MONTANA-CANS LOOKBOOK 2020
The Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK 2020 – Looking back to move forward to a new generation Seeing 2019 come to end was a particularly exciting thing. Not only were we the team at Montana-Cans excited by the things to come, but we also enjoyed the chance to reflect and pay tribute to all the creators, partners and supporters that helped make all we achieved possible. Ending 2019 was also joined with the realization that we had just ended a decade and started a new generation. For this very reason, the Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK 2020 is jammed packed with exceptional content. Available now in limited hard copies and digitally in the link below, we took time to revisit some of the pivotal moments, like the progress of the Montana BLACK Artist Can Series featuring DEMS and RAGE, the biggest ever Montana Cans logo mural in the LA spray day. We took a peek at the lives of the movers and shakers like Odeith and his very unique take on painting, the LOW BROS at METROPOLINK. We took some time to see the world at the home of SOBEKCIS. We shared some words with HOW & NOSM while they were working on an epic mural for the Boulevard 13 project in Paris. Artists such as Amber Vittoria and DMOTE let us into their studios to share some of their more private works. For the more under the radar artworks, we featured some of the works of veterans of steel in the form of the U.S TCI crew and their efforts on the freight trains. While OSMAN flew the European flag for innovative commuter train artwork. And while in Europe (or at least for now still in Europe), we put the magnifying glass on the UK exposing some refreshing approaches to graffiti by VOYDER, 45RPM, and PREF. "Bring The Paint" beeped heavily on the international event radar, bringing world-class graffiti art and muralism together in one space. While far away over the ocean the team at POW! WOW! and the GREETINGS TOUR teams moved from strength to strength making the international art calendar a monumental one. All this and more. With a big THANK YOU we invite you to spend some time and take a look at the Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK 2020. https://www.montana-cans.com/
The Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK 2020 – Looking back to move forward to a new generation
Seeing 2019 come to end was a particularly exciting thing. Not only were we the team at Montana-Cans excited by the things to come, but we also enjoyed the chance to reflect and pay tribute to all the creators, partners and supporters that helped make all we achieved possible. Ending 2019 was also joined with the realization that we had just ended a decade and started a new generation. For this very reason, the Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK 2020 is jammed packed with exceptional content.
Available now in limited hard copies and digitally in the link below, we took time to revisit some of the pivotal moments, like the progress of the Montana BLACK Artist Can Series featuring DEMS and RAGE, the biggest ever Montana Cans logo mural in the LA spray day. We took a peek at the lives of the movers and shakers like Odeith and his very unique take on painting, the LOW BROS at METROPOLINK. We took some time to see the world at the home of SOBEKCIS. We shared some words with HOW & NOSM while they were working on an epic mural for the Boulevard 13 project in Paris. Artists such as Amber Vittoria and DMOTE let us into their studios to share some of their more private works.
For the more under the radar artworks, we featured some of the works of veterans of steel in the form of the U.S TCI crew and their efforts on the freight trains. While OSMAN flew the European flag for innovative commuter train artwork. And while in Europe (or at least for now still in Europe), we put the magnifying glass on the UK exposing some refreshing approaches to graffiti by VOYDER, 45RPM, and PREF. "Bring The Paint" beeped heavily on the international event radar, bringing world-class graffiti art and muralism together in one space. While far away over the ocean the team at POW! WOW! and the GREETINGS TOUR teams moved from strength to strength making the international art calendar a monumental one. All this and more.
With a big THANK YOU we invite you to spend some time and take a look at the Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK 2020.
https://www.montana-cans.com/
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MONTANA-CANS LOOKBOOK
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#MontanaCans #GermanSpraypaint
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MONTANA-CANS ULTRAWIDE #GAMECHANGER
photography by edward nightingale
photography by edward nightingale
MONTANA-CANS ULTRAWIDE #GAMECHANGER
MONTANA-CANS #Germanspraypaint
MONTANA-CANS #Germanspraypaint
MONTANA
CANS
LOOKBOOK
2020
Self-reflection is a healthy habit for anyone,
but for creators to grow and develop,
it is essential. Montana-Cans as a commercial
entity that is intertwined in the
culture of creation knows that it is also an
obligation to reflect. The principals of
passion, commitment, and integrity that we
hold paramount are these days also shared
by the graffiti writers, artists, creators,
commercial and cultural partners, that we
love to work with.
The 2020 Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK,
which is the fifth of its kind, gives thanks
and pays tribute to yet another eventful
and productive year. We continued the ma -
gical path we created through the Montana
BLACK Artist Edition cans which celebrate
our love for international Graffiti Writing.
This year we featured the work of the com -
plex Hamburg artist, RAGE. A true innovator
at the top of his game who re-invented
the facade of the can that is also at
the top of its game. In an interview with
RAGE, we learn a little more about what
makes him tick and how he got to where
he is. Moving a little further south, the
next in line was Spanish artist, DEMSKY.
Nothing pleased us more than seeing
the success and prosperity of our partners
and supported artists. A tip of the hat
goes to the continuing strengthening of
our favorite Austrian partners, The Montana
Store Vienna. With a full range of Montana
products in store, day in- day out, the inhouse
gallery space served as a showcase
for many of the internationally renowned
artists we partner with, while also functioning
as a meeting place and national
platform for the creative culture of Vienna
and Austria as a whole.
