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interview by www.concrete-canvas.com
The CCC cccrew are known globally for their awesome sticker designs, the majority of them taking a form of the letters CCC. With the recent rise in sticker trading and collecting, CCC have made their opinions of this activity well known and have decided to go against the fashion. The guys even created a t-shirt design for our Charity t-shirt design project. We managed to put some questions together and ask the lads from Switzerland the hows, whys and wheres about their stickers.
First off, what does CCC stand for (Concrete Canvas Crew ? :P ) ? Ha ha haaa! No, not really. If anybody asks, say : “you ain’t no clue !“, it’s part of the legend. Could you tell us a little more about your crew? How did you all get into street art and how did you come together ? The cccrew includes 4 members being mates for over 15 years. All of us having bred in the tremendous spirit of rock’n’roll and sweet melody of the urethane rolling on the asphalt. About the street art, one member had been involved in the noble art of graffiti for over 10 years at the end of last century. To make a story short it has all started almost 10 years ago following an incredible scene some of us have been witnesses between a dude, who’s gonna become an indisputable prophet, and a groupie. This was a real revelation driving us to found the CCC and spread the message all over the world.
Can you remember your first street art piece and what was it ? At first our aim was to simply promote the CCC through a rather basic and simple graphic design. Here is the way it looked :
You are best known for your stickers. What pushed you to creating stickers rather than any of the other street art mediums ? Well it probably comes from the fact we all have grew up in a skateboard environment in which stickers were part of the entire movement from the very beginning. Other very simple reasons are that’s cheap, convenient to take anywhere with you and easy to stick almost anywhere. Your sticker portfolio must be huge now. What’s your favourite sticker that you guys have created ? As we are a bunch of 4 mates, everyone has his own favourite one. Here they are in a jumble : (see opposite page)
Do you guys have any idea of the number of stickers you have created and used ? It’s pretty hard to say how many designs have been created from our debut as some were printed in very large batch while others were only a limited homemade run. We nevertheless estimate it between 80 to 100 designs so far but it’s impossible to globally tell the exact amount of stickers produced and stuck. Where and what do you take your inspiration from ? There is a bunch of people and things to mention here which is not conceivable but we can tell we get inspiration as well as from music, skateboard, photography, architecture, design, ads, web sites, travels, art brut and probably so much more. It’s all about feeling .. it keeps changing.
You guys are notoriously difficult to get to trade stickers with (as in you simply do not trade). Why not ? You are right we do not swap stickers. The main reason is that we do not collect any sticker. At the time we have started on fotolog and then flickr we used to send loads of stickers but solicitations increased drastically we then decided to slow down and finally to stop to send stuff. We also decided not to send any sticker anymore because we were not agreeing and feeling happy with this trend consisting in collecting as much stickers as possible. We understand some people might want to collect stickers but it’s not our thing. We indisputably prefer to keep them for our own personal use in the praise of CCC and stick them around the world by ourselves.
If you could place one sticker any where in the world, on anything, where would it be and why ? What an interesting question we have never been asked before so we have not really thought of it but we all quickly agreed that’s not about a specific place but rather somewhere no one could never ever see. You know just for the beauty of it ! Like inside a grave or inside an harvester’s crankcase then imagine the guy discovering it one day, he should get damn nothing. Is there anything else you’d like to add ? Nope .. thanx !
