October 2009: Mr. Lexotenil in Athens

I love the pioneering spirit behind street art. More and more, I'm realizing that contrived paths and following orders aren't really for me. I don't know where I'm headed in terms of career, location, or anything of that nature, but I'm getting more comfortable with embracing that "whatever happens, happens" attitude. Each person I interview represents these "true to yourself" ideals, and Mr. Lexotenil is no exception. Making the leap from small down Greece to studying at a major university, he's doing what he loves and I couldn't be happier for him. He writes:

"I did my first graffiti in Ioannina, Greece, in 2002. But it wasn't until the beginning of 2007 that I decided to seriously take up street art and thus became who I am today. Street art entered my life and never left."
"I started painting alone but now I paint with my crew, 'ANUS'. I prefer working in isolated spots."
"I was mainly doing traditional graffiti pieces til 2008. In the beginnings of 2008, I left Ioannina (my hometown) and moved to Athens to study photography and audiovisual arts. That was when my ideas about painting in the street changed very fast. Since then, I've done my best to make my own style and I attempt to reflect my thoughts in my art."
"This period I am trying to improve my skills, develop my personal style and create things that will mean something in the future."
Σε ευχαριστώ, Mr. Lexotenil! For more photographs, check out his Flickr.

In The Headlines

Great weekend. Other than relaxing, I got to watch my sister qualify for the world Irish step dancing championships. YEAH, GIRL, YEAH! Okay, enough bragging. I'm totally ready for Thanksgiving, but I promise to deliver the goods even on Thursday. Here's your news for the week.


If you can't be there in person, Inspire Collective posted a video of the Reuse Project in Tel Aviv.

Some New Yorkers are freaking out over BNE's upcoming show.

Omino 71 interviewed BR1 on his blog.

LAist is all about sharing secret painting spots. However, they also threw in some photos of work at Sunset Junction.

Graffiti goes indoors in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

The bandages are off and Hang-Up's face-lift looks good.

Osservatorionomade/Marseille questions the role of urban art in public spaces. Definitely worth a look.

In Shoreditch, Maverick Showrooms presents "Shades of Things to Come," an exhibitions featuring works from Does, Nychos, Tizer, and others. Catch it from November 25-November 29.

Ripo presented "10 Days," a film of live painting, at Vienna's MuseumQuartier last Friday. If you missed it, watch it here!

Friday ProFile: Josh Sutterby

Today, Josh Sutterby paints on the streets and in galleries, but his first artistic inklings pulled him towards comics. “I used to draw these comic books with these really weird creatures called the Alpha Males,” he explains. “They were a dominant force on the planet.” When he picked up a spray can, he adopted Alpha Male as a pseudonym. As his style evolved, so did his name, changing to Alfa and then back to Josh Sutterby. “When I think back, I really wish I had chosen something different,” he regrets, “but once you’ve gone under a name for a while and people start to know who you are a bit more, it almost seems silly to change it.”As a kid, Sutterby spent hours drawing at his kitchen table. Growing up on a farm, his mother encouraged her boys to be active instead of passively watching TV. “She would only let us watch it a certain amount every day,” he recalls. “At the time, I’m sure we moaned about it but looking back, it was the best thing she could have done for us.” As a kid, he dabbled in graffiti, but moving to London catalyzed this interest into an all-encompassing lifestyle. “I met a group of guys in South London who were really into street art and graffiti,” he says. “They were really inspiring. Eventually, we became Sooper Dooper Crew. Being in that kind of environment was amazing: drawing all day, then hitting the streets and tracks at night, getting up to no good.”
No matter what name he paints under, you’ll recognize Sutterby’s style. His dark and twisted themes pervade each piece. “Initially, originality was a massive problem,” he explains. “I was constantly asking myself, ‘Am I being original?’ Eventually, I just got used to the idea that you have to just do it your way and fuck what anyone else thinks.” Painting allowed him to travel the work, bombing in London, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and everywhere in between.
Travel is a great perk, but being an artist isn’t always easy. When he’s not facing the dangers of street painting, he’s fielding criticism for his indoor and commercial work. “It’s very easy to jeopardize your integrity as an artist by doing jobs for corporate industries,” he acknowledges. “I’ve been judged by other people for doing commercial stuff, but without those jobs I could never further my career as an artist. There’s always gonna be haters; you just have to roll with the punches and do your thing.”
The hustle paid off for Sutterby and today, he’s able to rock the artist gig full-time. “I’m really grateful to be able to do what I like pretty much when I like it,” he confesses. “It’s great not to have to go and work some shit job you hate for no money five or six days a week. I’d like to be a little less lazy when it comes to painting, though. I’ve just done a show in Brighton and am now working on my new show which is to open early December at the print house in Dalston, East London.”
What’s the key to artist success? Sutterby believes the answer lies in constant practice. “I find it harder these days because I’m more particular about the subject of my art and I have less time to sit and draw, but when I was younger I used to be able to sit and draw for hours just from my imagination. I think it’s really important for artists to dedicate a certain amount of time to sit and just draw, whether it’s from your head or from life. It’s hard to put into practice and it’s quite time consuming, but it’s so rewarding in the end.”

Thanks so much, Josh! For more info about Josh's show and work, take a look at his blog. That's all for now; see you next week!