Just over the water in the UK, the
world had its eyes on the BREXIT. We chose
to look a little deeper and pay homage
to the thriving UK Graffiti scene. In 2019 we
managed to shed a little extra light on
45RPM, VOYDER, and PREF ID. The design
strong and humor heavy work of 45RPM
made us smile while a little further down
the road in Bristol, VOYDER was executing
his elusive mastery. Meanwhile back in
old London town, PREF ID was busy camouflaging
typography in a way that only he
knows how. And if it wasn’t the individual
artists making things happen, then it was
the amazing run of UK mural festivals
such as Bring The Paint, showing the rest
of the world what‘s up in the UK.
We were fortunate enough to speak
in-depth with the dynamic duo and creative
twins, HOW & NOSM. The New Yorkbased
artists worked on a project in Paris
where we managed to get an insight
into both their creative and private lives.
But among many other countries, the
U.S.A beeped on the creative radar thanks
to an all-star team of international graffiti
heavyweights creating one of the big -
gest MONTANA-CANS tribute walls ever,
during the L.A. Spray day.
With all this and more, with the
Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK 2020, we say
a »thank you«, to all those that helped make
it happen. Let‘s see what we can create
together for the next edition.
Montana-Cans Lookbook 2020 Editorial
7
7 Editorial
10 Montana BLACK
Artist Edition: Rage
14 Montana BLACK
Artist Edition: Dems
16 The Montana-Cans
Logo goes Massive
24 The Sobekcis –
Twins of Belgrade
34 HOWNOSM in Paris
42 Montana Store
Vienna 2019
48 Boulevard Paris 13
54 Odeith VS.
the real world
60 Stadt.Wand.Kunst
66 Contemporary
Graffiti in the UK
74 Bring The Paint 2019
80 Introducing spanish
graffiti writer Laia
84 OSMAN – no breaks
on this machine
90 TCI – Making it last
on the lines
94 Step Out of the Arena
98 Acrylic Series:
Dmote
102 Acrylic Series:
Amber Vittoria
106 Low Bros at
Metropolink
116 POW! WOW!
Japan 2019
118 POW! WOW!
Rotterdam 2019
122 Greetings Tour
128 Montana-Cans
Production
136 Montana-Cans
Factory as seen
by Snooby92
140 Imprint
8 Lookbook 2020 Content
14
Montana BLACK Limited Artist
Edition with Spanish neofuturist,
DEMSKY
42
24
Serbian stop over. Exploring Belgrade
with the SOBEKCIS twins
54 66
80
Movers and shakers of the UK graffiti
movement. Behind the scenes
with 45RPM, PREF ID and VOYDER
98
Acrylic Series with DMOTE. Exploring
multi-mediums the graffiti way
122
Lookbook 2020 Content
#18RAGE
PhotogrAphy
Rage
Location
Hamburg, Germany
Hamburg, Germany is renowned for extremely
innovative and high quality graffiti.
Both on and off the trains. But in a city
so creatively prolific, where security is
so tight and competition is even tighter,
there is still room for one name to shine.
A name that is synonymous with quality,
innovation and dedication when it comes
to art and graffiti on trains. And that name
is »RAGE «.
Since apx. 1998 the name RAGE or RACHE has
found it’s way into traffic in many forms, on
many moving surfaces. For the 18th edition
of the Montana BLACK Artist Edition cans,
this name has found it’s way onto another major moving
surface, the Montana BLACK color, Black 9001.
With the boundaries of graffiti, typography
and fine art blurring in nearly every artwork RAGE creates,
it seemed only logical that he would be featured
as a Montana BLACK Artist Edition artist. It was thus
unsurprising that the color black, with all it’s impact,
precision and clarity, was RAGE’s color of choice. Also
bearing in mind, that black is one of the highest covering
colors in a can and therefore heavily features in
countless RAGE artworks.
It got us wondering, what makes RAGE tick?
What drives him to create artwork as impressive as it
is? Here is what he had to say.
10 Montana BLACK Artist Edition RAGE
MONTANA-CANS
The word Rage or Rache are very strong, loaded words.
When you started writing it you were 20 years+ younger.
Do you still feel any »rage« as an ingredient to your
artwork or it’s context? Or has it become just letters you
re-invent to develop as an artist?
RAGE
I have a distinct problem with someone or anyone trying
to set me limits or telling me what I should or shouldn’t
do and my stance on this has not changed in 20 years!
Unfortunately, I always feel that I am being subjected
to societal constraints and norms on a daily basis.
This occurs at all levels, the system aims to keep you
both small and quiet. Graffiti means more to me than
any old fad or some ridiculous teenage dick measuring
com petition. In my eyes graffiti represents a form of
protest against the system. Therefore, I lay more importance
in the name or moniker than I do with insignificant
combination of letters.
I have a distinct problem
with someone or anyone
trying to set me limits
or telling me what I should
or shouldn’t do
MC
Not many artists have managed consistency, quality
and output on trains like you do. How did you do it?
Have you just gotten faster, have you always found new
spots to push time barriers or have you had to become
a graffiti »MacGyver« to use gadgets and technology
to keep you one step ahead?
MC
The book »The Art of Rage« featuring your artwork may
of opened the eyes of the last few graffiti enthusiasts
on the globe that didn’t know about you before. Have
you noticed any changes in peoples awareness of you
or your art since then? Has staying stealth become
harder?