ten years of self-promoting
somewhere (switzerland)
basel (switzerland)
barcelona (spain)
basel (switzerland)
vancouver (canada)
vancouver (canada)
lausanne (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
somewhere (switzerland)
somewhere else (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) vancouver (canada)
yverdon-les-bains (switzerland)
vancouver (canada)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
somewhere in switzerland (again)
amsterdam (The Netherlands)
amsterdam (the netherlands) lausanne (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
la chaux-de-fonds (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
NEW YORK (usa) NEW YORK (usa)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
amsterdam (the netherlands) lausanne (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland) neuch창tel (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) geneva (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) zermatt (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) basel (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
amsterdam (The Netherlands) neuch창tel (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) milano (italy)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
somewhere (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) yverdon-les-bains (switzerland)
yverdon-les-bains (switzerland)
geneva (switzerland) neuch창tel (switzerland)
yverdon-les-bains (switzerland) neuch창tel (switzerland)
anywhere (switzerland)
milano (italy) geneva (switzerland
neuch창tel (switzerland)
somewhere (switzerland)
quĂŠbec (canada)
??? (switzerland)
probably somewhere (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
zermatt (switzerland) la-chaux-de-fonds (switzerland)
geneva (switzerland) m端nster (germany)
z端rich (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
here around (switzerland)
berlin (germany) lรถbnitz (germany)
barcelona (spain)
london (uk)
london (uk)
somewhere (switzerland) zermatt (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) neuch창tel (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) milano (italy)
milano (italy)
lausanne (switzerland)
barcelona (spain)
basel (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
basel (switzerland)
basel (switzerland)
zermatt (switzerland)
berlin (germany) lausanne (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
barcelona (spain) z端rich (switzerland)
barcelona (spain)
somewhere (denmark) berlin (germany)
sรถlden (austria)
NEW YORK (usa)
NEW YORK (usa) barcelona (spain)
barcelona (spain)
NEW YORK (usa) telephone booth (denmark)
NEW YORK (usa) barcelona (spain)
barcelona (spain) sydney (australia)
z端rich (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) la chaux-de-fonds (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
zug (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
various places (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
la chaux-de-fonds (switzerland) z端rich (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
somewhere (Denmark)
here and there (denmark)
more places (denmark)
berlin (germany)
lausanne (switzerland)
restroom (somewhere in switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) z端rich (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
here and there (switzerland)
NEW YORK (usa)
Tallinn (estonia)
NEW YORK (usa) tallinn (estonia)
somewhere (morocco) m端nster (germany)
NEW YORK (usa) Brussels (belgium)
NEW YORK (usa)
berlin (germany)
berlin (germany) somewhere (switzerland)
barcelona (spain)
NEW YORK (usa)
m端nster (germany) berlin (germany)
berlin (germany) wiesbaden (germany)
berlin (germany)
les crosets (switzerland)
berlin (germany)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
different places (sri lanka)
somewhere (morocco)
paris (france)
lanzarote (spain) amsterdam (the netherlands)
bern (switzerland) NEW YORK (usa)
prague (Czech Republic)
bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
Edinburgh (scotland)
somewhere (japan)
bern (switzerland)
volendam (the netherlands) amsterdam (the netherlands)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
marken (the netherlands) lausanne (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
Edinburgh (scotland) lausanne (switzerland)
Edinburgh (scotland) lausanne (switzerland)
Pinnewala (sri lanka) budapest (hungary)
lausanne (switzerland)
wiesbaden (germany) lisbon (portugal) somewhere (iceland)
bern (switzerland) m端nster (germany)
lausanne (switzerland)
various places (sri lanka)
prague (Czech Republic)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
amsterdam (the netherlands) lisbon (portugal)
tokyo (japan) prague (Czech Republic)
orlando (usa)
zermatt (switzerland)
basel (switzerland) geneva (switzerland)
curitiba (brasil) lisbon (portugal)
lanzarote (spain)
barcelona (spain)
zermatt (switzerland) amsterdam (the netherlands)
p채rnu (estonia)
RAKVERE (estonia)
barcelona (spain)
lisbon (portugal)
lausanne (switzerland)
barcelona (spain)
z端rich (switzerland)
various places (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
lisbon (portugal)
dublin (ireland)
yverdon-les-bains (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
las vegas (usa) wiedikon (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
seafront (Barbados)
somewhere (probably in switzerland)
edinburgh (scotland) lisbon (portugal)
Martinique (france) anywhere (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
amsterdam (the netherlands) bern (switzerland)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
bad bonn festival, d端dingen (switzerland) amsterdam (the netherlands)
Jerusalem (israel) dublin (ireland)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
marseille (france) lausanne (switzerland)
barcelona (spain)
Split (croatia) basel (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland) edinburgh (scotland)
lausanne (switzerland) edinburgh (scotland)
bilbao (spain) amsterdam (the netherlands)
amsterdam (the netherlands)
bali (indonesia)
bali (indonesia)
dublin (ireland)
geneva (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
