VLTRAJE: Stealing Walls
I know the guys frown upon me when I post other graff videos
But this looks like a meth binge in the eyes of a writer
Spotlight: SweetUno
World Bench:What do you write and where are you from?
Sweet Uno: Hello everybody. I write sweetuno. Originally I am from Basel, Switzerland But now I live in Heidelberg, Germany for the last 7 years.
World Bench: What crews do you represent?
Sweet Uno: I represent my old crew from Basel called ASS ? abstract style surfers and WAF ? writer asyl freiburg, a crew based in Freiburg, Germany When I lived in Germany.
World Bench: I used to see your stuff everywhere, on subways, in the subway cars, tracksides, do you still get up like that?
Sweet Uno: It changed a little bit since my out coming, since I show my face and my identity. But I still want to push this name. But on other mediums, especially for gallerys and stuff. But a good trackside is a good trackside.
World Bench: What do you think about your local graffiti scene and how do you contribute to it?
Sweet Uno: The graffiti scene in Heidelberg (Germany) has an old tradition. Many different styles come together here and so there are a lot of discussions. A lot of young talented painters come up and i think it?s hard to find their place in the style world. But I am not able to discuss this to much. I want to give my answers and questions with my paintings. But of course I have good connections and also friendships with painters here.
World Bench: How did it all begin for you?
Sweet Uno: It?s now 20 years ago! It?s wired, because there are enough moments where I feel like a complete toy! It begins with a black and white copy magazine from Zurich with pics from London, Paris and Zurich. I was really flashed by characters. Of course the famous train line in Basel was the step in. I saw all this fantastic pieces from dare, rto, dest, rebel, show, grey, posk, magoo, g204 etc. So I started with my friend measone with sketching and painting. The rest is what I am doing now.
World Bench: You have massive amounts of style, Who has influenced you in the past and now?
Sweet Uno: So many painters influenced me. In the beginning of course all the writers from Basel like above. Time by time I studied stylers who are in magazines like of course bates, phos4, rens, bando etc… But the oldies from New York were finally the kicks for me. I love ghost, reas, aok crew. At the moment the influence is always changing. And sometimes I try to be influenced by old pieces of myself.
World Bench: Where have you traveled to paint? Which was your favorite place and why?
Sweet Uno: I never traveled a lot specially for painting. Because often I got no time because of my work. But India was very special. I painted massive stones, standing in water. This Indian guys come to me and asked me, why I did that and what?s the meaning behind it. And I said them, I don?t know exactly, but I have to do it, it?s like religion symbols and they all were nooding.
World Bench: How do you compare the life of art galleries now to when you were only in the streets?
Sweet Uno: The streets are free, without concepts. A lot of living is around your piece. And I love this communication. This is graffiti. Sometimes your piece is crushed or buffed the next day. But in galleries you have more chances to do a concentration in your style work and handstyle. You need more time for concepts. You have to tell something. There is no living atmosphere, no window over your panel who pushes your work. I like both. But in the last two galleries I paint no graffiti just abstract paintings.
World Bench: Any final words and/or shout outs?
Sweet Uno: Shout outs to all serious graffiti artists, who believe in this art form.
Click Below For His Gallery
(click here)
Click Below For More Sweet Uno
(http://www.sweetuno.de)
Los Angeles Bench Report (6/2010)
Here’s some flicks for June 2010 from Los Angeles, California
Mostly shot from my car on the move, here’s some flicks!
100% non-biased
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