January 2010: Rub Kandy in Rome

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with ancient Egypt. I built pyramids in my backyard, dressed up as Cleopatra for Halloween, and pored over books on hieroglyphics. Perhaps it's this last point of interest that makes me like Rub Kandy's works. His unusual paintings and sculptures punctuate the city with enigmatic messages. Fortunately, he wrote in to decode them. He writes:

"When I started, the word 'street art' wasn't used. In the the 90's in Italy, we used to talk about 'lettering' or about 'aerosol art'. When you were making a line with a spray-can, you had to take care that color didn't drip. Even the word
'graffiti' was 'out'. Like everybody, I used to do 'pieces' with letters and puppets. I moved away from pure writing because I preferred to watch the art world. Now that I'm doing some art expos and I'm seeing a lot of good street artists doing art expos, I envy the young bombers who ravage the city, who break open metro manholes, who recharge the markers with acid. I'd really like to have that rage now."
"I can rely on an hell-bent-krew who inexplicably still trust and help me. I think that, when you deeply wish for a thing, there is a glow which lights up your face; your energy spreads and the others follow you. I don't work much with others street artists, but there isn't a certain reason. Maybe I personally don't know many street artists."
"I always try to move widthwise. I mean when I learn a new technique, I mix it with the old technics. I move continuously, trying not to do what I already did. I wanna be a beginner forever; I hate the professionals.I wanna learn and change. When someone tell me I'm doing great works, I start to do others. When you arrive, you die. A lot of great artist try to be recognizable. They look at the fashion world as a model of diffusion, so they fill the world with faces, stars,hearts, skulls, arrows, each one like the others. They wanna be recognizable: they do branding, great branding. I don't want this, I don't want to do branding. I just try to do good works, just the works attesting for themselves. As my friend Ester always tells me, 'The good mum wants hers sons to grow up healthy and strong, the good artist wants his works to grow up healthy and strong'. So I try to make healthy and strong pieces,'cause I'll turn from them. I hope my works will outlive fashion."
"I don't have a favorite place. I do this: if I walk and I see a good location, I try to accurately plan everything. I'm not able to work with other people watching me if I don't have a plan. When I did RATZINGER, for example, I worked for a week in my lab, but the installation took five minutes. If I want to try new techniques and styles, I go work in abandoned buildigngs to play freely."
"I'm working on a series of anamorphosis work. I'm mixing two of my passions, photograpy and painting. I'm sending you a pic for your great blog!"

You are too kind, Rub! For photos of this new series, stop by his blog.