RAGE
I have no idea to be honest. As I prefer to keep my
circle small and personal I decided not have a social
media presence making it relatively easy to remain
anonymous.
RAGE
I always try to work as professionally as possible.
But most of the time, I’m just the guy that requires the
most time to finish what I’m doing, I always manage
to exhaust the comparatively short time span available
to execute my painting.
MC
The most, if not all of your artwork is based on trains.
Obviously there is a lot of preparation and strategy
to be good at that. Has this taken it’s toll on you psychologically?
To keep your ideas moving in one medium
while staying ahead of the law at the same time.
Montana BLACK Artist Edition RAGE
11
RAGE
Of course it is often very grueling and stressful but if it
were too easy everybody could do this.
MC
Is it hard for you to come up with new ideas or do they
flow from action to action?
RAGE
I often have a lot of ideas swilling around in my head
and definitely do not lack a creative output. But I often
feel like I lack both the time and quiet to either implement
or work everything out. So technically it is too
little for me sometimes. But it certainly is not the case
that I have to bend over backwards to produce my
current work.
MONTANA-CANS
For your Montana BLACK Artist Edition can, was it an
obvious choice to pick the color black, or did you contemplate
other possibilities first?
RAGE:
No, BLACK was always going to be my first choice. I
pre fer to work with a relative combination of colors.
Black and white is my favourite color combination of all.
The combination creates the greatest contrast and
therefore projects a lot of power visually. I don’t require
an abundance of colors to achieve my desired goal.
MC
If you could have done anything different in your graffiti
/ artistic path until now, what would it be?
RAGE
If there were, it would be of little significance.
MC
Is there any where, any train model or any context you
still really want to paint? Or is holding it down in your
home town more important?
RAGE
Since I feel arbitrary in a system where I do not face
legal action, I remain loyal to the investigative authorities
in my city. In addition, it is far more important to
me what I do on the train and not the other way, so I
move mainly in this area.
I prefer to keep my circle
small and personal I
decided not have a social
media presence making
it relatively easy to remain
anonymous
12 Montana BLACK Artist Edition RAGE
↓ A symbol of
harmony and unity,
RAGE’s Montana
BLACK ARTIST EDI-
TION can captures
all the elements of
his work in one resolved
design on the
surface of the can.
↑ Always managing
to complete the idea
in the time allowed,
RAGE’s wholecar advances
forward in a
picturesque Hamburg
backdrop.
← Before the reward,
there is always the
work. Progress shots
of the RAGE wholecar
being created in
another picturesque
Hamburg surrounding.
BLACK was always going to
be my first choice. I prefer
to work with a relative combination
of colors. Black
and white is my favourite
color combination of all.
Montana BLACK Artist Edition RAGE
13
#19Demsky
Artist Profile
IG @demsky
Location
Lost in Space
In 1979, was the town of Elche Spain ready
for the birth of DEMSKY J? The question
remains to be seen. The artist also known
as DEMS333 aka DEMS of the »Ultra Boyz«,
aka DEMSKY, aka DEMSKY J., was the
boy who became a young man engrossed
in graffiti. For more than 30 years this
didn’t change and the young man became
the talented world-renowned artist know
for having one foot firmly planted in the
present while the other proceeds forward
into the future. All in search of the truth,
or at least the visual truth anyway.
With the description, ›NEOFUTURISM‹ de -
scribing DEMSKY’s current work, his
pursuit to form a merge between early 90’s
visual nostalgia with notions of space
that exist only in the very near future, DEMSKY is at the
forefront of optically illusive fine art. With a list of 50
countries worldwide, DEMSKY’s work spans from graffiti,
muralism, fine art, commercial and creative object
development. His open mind and current passport always
in hot pursuit of artistic conceptual development.
With a long period of focus on writing his name
in as many different ways as humanly possible, the
introduction of fluorescent color, ultramarine and white
plains as background could make the viewer believe
he is currently searching beyond the human. Like a
glitch in the matrix, DEMSKY tries to find his place looking
from the recent past to the present and beyond.
14 Montana BLACK Artist Edition Demsky
Like a glitch in the matrix,
DEMSKY tries to find his
place looking from the
recent past to the present
and beyond.
As a featured artist for the Montana-Cans Limited Artist
Edition cans, DEMSKY managed to put his stamp not
only using his art but also on the tools of his choice that
he uses to create art. In an ironic twist of fate, his futurist
design will promptly take the step from future obtainable
to valued past collectible, as the cans make their
way into the collections of savvy fans all over the globe.
Montana BLACK Artist Edition Demsky
15
The
Montana
Cans
logo
goes
Photography
Donny Doquisa
Location
Los Angeles, U.S.A.
→ Mike Giant proving
that he has still got it.
16 Production Montana-Cans Goes Massive
What goes around comes around
↓ The foundations
laid. The letter »N«
of mo»N«tana
cans coming to life
by GRAB.
The amazing world of graffiti
and urban art has many
facets to it’s existence.
On one hand, there is a global
presence. The internet
has made it possible that
someone in Rome can see
what a person in Jakarta
has just painted. But before
the internet each place
had it’s own version of our
culture, possibly with its
own slang, its own rules and
most importantly its own style being
pushed by its most active artists. In the
USA, this notion is even more complicated
as it boasts being at the origins of the
world graffiti movement. Not forgetting it
is so big, that even its individual states
functioned like independent graffiti countries
under one star-spangled banner.
