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1. You started with aerosol
in 1989. How would you say your style has developed since then?
Oh man, that is a long answer. When I started doing graffiti I didn't
have the concept of letter form down pat until years later. I started
doing wildstyle first, and readable letters later, (that is totally
backwards for anybody else). Then in 1993 I started doing 3d letters
after seeing an ERNI piece in a magazine called HYPNO. And ironically
enough it was the 3RD 3d drawing I ever colored, that is the style
I do today, TUBE STYLE, which later turned into POD.
My style has been free and unleashed since about 1997, previous
to that my style was anal and conformed, than after POD I would
unleash and focus on color and perspective.
2. Who have been the most influential teachers and students you
have encountered throughout the last 14 years?
Well my cousin SADY was my first teacher, he gave me my first spray
can and taught me how to use it and how to paint big. LOOMIT (Germany)
taught me how to unleash lighting properly, and BROKE (Australia)
Taught me how to have fun and do over lapping fades and clean cuts
in my paintings. Then around 1994 I started teaching everything
I knew to one of my first partners SADER, I taught him everything
about colors , can control, 2d letters. Then years later I taught
3d perspective to a new student called DYSKE (Montreal) he went
on to do really good as well. And finally years ago I met my man
WATER. I saw a lot of potential in his art and he was hungry like
I was, I taught him everything I knew about letters, lighting, form,
and perspective. He went on to unleash wrath like no one else. Now
he works with me at VENGEANCE9
he is actually the guy building my name for Digifest.
He's like my little brother, me and him together is trouble..hahah...
word
3. With vengeance9
you have moved into a digital realm. There seems to be certain parallels
between graffiti and web art, one of them being the ability to reach
a large audience with a particular message in mind. If you had to
choose between working solely in graffiti or the web which would
it be and why?
Oh man that’s easy, if I had a choice I would never do graffiti
ever again, I mean I have done around 400 murals, I mean its boring.
Seriously, my crew barely does graffiti anymore because its something
you start doing when you have a lot to prove, and with little responsibility.
But later on in life when you have bills to pay and you got your
rep or whatever you got, its not as important anymore. I mean I
did what I set out to do, I met all the people I idolize and they
are all my friends, so I am not fighting for fame anymore. But on
the internet, no one knows who the hell I am, and I like that! I
get like 25 hits a day on my personal website, I don't get 25000
hits like JOSHUA DAVIS. I am new, I am hungry and pissed off for
attention. I mean there are soooooo many people who can eat me at
flash...so many names like GMUNK,
MIKE YOUNG,
PETER (NRG), MATT
OWENS, YOHAN
GINGRAS (EVILPUPIL), ERIC
JORDAN, Just to name a few...
All these people are like hero's to me, and I would be honored to
meet any of them, design is the new goal and they all destroy me
at design and flash skills. Now the new battle is to be as good
as the people I idolize. And then after that the ultimate goal,
MOTION GRAPHICS. Companies like DIGITAL
KITCHEN, PSYOP,
IMAGINARY
FORCES, MK12...word,
that is the ultimate medium where I am headed, the last and hardest
medium. FILM. But for now I wake up everyday and think that I suck
at flash until I reach the level of the people that I admire. That’s
why I work about 15 hours every single day until I do get to that
level, then ill move to something else.
4. This
piece is an incredible collaborative work. Can you tell us about
it?
Well that was beyond a dream come true. I mean we painted with SEEN
AND DIUSTER!!!! Have you seen STYLE WARS?..I mean there was the
scene in the movie over 20 years later, painting with SEEN AND DUSTER.
Do you have any idea what that is like in the world of graffiti?
It was the first time DUSTER had painted in the BRONX in 11 years
(I think). I mean that was beyond an honor, and he was mad cool.
TATS CREW had that wall near their SOUTH BRONX office. The mural
was 250 feet by 30 feet and it took 1 week to finish. We came up
with the idea the night before and we started the next day. What
a dream come true. Mad fun, very hot week indeed.
5. What are your thoughts on Toronto's annual 416 Graffiti Expo?
Well it used to be good, it used to be very good. We used to paint
huge and have lots of fun. Now I don't even paint or go to it anymore.
Its too much HIP HOP orientated, and I listen to TOOL and pretty
much every other type of music. Also the graffiti scene in Toronto
has gone so downhill. Its hard to explain, I would way rather hang
with designers than graffiti artists any day of the week.
6. Your favorite Toronto hangout?
Sorry I'm a hard core looser that works 15-20 hours every single
day of my life, I don't leave my office much. Come hang with me!!!!
My office , that's my favorite hang out.
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7. Tell us about an average
day at vengeance9
studios.
Well I always wake up and come to the office to check my emails,
call back clients, than update the priority board. Then usually
about 2 hours later ALIUS walks in and checks hockey scores and
then checks world events and he bitches for about an hour and then
he will get to work on his MAC. Hours later WATER will come in and
make jokes and laugh for a bit, then he jumps on the PC for immediate
insanity on COMBUSTION or 3D STUDIO MAX… I am the Art director,
and I coordinate all the client meetings, funding, whatsoever. ALIUS
is the vector king, he specializes in all vector elements and project
construction. And WATER does all 3d-and motion elements. We usually
work between 12-15 hour days, everyday, unless we have a major project
due. Then we usually sleep in the office and work around 19 hour
days… Currently we are working on our demo reel and the new
vengeance9
website.