time magazine (billi kid combo)
ubud, bali (indonesia)
somewhere (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
kuta, bali (indonesia) lausanne (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
bali (indonesia)
bern (switzerland) stockholm (sweden)
san fransisco (usa) bali (indonesia)
bali (indonesia)
lausanne (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
various places (switzerland)
geneva (switzerland) fribourg (switzerland)
somewhere (switzerland) fribourg (switzerland) z端rich (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland)
lisbon (portugal) z端rich (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
split (croatia)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
geneva (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) geneva (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
aubonne (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
here and there (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland)
biel (switzerland) geneva (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
z체rich (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
weil-am-rhein (germany)
berlin (germany) geneva (switzerland) neuch창tel (switzerland)
barcelona (spain)
Edinburgh (scotland)
Edinburgh (scotland)
Edinburgh (scotland)
lausanne (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
stockholm (sweden) somewhere (switzerland)
stockholm (sweden)
bern (switzerland) stockholm (sweden)
fribourg (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland) basel (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
stockholm (sweden) san fransisco (usa)
dublin (ireland) dublin (ireland)
vully (switzerland) geneva (switzerland)
dublin (ireland)
basel (switzerland)
somewhere (cebu, philippines) stockholm (sweden)
zermatt (switzerland) stockholm (sweden)
bilbao (spain)
basel (switzerland) bilbao (spain)
san fransisco (USA)
zermatt (switzerland)
zermatt (switzerland) basel (switzerland)
basel (switzerland)
basel (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
ubud (bali, indonesia) neuch창tel (switzerland)
dublin (ireland) lausanne (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
zermatt (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
dublin (ireland) barcelona (spain)
barcelona (spain)
stockholm (seden)
various places (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
barcelona (spain)
neuch창tel (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
barcelona (spain) bern (switzerland)
biel (switzerland)
dublin (ireland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
basel (switzerland)
dublin (ireland) basel (switzerland)
guess where
bern (switzerland)
dublin (ireland)
bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
biel (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
dublin (ireland) bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
fribourg (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
geneva (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) grimentz (switzerland)
zermatt (switzerland) grimentz (switzerland)
sรถlden (austria)
bern (switzerland) stockholm (sweden)
neuch창tel (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
berlin (germany) berlin (germany) basel (switzerland)
berlin (germany)
biel (switzernad)
biel (switzerland) fribourg (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland) biel (switzerland)
biel (switzerland)
berlin (germany)
stockholm (sweden)
vully (switzerland) stockholm (sweden)
somewhere (poland) berlin (germany)
SOMEWHERE (SWITZERLAND)
geneva (switzerland) neuch창tel (switzerland)
dublin (ireland)
dublin (ireland) somewhere (switzerland)
somewhere else (switzerland)
dublin (ireland) z端rich (switzerland)
dublin (ireland)
bilbao (spain)
dublin (ireland)
z端rich (switzerland) yverdon-les-bains (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland) stockholm (sweden)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
yverdon-les-bains (switzerland)
moudon (switzerland) bern (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
geneva (switzerland)
neuch창tel (switzerland)
bali (indonesia)
bohol (philippines)
SIQUIJOR (PHILIPPINES) BOHOL (PHILIPPINES)
NEGROS (PHILIPPINES) BOHOL (PHILIPPINES)
BALI (INDONESIA)
lausanne (switzerland)
bilbao (spain) weil-am-rhein (germany)
bilbao (spain)
almost everywhere (switzerland)
bilbao (spain)
z端rich (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
z端rich (switzerland)
geneva (switzerland)
bilbao (spain) berlin (germany)
berlin (germany) geneva (switzerland)
berlin (germany) wui u ai (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland) berlin (germany)
berlin (germany)
z端rich (switzerland)
bern (switzerland) z端rich (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
lausanne (switzerland)
Saint-Cierges (switzerland) lausanne (switzerland)
bern (switzerland)
bilbao (spain)
bilbao (spain)
bilbao (spain)
somewhere (switzerland)
somewhere else (switzerland)
bilbao (spain)
lausanne (switzerland)
various places (switzerland)
sharing public spaces with some friends
visual collaborations people's inspirations & various projects
snub (UK)
chris from robots will kill (usa)
chris from robots will kill (usa)
mayor (switzerland)
el chriso (switzerland)
suspecto (australia)
ciah-ciah (poland)
yellow poe crew (switzerland)
serialcurver (switzerland)
la fouine (switzerland)
andy (switzerland)
das habakuk (switzerland)
bustart (switzerland)
thierry (switzerland)
erase (usa)
ciah-ciah (poland)
youkfou (Belgium)
455er (usa)
k-os (switzerland) harry (brazil)
elna (israel)
boris (france) manolo (switzerland) chiefrocker (switzerland)
The Lucky Dip Collab Project 2008
"it's yours, take it" project 2008 (los angeles & hollywood, USA)
Oversized & underpriced charity exhibition for Skateistan 2008 (at Hatch Sticker Museum, Berlin)
i got wood project
PYRA:MI[N]DS project
stick-a-thing (germany) (wood-blocks project)
el chriso (switzerland) (wood-blocks project)
moche crew - fragile project 2007
we hate glue project 2007
“A.K.A.” – A Bandana Art Show 2007 (Houston, Texas, USA)
vinyl factory exhibition 2009 (roma, italy)
seen & unseen stuff
play more !