One of these states where the sun never
stops shining is California. And in 2019,
it’s capital city Los Angeles played host to
one of the biggest MONTANA-CANS
murals ever made.
Production Montana-Cans Goes Massive
17
The all-star line up included U.S heavyweights
WANE, KAER, GRAB, TWIGS, TRISTAN EATON,
AMUSE, GIANT, OTHER, AWE 2 and PERSUE.
All representing their country with style
and flair, while Austrian guest artist NYCHOS, joined
the team adding European flavor. The mural focusing
on the words MONTANA-CANS was an epic project
that spanned over the rear walls of an entire industrial
complex.
For us the team at Montana-Cans, daily business
often distracts us from checking if the energy we
in vest in our work bears fruit. In the instance of the
MONTANA-CANS wall in L.A., it is positively overwhelming
and exceptionally inspiring to see »the fruits«
in the form of the artwork by these talent world-class
artists. Artists that we are lucky enough to call family.
Not forgetting the 150% commitment required by
our partners at Montana-Cans USA to make something
this amazing come to life.
We are truly humbled. Maybe this is just the
start? Either way, we can’t wait to see what 2020 has
installed.
Great People, Great energy
and very productive. Peace!
WANE ONE
18 Production Montana-Cans Goes Massive
↑ WANE COD with a
Montana BLACK can
in hand beating the
heat while taking a
short painting break.
→ TRISTAN EATON
putting the Montana
GOLD grey tones to
the test. Unrivaled
Low pressure precision.
← KAER at the business
end of his piece
as he works on
the »C« of Montana-
Cans.
All of you guys rocked it!
Epic weekend. A ton of
fun and lots of inspiration
was had. What a group!
Thankful for the relationship
with the company and
looking forward already
to outdoing this wall with
the next one!
AMUSE
Production Montana-Cans Goes Massive
19
1 2 3
7 8
9
20 Production Montana-Cans Goes Massive
4 5 6
10 11
1 KNOWS
2 NYCHOS
3 GRAB
4 TRISTAN EATON
5 AMUSE
6 PERSUE
7 GIANT
8 KAER
9 AWE 2
10 TWIGS
11 OTHER
As the dust settled and the sun went
down, it occured to all the artists
involved that this action had been
planned to perfection. Eleven mega
letters positioned harmoniously
over the complete span of the rear
side of the entire complex. Able
to be seen from far and wide, this
mural is sure to find its place in graf -
fiti history.
Production Montana-Cans Goes Massive
21
22 Production Montana-Cans Goes Massive
Production Montana-Cans Goes Massive
23
The
SOBEKCIS
twins of Belgrade
24 Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
artist
IG @sobekcis
Photography
Carlo Kohal
Location
Belgrade, Serbia
A city can make or break you. Its atmosphere,
its smells, the sounds it emits and
even the weather can largely define the
people who live in it. Conversely, the same
people who live in each city are exactly
those entities that contribute to all of these
characteristics. All be it using the cities
own natural traits as a stepping stone.
Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
25
When you grow up in a city like Belgrade
Serbia, it is a given that the city will
help or hinder the shaping of your
personality. In some cities around the
world, an excess of aggression, a lack of services
and the absence of funds can make life for a child about
as fun as doing homework on a Saturday. However,
ingredients like these can also be the exact required
components with the right amount of friction and
the perfect amount of determination to fuel good art.
However, ingredients like
these can also be the
exact required components
with the right amount
of friction and the perfect
amount of determination to
fuel good art.
26 Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
27
28 Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
The SOBEKCIS brothers are proof that you can let
your city turn you into a victim or you can choose to
shape it. The twins from Belgrade have the correct
ingredients to actively shape the cityscape of Belgrade,
taking only what they need from it to create in positivity.
If creating an atmosphere in a city was a profession,
SOBEKCIS would be the CEO’s of their town. With
relentless vigor, they re-invent the surfaces of their
surrounds over and over again in all the disciplines of
this game we call graffiti.
The SOBEKCIS brothers
are proof that you can let
your city turn you into a
victim or you can choose
to shape it.
Artists in Focus The Sobekcis 29
In a recent visit to the crossroads of Central and South-
Eastern Europe where Belgrade finds itself, we saw
with our own eyes how the brothers had refined the
routine down to a simple ritual. With the quick calculation
of context, space and time, SOBEKCIS has a
handle on it. Whether Ultrawide tags where no elaborate
pieces are possible, throw up’s in front of unconcerned
passing cars or a style excursion along the railway
corridors of the concrete jungles and abandoned wastelands
of the inner city. In Serbia and beyond, the
brothers know exactly what to do and when to do it. With
quality, harmony, and precision.
Without requiring a re-boot, SOBEKCIS is equally
as comfortable in the studio creating world standard
fine art in the form of paintings, prints, and drawings,
etc. as they are touring the globe realizing larger
than life murals that radiate with color and vibrancy.
Their abstract worlds indoors have found no boundaries
outdoors. And the same is in reverse. The scale
is no issue and the most intricate details are able to
be blown up to massive proportions just as they can be
refined into minuscule beauty. When it comes to
the artwork of SOBEKCIS, it is not possible to look away.
The brothers know exactly
what to do and when to do
it. With quality, harmony,
and precision.
