March 2010: 1010 in Hamburg

Last year at this time, I was getting ready to visit London and Berlin. That trip completely blew my mind. I feel like the more time I spend away from Germany, the more I miss. There's just so much street art exploding within its borders! Today, 1010 checks in as an ambassador from Hamburg to share his work and philosophy. He writes:

"I started graffiti in the mid 90s and pasted my first cutouts around ten years later in 2003. I live and work mostly in Hamburg, Germany."
"It's nice to go out painting with friends but I mostly work alone. I don´t have a partner in crime. Art and groups tend to be less dynamic and spontaneous. My style developed because I got bored by all the faces, characters and
their expressions. I wanted to explore some more abstract characters and more subtle forms of communication.
That´s one of the reasons why I leave out eyes, for example. They tell too much. I prefer the picture to be more open to different interpretations."
"Some weeks ago, I was lucky to have a whole abandoned office building for myself for a few days. Six stories of untouched rooms. It felt like being inside a huge sketchbook."
"So far nothing really crazy happened to me while doing street art. Actually, I find it a very calm and peaceful activity. It's all about finding the right spot and the right timing."
"I'm basically trying to concentrate on my next show at the ATM Gallery in Berlin in the beginning of June. But spring just popped up here after the longest winter in 20 years and I really feel like going out pasting more often again."

Thanks, 1010! For more photos and updates on the June show, pop by his website.