November 2009: "Go Get Your Shinebox" at Brooklynite

Yesterday, I checked my inbox and was greeted with a note from PaperMonster. Always one to give Illicit a shoutout, he hopes everyone in the NYC area will come check out his latest group show. He writes:

"On November 21^st Brooklynite Gallery will open 'Go Get Your Shinebox'. This group show will feature over 100 works from artists all looking to answer the question of how to survive in these economic times by creating their own interpretation of a 'Survival Box.'"
(For those of you that are wondering what the hell a shinebox is, think 1930s Depression-era America. Lots of kids out shining shoes and you had to put your feet up on something, hence shinebox: a portable toolbox and footrest in one. Needless to say, these are some pretty flashy shineboxes.)
"Brooklynite Gallery has commissioned some of their favorite established and emerging artist to take on this challenge and the responses are breathtaking."
"Artists such as Dain, Miss Bugs, PaperMonster, Anthony Lister, Ben Eine, Jace, Thundercut, Skewville, Ben Frost, Jon Burgerman, Specter, Skewville, Know Hope, Kosbe, Gaia, Ben Frost, Hush, and many more have all created a one of a kind box, each taking the concept of the show one step further."
"You can view the entire lists of artists participating and more information by visiting Brooklynite Gallery's site."

Thanks, PaperMonster! For my NYC folks, hit this up! The show runs through December 19, so get your shine on while you have the chance. Tonight, I'm off to see El Ten Eleven in New Haven. If you're there, say hi! I look like...well, like myself. Trust me, you'll know me.

November 2009: "The Thousands" at Village Underground

I've been impressed with RJ and Vandalog for quite some time now. Homeboy went over to London, started his blog, and in no time at all promoted it into a household name for street art. On top of that, he just started college this year. With a Blackberry full of connex like Black Rat Press and Pure Evil's Gallery, you know he means business. Tonight, RJ presents "The Thousands" at London's Village Underground. Here's the PR:

"The exhibition opens November 18th at Village Underground in London, and the lineup is really top notch. Because the artwork is (for the most part) on loan from collectors, I can include artists like Banksy, Os Gêmeos, José Parlá, Swoon, Aiko, Nick Walker, Kaws and many others that wouldn't normally show together."
"The full line-up as well as all the details about opening times are on Vandalog along with an e-flyer. I know some of you don't live in the UK, but maybe you'll be here on holiday or something. It would be great to see you at 'The Thousands'."
"And the book, The Thousands: Painting Outside, Breaking In is available now on Drago's website."
"If you know of anybody else who might be interested in 'The Thousands', please send them an e-mail. The more people there, the better. "
No doubt, RJ! While I'm furious I won't be able to make it (definitely makes me want to relocate to the UK for a while), I know I'll let my cross-the-pond folks know. If you're there, GO and tell me how it is!

October 2009: 0331© in Moscow

In the United States, 0331 is a special unit within the Marines in charge of crew-served machine guns. In Russia, 0331© has to do with bombing, but not the explosive variety. Instead, this artist is all about graffiti and street art. Mixing old school standards with clever locations and style, he decorates walls (and trees) all across Europe. Today, he shares some photos and adventurous stories. He writes:

"I started with posters and stickers in 2001 and since that time I developed myself in different areas.
In most cases, I paint alone. It helps me to express my feelings, but I also I like painting productions with people whose art I really appreciate!"
"In my opinion, 'style' is only a cage in which a painter puts himself with his own hands. I try not to stop at what has been accomplished and I am constantly searching for some new ways of expressing visual compositions (ideas, types)."
"I adore when a place inspires me, but as such places are very hard to find in urban life, I've chosen forest and trees. I think that every painting and every picture must match the place where it is painted. It must create a composition, a harmony - that's what street art is for me."
"This summer my friend from Saint Petersburg and I had to spend a night in the police station in Paris. Getting arrested for tagging is pretty crazy. We tried to run from them, but they took us for a drive in their car, tried on handcuffs, and even beat my friend at the police for us to confess. Finally, at 7 o'clock in the morning, we left Paris for Vitally. Because of (or thanks to) the corruption, it is much easier in Russia; one can pay and do what ever he wants."
"I do not like to speak about the future or about plans, things which do not exist at present moment. But maybe this winter I'll introduce two new street art projects. Rock on! See you!"

Thanks a million, 0331©! For more info, visit his Flickr or website.

In The Headlines

Is it really over? After such a relaxing weekend, I'm not that motivated to go back to work. Any two day period that involves Anthony Bourdain, onion soup, coat racks made of skis and lazing is a good time. Hopefully Kara, Dan Deacon and I will both be healthy in January when we meet again. While I brew some coffee, check out this week's baby crop o' headlines.

Over at Vandalog, RJ's putting together a fabulous London showcase. The show kicks off this Thursday; check back Wednesday for all the details.

In Croatia, Lunar and his YCP crew created a series for the 150th anniversary of Playboy. Check his site for more shots.

"The Thousands" runs from November 18-22 in RJ at Vandalog. For more info, check out his awesome blog.

The Montana Street Art Extravaganza showcased the best graffiti in Napa Valley.

K74 covers LA’s Lookout Mountain Ave. with Moses, Charlie Chaplin, and ballerina wheatpastes.

In Detroit, an outdoor clinic built by two students highlights the lack of health care options in the Motor City.

Know Hope's show "Go Get Your Shinebox" opens on November 18 at the Brooklynite Gallery.

Someone's a dickhole. Last week, someone stabbed Chor Boogie and stole his paint as he created a mural for San Francisco's Market Street. Show some love as he finishes the piece; he's not letting the incident stop him.

Apparently, there's a secret spot in Los Angeles teeming with street art. Observe.

Since it's summer in the southern hemisphere, Auckland's street artists are out in full force.