September 2009: Momo in NYC

When I was little, I used to spend hours playing with Colorforms. Those little floppy shapes could turn into anything: houses, boats, people. I'd stick them all over the windows, on the walls of the bathtub, and even on the fridge. Maybe Momo had a set, too, because his posters take this concept to the next level. This guy has been all over and isn't afraid to get crazy with it. He writes:

"I've had a crazy couple weeks, tons of friends in town. I flew spontaneously to California, and I'm completely broke as usual, which is a relief in someways because it's so familiar. Here's my deal."
"MOMO is known for tagging his name the width of Manhattan, creating oversized collages, faking a New Yorker magazine cover, and building a totem pole in the East River, a computer script which makes his art for him, and a mural project with Melissa Brown that destroys their art for them."
"He's done Tide-powered sculpture with Eltono, and prints, paintings, and videos that rely on chance for fun and substance. In 2009, Rojo published his first monograph, 3am-6am, and Y-3 created MOMO shoes."
"MOMO grew up in San Francisco and traveled extensively, before settling in New York."
"He joined a graffiti crew in 1999 while living in Spain, found his use of color while employed in the Caribbean, and fell for outside art while living outside; in a cave for a year, in a truck for a year, in a tent for a year. He now lives in a former bodega in Brooklyn."

Wild, man! Whenever I need a 40 and a sandwich, I'll stop by your bodega-house! For more photos, details, and videos, stop by his website.