30 Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
31
32 Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
Artists in Focus The Sobekcis
33
HOWNOSM
INPARIS
Photography
HOWNOSM / Galerie itinerrance
Artist Profile
IG @ hownosm
Location
Paris, France
Interview with the
New YorK
based Artist Duo
Born in Spain, German in heritage, residing
in New York, painted in over 70 countries
(thats right 70! it’s not a typo), Graffiti
artists, Fine artists, Commercial artists and
brothers (identical twins in fact). Sounds
complicated right?
Well it’s not if your HOW and NOSM.
Or as their mum calls them, Raoul and
Davide Perré. The twins don’t just make
art, they live it. And with the drive and motivation
to do it better, they also now
live from it. Since the 90’s HOW and NOSM
started their ascent up the artistic life
path. Starting with the classic tagging and
train writing graffiti artist path, transforming
to commercial art and ever morphing
into fine art and everything in between.
Nothing the brothers have ever done
was done in halves. How can they, there is
two of them.
→ HOW & NOSM
»Last Departure«,
60“ × 84“, 2014
34 Interview HowNOSM IN PARIS
Interview HowNOSM IN PARIS
35
MONTANA-CANS
Your backgrounds are of the most well rounded a graffiti
artist or fine artist could ask for. Your involvement
in graffiti alone has led you to tick just about every
box a writer(s) could want to tick. But how do you view
yourselves? Is there words or a preference of descriptive
words that you would use to describe yourselves
to those not in the know?
HOWNOSM
(Laugh), I don’t know, we don’t see ourselves better
than other graffiti artists or artists, we just have done
maybe a little bit more than others, and we have been
painting for almost thirty years now, so it speaks for
itself that we have a large body of work but, I mean,
that’s just what we do, that’s just one part of who we
are, it doesn’t make us just writers you know, I don’t
know it’s… I know what you are talking about, back in
the days we painted the trains and then we started to
do walls and legal walls and big productions and then
we started to do our art and the transition of what we
were doing from the streets into canvas so… But we’re
not the only ones, there is a lot of people who do that,
I don’t know. Maybe we stand out because our style
is very original and unique and, you know, and we are
twins. But I don’t know how I would to describe myself
(laugh) in that case, I never thought about it you know
what I mean? I like what I do, I’m glad that I can live of
what I’m doing and what I love and I never take it for
granted you know.
we don’t see ourselves
better than other graffiti
artists or artists, we just
have done maybe a little
bit more than others
MC
We as keen observers have followed the development
of your work for many years. Your achievements
aboveground and underground have been prolific and
inspiring. Do you still get to dabble in all disciplines of
your graffiti heritage? Or has your international exposure
meant your anonymity has become difficult? Do
you even still have the itch to do something under the
radar or is it »been there done that« for you?
HN
No, not really, I mean we’ve done our first year of illegal
graffiti all over the world and we’ve been in many
places like maybe like seventy countries, before many
other people we were doing graffiti there, before there
was Montana spray cans there so we got our itch out
of the system really. I mean yeah, it’s always nice when
we came over here, we were riding in the subway and
we see graffiti on the Paris subway, of course, we love
that and we look at it, we take some pictures of it but
we almost forty four years old now and have kids and
we’re focusing on our work.
↑ There is no scale
too big or small. It‘s
all just another day
out of the office for
HOW and NOSM.
MC
We understand the move to use only Black, White and
Red (and tones thereof), was born out of necessity
while travelling through South American countries. But
what was the catalyst to stay within this color spectrum
and was it a conscious decision? For example,
was there a day when you said »OK, let’s now only
use these three colors and any we create from mixing
them«? Or was it a gradual process?
HN
I guess we were doing it for so long in south America
and specially these three that at some point people
recognized so fast our style and the kind of palette
that we decided to stick with it so people can still keep
recognizing the work we paint, and after a while we
just added like different shades of paint and greys to it
and now a little bit more like purple ich into it. It’s still
36 Interview HowNOSM IN PARIS
the same type of colors, it’s developing slowly but it’s
still the same.
MC
For anyone that looks closely, there are a lot of individual
symbols, icons and re-occurring images in your
artworks. Are these design decisions, or is there a
dialogue happening within each painting, or with the
works as a series?
you have to paint not only like four, five hours a day, because
then it takes forever and then, you get more tired
of it. So, we usually knock of ten hours a day you know.
Plus you have to also look at the weather condition you
know, if it’s windy or if it’s gonna rain a lot, you can’t be
out there it’s too dangerous, it’s too slippery, so on this
particular wall we saw that it was gonna start raining
Wednesday, so we tried to finished by Tuesday (laugh).
HN
I mean our work always as certain messages and we
use different imageries to bring their messages over to
the public. And obviously there is some imagery that
would be used just out of decorative purposes. I mean,
we use the bottle for example as, you know, as a reference
to message in the bottle so it’s a scenery, let’s
say like a couple arguing each other that we could put
it in the bottle as a message in the bottle, and hearts or
for example re-occurring arrows, and keys, all kinds of
different images that not always have to have a specific
purpose you know.
MC
Do you prefer to create one-off work like walls, canvases
that can be reproduced like prints, or digitally
created works?
