UNDER PRESSURE 2009

With Smolik

Describing graffiti in one single word is a near impossible feat. Some would use the words “art” or “vandalism” or even “trash”, but those simple words are not only insulting, they don’t even begin to scratch the surface on the art form so rich in culture and diversity it has its own set of rules and ethics.

 

Graffiti traditionally is about reclaiming public space; it’s about having your name run in as many neighbourhoods at once as possible; it’s about creating an alter-ego, a tag; it’s about being an artist.

 

For 14 years Under Pressure has been nourishing those core principles by holding an international graffiti convention, allowing the public to see this truly inspiring art form in all its natural richness.

 

Earwaks.com traveled to the Montreal event with multi-dimensional, Toronto artist, Smolik. He uses his influence and background in graffiti and expands that into his pieces both on and off the brick wall.  Although it was 14 years ago, his introduction to graffiti is a story you’ve heard before: young cat gets introduced to graffiti through skateboarding and hip-hop.

 

 

“It [graffiti] was in this old skateboarding magazine, in a Transworld. I saw that shit and was like that’s the shit, that’s the shit for me,” adding “I’ve been doing it for ten years now, so its like why stop? It’s crossed over into everything now, into my canvases. Now it’s just a general love of type.”

 

For him Under Pressure is a chance for “Smolik” to be understood and a chance for him to expand his artist network.

 

“Under Pressure creates a social network within a culture, it builds the graffiti community. You go to Under Pressure, and there are cats from all over. There are guys there from Montreal, France, Toronto, Windsor and shit, even Mississauga; so you inevitably end up meeting people and you have new people to paint with and new spots to go to. It just builds the community.”

 

Smolik illustrates that aside from the social aspects, Under Pressure acts as a way to inform the public.  “It’s a good chance to paint and not be harassed. To be celebrated for doing this shit instead of being hated for painting. The average person goes to Under Pressure, they see the work and go like ‘oh shit, these guys are artists, that’s sick.’ It just helps to break down the stereotypes you know. They definitely get a glimpse of who you are as a person, as opposed to what your image is.  “

 

 

The line between a graffiti artist and a street artist is becoming increasingly hard to decipher; however Under Pressure helps make it clear, as the event is run by the graffiti artist, for the graffiti artist. “Under Pressure is a consistent part of graffiti culture. Its been there for like 14 years and its not gonna change, its always gonna be graffiti done by graffiti artists, for graffiti artists.  It’s always gonna be for the culture by the culture. “

 

For Smolik graffiti is a way for his art to reach a mass audience, his burner will get many more hits than any website. “You want people to see it, you know, how many people go to the gallery? You could have your paintings in the gallery for a month and maybe 200 people see it, you have your burner in one of the alleys on Queen and you’ll have like 300 to 1000 people see it a day. And that’s a piece that may run forever

 

Change is inevitable, and in graffiti it’s no different. Like most other things you have to adapt or find yourself left behind. Smolik sees the future of the art as a game of cat and mouse between the legit long running graffiti artist, and those hungry for instant Internet fame.

 

“People are gonna have to be on top of there shit, if your doing graffiti you’re gonna have to be on top of it. But I also think that It’s gonna be fucked up cuz of the internet. People do like ten pieces, post them up on every message board, and suddenly your Internet famous.”

 

 

Despite the changing face of the art form, Under Pressure continues to remain constant in the graffiti world. “Under Pressure defiantly keeps it the same, they don’t really change the format. They’ve been doing it and promoting graffiti as graffiti. It’s fucking more credible right now, cuz it’s still underground. It’s always gonna be underground, as opposed to street art, cuz right now like advertisers have gotten a hold of street art, and instead of seeing peoples tags or their burners and shit on subway cars, you see ads.”

 

Thanks to pop culture and the movement of towards more mainstream commercialism, the real essence of graffiti is well on its way to becoming bastardized by society. But despite the evolution in graffiti, events like Under Pressure show that the core principles are alive and thriving. Cats are still dying to write on a fresh wall, underground paint stores are still essential, and tags are still the way of the back alley.

 

Young well-established and talented artists like Smolik are keeping graffiti alive on both walls and on the canvas. Fresh faces like his are the future of graffiti; his ideas and morals are still in line with those of the OG New York scene. The future of graffiti is now, and young minds of his nature are the future.