I'm 'a share you a story. It's a story about a kid with idols that will not be named. It's the story of AD24.
I have always been interested in art. I drew a lot but always changed style. I didn’t like realistic things, even though I was quite good at it, since I could just take a picture. I didn’t like fantasy because it was so… off-putting. Manga was not really my thing either. I liked it but I could never draw it right.
I often created artworks on the refrigerator with the magnets in my younger days. And like most other kids, I drew on the streets and sidewalks with chalk.
Today I ask the question: is it okay to teach kids to create art and express themselves on the streets (with chalk) and later dismiss their art when they, as teenagers, paint on streets?
Back to the topic.
I realized that skating, bmx, and hip-hop has affiliations with graffiti. And I listened a lot to NWA (because my teenage brother liked them, and still does). My brother snowboarded which later turned into surfing. In my years before and in my early teens, I started downhill skating (because I had no snow for snowboarding) and going to my local skate park with bikes. Through the years I’ve received many cuts and bruises. In the end my skateboard broke in half and my arm was running with blood. From a friend in school a got a new skateboard, which also broke in half on a set of stairs. Then one day, a few years later, I found a board (without trucks or wheels) at a garage sale. It had the ugliest artwork on the underside (an alien or something) so I grabbed a couple of cans and created my first real graffiti.
I have always been interested in art. I drew a lot but always changed style. I didn’t like realistic things, even though I was quite good at it, since I could just take a picture. I didn’t like fantasy because it was so… off-putting. Manga was not really my thing either. I liked it but I could never draw it right.
I often created artworks on the refrigerator with the magnets in my younger days. And like most other kids, I drew on the streets and sidewalks with chalk.
Today I ask the question: is it okay to teach kids to create art and express themselves on the streets (with chalk) and later dismiss their art when they, as teenagers, paint on streets?
Back to the topic.
I realized that skating, bmx, and hip-hop has affiliations with graffiti. And I listened a lot to NWA (because my teenage brother liked them, and still does). My brother snowboarded which later turned into surfing. In my years before and in my early teens, I started downhill skating (because I had no snow for snowboarding) and going to my local skate park with bikes. Through the years I’ve received many cuts and bruises. In the end my skateboard broke in half and my arm was running with blood. From a friend in school a got a new skateboard, which also broke in half on a set of stairs. Then one day, a few years later, I found a board (without trucks or wheels) at a garage sale. It had the ugliest artwork on the underside (an alien or something) so I grabbed a couple of cans and created my first real graffiti.
When all the other boys had wood-tech in school, i had textiles. I liked sewing. This later went onto creating art on t-shirts.
Then in year 12, we were assigned with a project: "Think about something that you would like to change in our society and spread a message about it.". At first I didn’t think about graffiti. But my thoughts were to get my message out through art. Questions started popping up:
“Are you allowed to spread your message this way?”
“What are the fines?”
etc.
I realized that the subject I had chosen wasn’t enough. I wanted to express myself without being fined. And especially in a country that claims to have freedom-of-speech.
And so, I stumbled right into the thing that would direct my life for the following months. Graffiti.
So next time you see this face,
Then in year 12, we were assigned with a project: "Think about something that you would like to change in our society and spread a message about it.". At first I didn’t think about graffiti. But my thoughts were to get my message out through art. Questions started popping up:
“Are you allowed to spread your message this way?”
“What are the fines?”
etc.
I realized that the subject I had chosen wasn’t enough. I wanted to express myself without being fined. And especially in a country that claims to have freedom-of-speech.
And so, I stumbled right into the thing that would direct my life for the following months. Graffiti.
So next time you see this face,
,remember
the story behind it. Remember the importance of art! I don't care if
you see a monkey or even a cow. It's the message that matters.
Take part. Take part in art.
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