HN
Most of the work we do is drawn out on paper first so
the fine art line work is sketch on paper and usually
transferred onto the canvas or a template for working
on a building for example, so we know how to size the
mural. But usually everything is handmade you know,
some computer work when it comes to laying out big
buildings so we know where the colors go and where
looking for to save time. Yeah the most of it is free
hand and we take a picture of it and layered out of
photoshop if we wanna use a certain canvas or sketch
on a mural, it’s mainly how we do stuff, by drawing it by
hand (laugh).
because then it takes
forever and then, you get
more tired of it. So, we
usually knock of ten hours
a day, you know
MC
Your ability to move from large to small and all scales
in between is astonishing. While standing here looking
at this massive project in Paris, did you get nervous or
was it just another day in the office for you both?
HN
It’s just another day out of the office! Yeah, we don’t
get nervous, we just make sure that we are well rested
the days before, because it’s very physical you know,
it’s not like it’s a small wall, you have to crank it out,
↑ Red, black and
white. Re-occurring
in every possible tone
and shape.
↓ Well defined shapes
are outlined in
black as soft and hard
work hand in hand.
Interview HowNOSM IN PARIS
37
MC
What has been the most challenging artwork to make
to-date both physically or psychologically?
↓ HOW and NOSM
on the olympic
stadium in Berlin
HN
Physically it’s always the large buildings, like the really
big buildings obviously, because it takes a bunch of
days and the sun hits you and you have to wear the
mask and the life line around you, it’s a lot of physical
work. Mentally, I don’t know (laugh) it is what we do,
we draw and stuff, it’s a mentally… it’s not a psychological
issue or a burden, it’s not challenging, not really.
No it’s not challenging, it’s not like we’ve never done
it, we have been doing it for so long so we have our
routine and we stick to the routine and just get the job
done you know. I mean, it might be sometimes stressful
but I don’t know if it’s psychologically challenging
or something (laugh).
MC
By the looks of your gallery work, it appears as if you
are as comfortable with indoor artmaking as outdoor
art making. Do your ideas for studio / gallery work
stem from the same origins as your outdoor work? Do
you try or want to separate them in any way or is it all
the same visual conversation?
If you look too much at
other artists your work will
change and starts looking
like other people stuff
HN
We can use stuff from the studio to do outdoors and
stuff we do outdoors we bring back to the studio. You
pick up ideas and learn from certain mistakes like
doing a wall or doing something in the studio you know.
You applied it on both so.
MC
Is there any artist or art makers that inspire you guys a
lot? Does art from the streets inspire you or is gallery
work more engaging for you as viewers?
HN
There are great artists out there in general, regardless
of backgrounds you know, artist graffiti or street
art or fine art or anything you know. We have tons of
books in the studio from all kind of genres of art you
know. I guess that people’s achievements and work
effects inspire us you know, when somebody does a
lot of great projects you know, it’s like something to
you know, just try for, do that too you know. There are
too many artists out there to just pick one by now you
know. If you look too much at other artists your work
will change and starts looking like other people stuff
so you don’t want that. It’s not inspiring anymore, it’s
gonna influence you.
MC
We assume your move to NYC in 1999 and your work
with the TATS crew must have been a massive step
for your careers. But was it a big change for your life
quality? Your origins from Spain, Germany and all the
countries you have travelled to must have given you a
sense of what it means to live somewhere else. What
makes living in New York enjoyable for you?
HN
TATS crew definitely helped us a lot when we moved to
New York, one, they gave us work so we could actually
support ourselves. We have done tons of tons of
projects with them hundreds of videos, I don’t know
how many videos, but like ten fifteen videos for like superstar,
musicians, we’ve done nationwide campaigns.
So as far as the job was, it was very multifaceted and
we’ve done quite a lot of that, but at some point it was
just too much of the same work and it became less
about what our art was looking like but it was more
about what the agencies or the people that hired us
wanted us to do you know. And at some point, it was
38 Interview HowNOSM IN PARIS
just pretty much paint by numbers, paint this and copy
that and it just really started to neglect our own art you
know. Like we didn’t develop you know or didn’t work
on our development as individual artists. But never
the less, it was a great experience and we’re still with
the TATS crew and they’re still our family and we’re
still bullshit (laugh). Even without painting New York is
a great city you know, there is a lot of culture. I mean
there is great art you know, and many people. I mean
New York is still… We still like it, it has changed a lot,
it has lost a lot of its greediness and maybe grime.
That most people probably don’t like, but I kinda like
it, it kinda gave New York it’s unique touch. Now it’s
all become in a little bit too uniform you know, all the
neighborhoods are starting to look the same and ugly
building arises and stuff like that but I mean you can
see that in any country really, like I’m sure here in Paris
they do the same thing you know. But never the less,
we like the attitude there, we like the food, our families
are there, we’re still happy there. Are we planning to
stay there forever? I can’t really answer that question.
For now, we’re happy there.
MC
What has been your favourite place to paint? Which
has been the worst?
HN
The worst? (Laugh) There’s no favorite, there is too
many favorites. The worst is when we don’t get to paint,
or when people who invite you just don’t have the stuff
together and are totally unprofessional and of course
I can’t do my job and that’s looks bad on me so… It’s
not only a waste of time but also a waste of my money
and their money you know. But a favorite place, I don’t
know. We like coming to Paris, we like doing projects
here, we have lots of friends… I don’t know, it’s hard to
say really, we’ve been to a lot of places and have met
a lot of great people you know. It’s hard to really pick
one place.
at some point, it was just
pretty much paint by
numbers, paint this and
copy that
Interview HowNOSM IN PARIS
39
MC
Which artwork that you have made are you the most
content with?