8. What kind of work has vengeance9
been producing lately?
I finished up a website called WWW.ARRAYMUSIC.COM
a couple of months ago and it turned out really good. They had a
press confrence for the website and everything. It was an abstract
take on a symphony group, I worked closely with Arraymusic to achieve
a website which was an adventure to surf, but easy to update. They
were thrilled.
9. Reading your website, I noticed that you are very passionate
about your tribal designs. Even though you are known internationally
for graffiti murals, is tribal design something you would like to
focus one more?
Well people have used my murals for commercials, magazines,
interviews, backdrops, music videos and any other type of media
exposure for years. Graffiti gets raped every single day in the
media. PEOPLE WANT THE URABN LOOK, I HATE IT SO MUCH… But with
my tribal designs, I can control where and who gets them, so it
is way more personal, I am not being used without knowing it. Currently
I am working on 9 different collections of tattoo flash, and the
response I am getting is outstanding. People getting my designs
on their body is the ultimate respect anybody could ever give me.
I am so flattered when people get my designs,.
10. You will be participating in this year's Digifest 2003 Electronic
Cities. What can you tell us about your presentation?
Well its going to be a 30 minute presentation about the evolution
of graffiti style and how my style evolved and changed modern graffiti,
its going to be awesome! Then at the end WATER and I are going to
release POD
as it walks in a fully 3d environment for the very first time. At
first for the world of Graffiti. Mad Respect to WATER for all the
hard work. Also the guys at CHYMERA,
I love those guys, all young and pissed off just like me..;0)
11. Bringing
graffiti to life through 3D animation, is this something you
would like to explore further?
Yah well WATER started doing this project with me, we realized it
was a dream come true and also something that had never been done
before, a3d virtual graffiti is definitely a huge part of our future.
Titling of course will be our forte, just like IMAGINARY FORCES.
Except we are ACTUALLY ARTISTS in control of the letters, there
for we will do concepts and ideas that have never been done before.
Everyone in titling nowadays tries to do these crazy blurring affects
like THE MUMMY, or scratchy evil style like SE7EN, nobody is breaking
any ground. People need something new with titling. Walking interactive
letters. That is the future.
12. Are you a straight edge, you say on your site you don't drink
or smoke or do drugs and never have?
NO I AM NOT A STRAIGHT EDGE. I am just DUROTHETHIRD. Years ago when
I was young I decided to never, ever get out of control and I never
did. That's it. People nowadays are so proud to be something, Anything.
If you don't drink or smoke or do drugs, that’s great, but
do you have to be part of a club to prove that? I just don't get
it... If you do lots of drugs and drink and smoke, do you have to
part of a club as well? THE ALWAYS FUCKED UP CREW...I AM A ALWAYS
FUCKEDUPER?...HHAHA hey that’s funny!!! I like that !!! Put
that in this interview! Seriously, I'm not going to preach to anybody
what to do in life, and by that logic nobody has the right to preach
to me how to live my life. So if somebody is planning on giving
me a propaganda flyer, or tell me what Religion to believe in, your
talking to the wrong guy. That shit angers me, pretentious over
zealous, want to be righteous freaks. A true righteous man would
not say he is righteous. Do what you want with who you want. Karma
will have its way with you. Vengeance always prevails.
13. You seem to be obsessed with VENGEANCE even your company
is called VENGEANCE9.COM,
can you tell us why you are so vengeful?
Hahahha Word up!.. I looked at my personal site the other day and
thought to myself. WOW, IF I DIDN'T KNOW MYSLEF, I WOULD THINK THAT
I WAS A PRETTY FUCKED UP, INTENSE, PISSED OFF GUY! HAHAHAHAHAHAH...
At the exact same time when I swore to never get out of control,
it was for the reason to get revenge for all the wrong doings and
evil I had seen before me. I love getting paid to unleash vengeance
for clients who need revenge in the corporate world. I love giving
people what they deserve. And if you hire us we will give the best
work possible, with lots of passion and creativity. Hey I kind of
sound like a salesman. Well life is full of revenge, what goes around
comes around, Ying - Yang, you get what you put out. hahhaah
14. So you have got a shiny bald head and some nice crisp sideburns
are you a mack daddy or what?
I can't find a nice girl in this city. All I want is a beautiful
brunette who doesn't do drugs, and party all the time. I am starting
to think that a girl who doesn't drink, or smoke, or do drugs, and
has a brain and is loving and caring, doesn't exist in this city.
So being the loser that I am I went on LAVALIFE and found a nice
girl with an awesome bio. Anyways I sent her my website and a nice
hello, but she never responded, I guess she thought I was a serial
killer or something after visiting my website!!! hahahah. Oh well
my computer is my girlfriend. Its a sad life, but its my life...
Maybe one day I'll even leave my office for more than just lunch
time...
15. What was the last great movie you have seen?
I liked THE RING...At first it was pissing me off because of the
similarities to another great movie STIR OF ECHOES, but then the
ending freaked me out and I love it. You are either going love it
or hate it. I liked the twist at the end , very well put together,
very over the top. Good movie.
Much thanks for this Duro ...... awesome to have you on board
ventilate! |
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