Graffiti artist AMIT 2.0 continues his NAMEDROPPING project with another nice style exchange. This time with Graffiti artist KARTEL from Hanover, Germay. After the Intervies from the previous rounds here is another one to discuss the exchange a bit more in depth:
HOW DID YOU TWO GET TOGETHER FOR THIS PROJECT?
Amit: When I got to know Kartel in Hanover last year I was impressed with him as a person and with the picture language of this young artist. On the occasion of the buergerpark gallery we had the chance to meet more often and so the Namedropping project became a matter of the heart. Today is our third attempt, the other two had to be put off either because of bad weather or of personal reasons.
WHEN DID YOU GET TO KNOW AMIT`S PICTURES?
Kartel: I came across Amit´s pictures in the beginning of my graffiti career in Hanover when I looked into classical graffiti intensely. First only in magazines, then on the internet. Later I saw his pictures live.
HOW DID YOU PLAN TODAY`S PROJECT?
Amit: When choosing the colours the reduction to blue and red was obvious. As far as the content was concerned we put down some ideas and exchanged them. I was impressed that Kartel always drafted the latest ideas on his i pad. A real professional!
The general topic stamps comes from Kartels artistic focus on the picture language of the Soviet Union. We actually had an original stamp as a model.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NAME DROPPING PROJECT?
Kartel: A very exciting approach that shows the variety of graffiti. It is also really interesting seeing the concept and the arrangement of your own name from a completely different angle. A good project for leaving your comfort zone and dealing with different letters. That is specially demanding for me as I am a more conventional graffiti artist. This makes the result very interesting and unexpected.
Amit: I totally agree. Painting over a 30 cm deep edge of the garage door wasn`t much fun but the process and the result are very satisfying. It was mainly exciting watching how meticulously Kartel wanted the whole wall including the garage door painted white. I would work on a surface like that in a completely different way and leave as much as possible of the original wall as a background.
HOW IMPORTANT IS STYLE WRITING TO YOU AS A CHARACTERMASTER?
Kartel: I am still as interested in style writing as ever. I love the aesthetics of different styles. I speak of styles that have developed their own soul, picture and design language. That is what really counts whether you do styles or characters. I follow the scene closely although I personally have moved away from it completely. I love the direct exchange with many style writers. My present style wouldn´t exist without this discipline of art.
HOW HAVE YOU PREPARED YOURSELVES TODAY?
Kartel: I prepared a digital sketch, only for the compositional orientation. The actual pictures is developing on the wall and I find an open exchange with the other artist very important. The composition is supposed to resemble a stamp and the cow developed intuitively. Lately I have often had animal or figurative studies. A lovely change from people or faces that I usually paint.
Amit: By the way, I find the picture of a cow very appropriate for my origin in Òstfriesland`. Otherwise I scribbled the name two or three times just to find out that I had to work differently on this small surface with a rough structure.
HOW DID THE PAINTING GO?
Kartel: The surface was a little challenging because there were very deep joints and I always deal conscientiously with the base. That`s why the preliminary work took a little longer. Otherwise I had a super day with great conversations in perfect weather.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE COMPLETED WALL AND YOUR OWN NAME WRITTEN BY SOMEONE ELSE?
Kartel: For me it is very unusual but also very nice to see my full name. Although I find the constellation of the letters for the name ´Kartel` difficult, I am very happy with the strong result. There is harmony in the arrangement of the letters and they blend in perfectly with the whole picture. The rounded letters form a good contrast to the hard characteristic style. The result is surely one of my favourite `Kolabos`
Amit: I share Kartel´s view. It certainly was a delightful afternoon, the sun was shining, we talked shop and sometimes I could even hear my five-months-old son laughing in the garden next door.
Thank you for this beautiful day, dear Kartel!
Thanks! Check out the photos of the exchange and few additional pieces by WEIPS below!