HN
We did a cool project in Berlin, we had our artwork in
an entire subway station, like inside/outside, including
some trains, with all our artwork, and that was pretty
cool. We’ve done a big DC3 plane in Arizona, it’s in a
museum there, it’s a very big plane that we’ve made.
It’s kinda cool because you see your artwork projected
differently than just on a flat surface you know, like on
a canvas or on a wall, and I had to paint the bottom of
the plane, the wings, and different angles. But those
are just some examples really (laugh).
I mean our work always as certain messages
and we use different imageries to bring their messages
over to the public.
our work always has certain
messages and we use
different imageries to bring
their messages over to
the public.
someone to do it all for you. Maybe that also made it
easy for us to say yeah let’s get into this.
MC
Which cars do it for you the most?
HN
My own fucking cars (laugh). Yeah, my car is the best
and the faster, what kind of question is that? That’s
the all point of buying a muscle car no? They have the
most muscles in it. I do like a nice-looking Lamborghini
but it’s not my dream to have that like I don’t think
it’s as sexy as a cool American muscle car you know, it
has a proper soft to it, it’s just totally different.
you see your artwork projected
differently than just
on a flat surface, like on
a canvas or on a wall, and I
had to paint the bottom
of the plane, the wings, and
different angles
MC
Most people would be aware that you guys are identical
twins and you have probably had every question
about this thrown at you already. But outside of working
together, do you pursue solo work? Do you still do
any pieces separately? If yes, how does this feel not
working as a unit together?
HN
We don’t ever do pieces alone (laugh).
MC
Is it true that you have a love of muscle cars? If this is
the case, did this passion arise while living in the USA
or was it already in your blood? Are both of you passionate
about this or one more than the other?
Montana Cans
SPOTLIGHT
get to know:
HOW &
NOSM
HN
We both have a classic car and at the same time we
have met this guy who owns a garage and works on
old cars and restores classic cars so he told us how to
change motors and fix interiors, everything so… Now
we have nice looking classic cars. We don’t get to
drive them too often anymore because we’re always
busy, but. I mean we did a job for him and he had a few
cars for sale and we got into talking about classic cars
and became very close friends, we’re still friends and
it just was natural that we got into it, I don’t think we
had it in our blood but I mean who doesn’t like classic
cars? We just had the opportunity to work on them and
learn about them and fix them for, well saving a lot of
money because our friend has a garage and he has all
the tools that we can use. Otherwise you have to pay
How and Nosm, or Raoul and Davide Perré,
are identical twin brothers who have
become prevalent figures in today's art
world with their red, black and white
based murals and paintings. Their largescale
murals are riddled with intricate detail
while staying true to their graffiti roots.
40 Interview HowNOSM IN PARIS
↘ »Sun-Daze« mural
for Street Art 13
curated by Galerie
Itinerrance
Interview HowNOSM IN PARIS
41
MontAnA
Store
Vienna 2019
Location
Vienna, Austria
Photography
Akos Vincze, Leon Colerus
The Montana Store Vienna has played a
substantial role in European graffiti
history. All-be-it recent history. Since
the store’s inception, creation and then
opening in 2018, there has been more
events, exhibitions, and reasons to create
happening with their involvement in
Vienna, than happen in most capital cities.
What started as an idea to supply the
worlds greatest graffiti products has become
so much more.
↑ The Limited Edition
Montana Store
Vienna first anniversary
birthday can.
A symbol of dedication
and passion.
42 Recap Montana Store Vienna
→ »Felt cute, might
delete later«.
Anna T Iron’s playful
choice of words
kept them guessing.
Recap Montana Store Vienna
43
At the core of this successful formula is a strong
working relationship between »CONCRETE –
The Graffiti Agency«, which has its office on lo -
cation at the store. And the team from the
Montana Store Vienna itself, that are the suppliers
of the full Montana Cans assortment to the CONCRETE
crew and beyond. It made sense to work off this
synergy. What was probably underestimated in this
concept was that with their passion and connection to
Austrian and international artists, they were actually
going to make ripples in the local art world that would
end up as waves in Europe and abroad.
↑ Don‘t bite the
hand that feeds you.
Case Maclaim with a
confronting mural of
massive proportions.
← 1UP crew re-enforcing
their position as
a international united
graffiti power.
With every product line
on hand in-store, the MSV
earned the reputation of
being the most reliable
graffiti store in the country.
44 Recap Montana Store Vienna
Let’s start at the Limited Collabo Edition of the Montana
Store Vienna birthday can. A true symbol of bold ness
and direction, the can made its way into few collections
only being available at the MSV first birthday party. With
an impact like this, it has already become a sought after
collectors can for the spray can collecting die-hards.
The exhibition space excelled with some
world-renowned feature artists that brought international
quality graffiti, fine art and street art straight
into the doors of the MSV. With subliminal artists like
Ed Nightingale, 82Eliote, Interjail and Uptown Danny,
Nomad and Ruin, Most and international heavyweight,
Felipe Pantone, the quality was outstanding and a
barrage of merchandise and limited products went exclu
sively to the MSV’s walls and shelves.
Shelves being the keyword, the MSV’s shelves
and racks delivered available Montana Cans product
day in, day out. With every product line on hand instore,
the MSV earned the reputation of being the most
reliable graffiti store in the country.