wood-blocks project
the legend
CCC OR DIE ! Originally, history was lost in the mists of time, a period when a man’s honor was achieved with swings of a sharp-edged sword, a bloody axe or his bare hands during merciless combats inevitably ending in death. Life was crude, cruel and each day of survival was considered to be an unexpected mercy. In those times of instability and incertitude, sleep was a rare thing. It was better to sleep with one eye open, or even both, if you wanted to avoid waking up to the unpleasant tingling sensation of the blade of a dagger which had just severed your carotid artery. Women were not to be outdone. As base as hyenas, their cupidity was equaled only by the cunning ruse that they used to rob you of your few possessions before you even had time to notice. At that time, you could only dream of reaching the venerable age of 30; life was neither a right nor a certitude. The law was a joke, justice a far-fetched legend… this story begins in 1998.
At that time, during an evening which promised nothing more exciting than any other night, he whose name we shall not reveal (in order to protect him in some way from the innumerable entreaties that he would no doubt receive if his identity were to be disclosed) but to whom we will refer as « the prophet » was present, never once suspecting that in a few minutes’ time he would change the face of the world for ever. Let us simply mention that his initials are the root of the first two letters of ccc…
The action took place in a bar, just like thousands of others. A group of young people were drinking and chatting merrily. They included the famous prophet, as well as a slightly forward, charming creature of the fairer sex. Suddenly, without any look, gesture or innuendo of any kind being addressed to him, our hero made a gesture to the young nymphet which while apparently harmless, was of a sublime spontaneity which would mark the starting point of a circle of influence destined to fill the history books for centuries. It is unnecessary for you to know the exact nature of this act in order to understand this story, and its extreme subtlety would probably escape you. Suffice it to say that this uncanny scene was a true flash of inspiration for those present.
Following this event, our small group of friends decided to found the now famous ccc and spread these three letters to the four corners of the globe (and beyond). At last, the adventure could commence…
Starting from that date, the prophet’s innumerable politically incorrect exploits were reported, commented on and admired. They were also an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the innumerable visual variations created in honor of our new messiah that sprung up here and there, in our regions and many others.
Should you be in any way observant and not go around staring fixedly at the floor, your mind full of murderous thoughts about your fellow citizens, then you will know the rest of the story.
Note : This being said, do not make the mistake of believing that we are laying claim to any political, religious, philosophical or religious school of thought. The ccc acts on behalf of nobody (with the exception of our beloved prophet). The cccrew is merely a reflection of the non-culture of its members and aspires only to self-promotion in the most diverse of locations, with no desire to stroke any artistic or intellectual ego. It is no doubt the fact that the ccc cannot be labeled, that no doctrine or aim can be attributed to it, which so upsets certain people… and it has to be said, we couldn’t give a damn. I will simply end with a quotation from the prophet, who is always quick to strike with an indisputable truth in order to set the flock on the right path : « The important thing is for the bed to be unmade ».
