, in each issue of Amateur, CharacterStation will be giving you an insight into the world of Designers’ Toys, a fast-expanding movement that has already taken all the planet’s leading cities by storm.

Opening Swiss doors to Designers’ Toys CharacterStation.com has been a pioneer in the sale, distribution and promotion of Designers’ Toys and Urban Vinyl in Switzerland for over seven years.

The company imports these rare objects from all four corners of the globe to build an exclusive product offering for its website and store, as well as distribution through many outlets.

Georges the founder of CharacterStation explains: «Artistically speaking, Designers’ Toys are a new form of creative medium for artists. They allow artists to express their individual style by exploring a range of materials, colors and aesthetics particular to each designer. Designers’ Toys therefore lead to a discovery of the creative world of an artist from an unusual

angle and may therefore be considered works of art in themselves.

The toys are either designed or customized by artists working in the field of urban culture and then made available in a series of limited editions. World-renowned graphic designers, stylists, web designers, graffiti artists and illustrators are all leaving their unique stamp on 3D plastic objects.» ._.

Dunny Series 2012 Every year a gusher of petro-packed pieces comes together in the explosive moment known as a Dunny Series, and 2012 lives up to the legend.

DS2012 features emissaries from the hands of Andrew Bell, Attaboy, Scribe, Jeremiah Ketner, Jon-Paul Kaiser, Junko Mizuno, Kronk, MAD, Mauro Gatti, Sergio Mancini, Nakanari, Pac23, Tara McPherson, and Triclops Studio.

Customize MUNNYWORLD You can draw and paint on MUNNYWORLD, using crayons, pencils, ketchup, or anything else you can think of. You can make clothes for MUNNY. Make things to put in MUNNYWORLD's hands! Scribble on him, pierce him, dress him up, cherish him. MUNNYWORLD is open to pretty much anything.

ZEE series Designer One Characterstation.com is pleased to present you the ZEE series Designer One with Flying Förtress(DE), PIX(CH), Nathalie Oswald(CH), Denis Hérisson(FR), DR. ACID(CH), Cruz(IT), Sady(CH), Geoffrey Baumbach(CH).

This series consists of nine new figures in limited editions of 1111.

Reflecting the Swiss know-how of the pharmaceutical industry, the new ZEE transforms art into medicine by combining colors and energies.

112

www.characterstation.com

makiaclothing.com

SWISS DISTRIBUTION : DAC SPORT IMPORT SA WWW.DACSPORT.COM INFO@DACSPORT.CH

113

011 DISTRIBUTION

CONTRIBUTORS

If you are fast you get Amateur at the following places:

Fabien Baudin, Chantal Bavaud, Sina Beeler, Stefanie Bracher, Jiro Bevis, Sacha Baer, Pierre Bonnet, Alex Braunschmidt, Mélanie Breitinger, Diana Cabarles, Cone, Nick & Danny, Nicolas Dähler, DXTR, Onur Dinc, Markus Fischer, Melania Fernandez, Reto Fischer, Rodja Galli, Gregor Garkisch, Stefan Golz, Galina Green, Conor Harrington, Camil Hämmerli, Paula Hedley, Maxime Jaccoud, Migi Keck, Look, Manuel Mathys, Ivo Mathier, Alex Matovic, Rudy Meins, Marc Müller, Kenny Need, Serge Nidegger, Van Manh Nguyen, Lidia Panio, Alex Pistoja, Thomas Raynal, Revok, RosyOne, Smash137, Thomas Walde, Ian White, Daniel Zehnder, Vedran Zgela, and everyone we forgot.

SWITZERLAND: Aarau: Aargauer Kunsthaus, Home Street Home, Garage, Kunstraum Aarau. Basel: Ace Records, Fakt, FHNW, Galerie Katapult, Gallery Daeppen, Marinsel, Obst & Gemüse, Parzelle 403, Seven Sneakerstore, Zoolose. Bern: HKB, Kitchener, Layup, Titolo. Chur: Dings. Geneva: 242, Character Station, Famous Ape, Speerstra Gallery. Lausanne: 242, Delicieux, ÉCAL, Outsiders. Lucerne: Doodah, HGKL. Yverdon: La Grille. Zurich: BlamBlamBlam, Carhartt store, Dings, Esperanto Rapperswil, Grand, Kitchener+, On y va, Rio Bar, Roll Laden, Street-Files, The Gloss, The Trace, ZHDK. GERMANY: Berlin: Awear, HHV Selected Store Berlin, Le Gang, Overkill.

Rest: Animal Tracks (Hamburg), Artyfarty Gallery (Cologne), Ozone (Bielefeld), The Spot (Dresden), Under Pressure (Hamburg), Vibes (Düsseldorf & Cologne), 874 (München).

WORLDWIDE: 24 Kilates (Barcelona), Munk (Holstebro), Known Gallery (Los Angeles), Slam Jam (Milano), Reed Space (New York), Black Rainbow (Paris), Homegrown (Rio de Janeiro), JykK Japan Inc. (Tokyo), Veteran (Warsaw).

Thank you for your work, love & support!

SUBSCRIPTION

PARTNERS

Please support Amateur Magazine and subscribe!

Send a mail with your address to: abo@amateur-magazine.com

Adidas Originals Carhartt Work in Progress Eastpak G-Shock Incase Makia NumberOne Actiongear Obey Vans Volcom Wemoto

SWITZERLAND: 20 CHF for 3 issues EUROPE: 35 EURO for 3 issues WORLDWIDE: 45 USD for 3 issues

IMPRINT 5000 copies. Published twice a year.

Amateur Magazine is an independent, artist driven print platform.

It is about creative people, projects, products and places.

Editorial address: Amateur Magazine | Postfach 2235 | 5001 Aarau | SWITZERLAND

Thank you for your trust and financial support. It’s not possible without you!

Contact: hello@amateur-magazine.com Publisher: Amateur Kunstverein | Alain 'Lain' Schibli | lain@amateur-magazine.com Advertisement: ad@amateur-magazine.com Paris, 2012. Photo: Lain

114

WWW.AMATEUR-MAGAZINE.COM

115

37 TOUR

# GO ON Paris, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan.

Make sure you’ve seen them all.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU DID SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST TIME ?

116

SWISS DISTRIBUTION : DAC SPORT IMPORT SA WWW.DACSPORT.COM INFO@DACSPORT.CH