la légende
CCC OR DIE ! A l’origine, l’histoire se perd dans la nuit des temps, à une époque où l’honneur d’un homme s’acquierrait à grands coups de glaive acéré, de hallebarde ensanglantée ou à mains nues lors de combats sans merci dont l’issue mortelle était la norme. La vie était rude, cruelle et chaque jour supplémentaire de survie était à considérer comme une trêve inespérée. En ces temps de précarité et d’incertitude, le sommeil se faisait rare. Il valait mieux ne dormir que d’un oeil, voire même d’aucun si l’on ne voulait se réveiller avec la désagréable sensation de picotement provoquée par la lame d’une dague qui venait de vous sectionner la carotide. Les femmes n’étaient pas en reste. Viles comme des hyènes, leur cupidité n’avait d’égale que la ruse avec laquelle elles vous dépouillaient de vos rares possessions avant même que vous eussiez pu vous en rendre compte. A l’époque où l’on ne pouvait guère espérer atteindre l’âge canonique de 30 ans, la vie n’était ni un droit, ni un acquis. La loi une plaisanterie, la justice une légende fantaisiste... cette histoire commence en 1998.
A cette époque, lors d’une soirée qui ne promettait pourtant rien de bien plus excitant que les autres, celui dont nous tairons le nom (pour le préserver un tant soit peu des innombrables sollicitations dont il ne manquera pas de faire l’objet si son identité venait a être divulguée) mais que nous nommerons désormais « le prophète » était présent, loin de se douter que dans quelques minutes il allait à jamais changer la face du monde. Mentionnons simplement que ses initiales sont à l’origine des deux premières lettres de ccc...
L’action se situe dans un bar comme il en existe des milliers. Un groupe de jeunes gens boit en devisant gaiement. Parmi eux se trouve le fameux prophète ainsi qu’une charmante créature du beau sexe quelque peu délurée. Soudain, sans qu’aucun regard, aucun geste ou sous-entendu de quelque sorte ne lui ait été adressé, notre héros eu à l’égard de la nymphette un geste en apparence anodin, mais dont la sublime spontanéité marqua le point de départ d’une mouvance qui allait remplir les livres d’histoire pendant des siècles. Porter à votre connaissance la nature exacte de cet acte n’est pas impératif pour la compréhension de l’histoire et son extrême subtilité vous échapperait très probablement. Précisons simplement que cette scène surnaturelle fût une véritable illumination pour les personnes présentes.
Suite à cet évènement, le petit groupe d’amis que nous étions décida de fonder le désormais fameux ccc et de colporter ces trois lettres aux quatres coins du globe (et au-delà). L’aventure pouvait enfin commencer...
A dater de ce jour, les innombrables exploits politiquement incorrects du prophète furent rapportés, commentés et admirés. Ils furent également une inépuisable source d’inspiration pour les innombrables déclinaisons visuelles réalisées à la gloire de notre nouveau messie qui fleurissent ça et là, dans nos contrées et dans bien d’autres.
Pour peu que vous ayez un semblant de sens de l’observation et que vous ne vous déplaciez pas en regardant fixement le sol, l’esprit peuplé de pensées génocidaires à l’égard de vos concitoyens, vous connaissez la suite de l’histoire.
Note : N’allez pas croire pour autant que nous nous revendiquons d’un quelconque courant de pensée politique, religieux, philosophique ou artistique. Le ccc ne milite pour rien ni personne (à l’exception de notre prophète bien aimé). Le cccrew n’est que le reflet de la non-culture de ses membres et n’aspire qu’à faire son autopromotion dans les lieux les plus divers, et ce sans aucune prétention de l’ordre de la branlette artistique ou intellectuelle. C’est sans doute le fait de ne pas pouvoir étiqueter le ccc, de ne pas lui trouver de doctrine ou de but qui en fait mousser certains à ce point... et il faut bien avouer qu’on s’en fout complètement. Je terminerais simplement par cette citation du prophète, toujours prompt à asséner une indiscutable vérité pour mettre ces ouailles dans le droit chemin : « L’important c’est que le lit soit défait ».
To name everyone would be a way too long and the risk to forget somebody is more likely to happen but we would like to thank you all, friends, families, supporters, promoters & detractors, disciples, fans, followers who have supported the cccause during all these years ! You know who you are, right ?