With all this happening under one roof, it
seemed only fitting that the store’s first-year birthday
celebration be one of the most major parties Vienna
has ever seen featuring worldwide legends like
1 UP, Nychos, JBCB, Lugosis, Strato, Case MaClaim,
Anna T-Iron, Walze, and the Spraycity Rotating Wall.
In actual fact, it was too big too put under the MSV
roof. »Spray all day, party all night« was the motto as
art, music, food, and diversity were celebrated in abundance.
Congratulations Montana Store Vienna.
↑ A collectors item
even before the party
came to an end. The
striking Montana
Store Vienna limited
edition 1st anniversary
can was only
available at the party
and MSV.
The exhibition space excelled
with some worldrenowned
feature artists
that brought international
quality graffiti, fine art
and street art straight into
the doors of the Montana
Store Vienna
→ The graffiti community
and beyond
came from everywhere
in Europe to
help the MSV team
celebrate.
↓ Local and international
acts adorned
the stage of the MSV
1st anniversary party,
rocking crowds of all
orientations.
»Spray all day, party all
night« was the motto
as art, music, food, and
diversity were celebrated
in abundance
Recap Montana Store Vienna
45
Edward
Nightingale
at Montana Store Vienna
↑ A new classic,
Edward Nightingale
captures the prize
and the imagination
of the Viennese
train writing scene
head-on.
Edward Nightingale has been impressing audiences
with his ›in the moment‹ photography for many
years now. Nightingale is not just a documentor
of graffiti. He is one of the most prolific train
writing documentors in the world. Edward Nightingale
does not just document finished works. Although this
is an integral part of graffiti on trains, Nightingale’s
ability to capture a mood and a moment without being
outside of it, is second to none. For many writers he
is as equally important as the person standing next to
them painting the train.
»Von U bis V« (From U till V)
↑ »Von U bis V«, the
catalogue for the
Edward Nightingale
exhibition has become
a Viennese art
catalogue for eternity.
For many writers he is
as equally important as the
person standing next
to them painting the train.
With so many actions and moments now framed in eternity,
Nightingale was invited to have a solo exhibition
at the Montana Store Vienna’s, in house gallery.
The show called »Von U bis V«, opened on October 18th
to an inspired audience. With his first visit to Vienna
occurring in 2009, Edward Nightingale is somewhat familiar
with the local terrain, including the subway system.
The exhibition also featuring a wall sized
print of the front of a Vienna Subway car, was also complimented
with an exhibition catalogue also titled,
»Von U bis V«. With the surrounds of racks full of
Montana BLACK, Montana GOLD and Montana WHITE
cans, the show seemed right where it needed to
be. Each guest leaving with the feeling of having had
an insight to a very well documented secret world.
46 Recap Montana Store Vienna
82Eliote
at Montana Store Vienna
↑ In action while
preparing his show
at MSV. 82Eliote showing
where graffiti
meets abstraction.
↓ No unnecessary color
needed. With black
and white 82Eliote
creates a worldly palette
without baggage.
Recap Montana Store Vienna
47
Boule
Paris
13
48 Artists Street Report in Focus BOULEVARD The Sobekcis PARIS 13
vard
Galerie Itinerrance
taking Parisian
street art to
new heights
Profiles
www.boulevardparis13.com
www.itinerrance.fr
@galerie_itinerrance
Location
Paris, France
Photography
Montana-Cans / Alexander Krziwanie
Street Report BOULEVARD PARIS 13
49
How often have you read an article where
something is claimed to be »taken to new
heights«? More often than not it is not
meant literally. In the case of the »Boulevard
Paris 13« project, it is not only meant symbolically but
also literally.
This year Montana-Cans began its support
of the project initiated and coordinated by the now-famous
Galerie Itinerrance is essentially taking the
world-class street and graffiti rooted contemporary
artworks that they show and sell, and bringing them to
the outside of the white cube (their gallery) onto
the streets of the 13th Arrondissement in Paris. For
what is now a focal point for Paris‘s street art audience,
the region is now known as Paris‘s open-air urban
art museum. While in Paris for the event, we were
shown around this creative new art precinct by project
co ordinator and Galerie Itinerrance curator, Mehdi.
2
1 David de la Mano
2 Faile
3 D*Face
For what is now a focal
point for Paris‘s street art
audience, the region is now
known as Paris‘s open-air
urban art museum.
1
50 Street Report BOULEVARD PARIS 13
3
Street Report BOULEVARD PARIS 13
51
4
5
6
52 Street Report BOULEVARD PARIS 13
7 8
The scale and gravity of the artworks are
immense. Whole apartment building facades spanning
over uncountable meterage of wall space are reinvented
far beyond its functional role as housing. With
international artists such as Shepard Fairey, Invader,
D*Face, Seth Globepainter , Conor Harrington, Hush,
Daleast, Add Fuel, C215, BTOY, Cryptik, Tristan Eaton,
Ethos, Faile, How and Nosm, Inti, Jana&JS, David
De La Mano, Maye, M-City, Pantonio, Roa, Sainer, ST4,
Stew, and Vhils, this year we had no choice but to visit
and see it for ourselves.
Standing aside and watching as participating
artist SETH GLOBEPAINTER set to work, his artwork
unfolded as we enjoyed the surrounding painted spaces
in the classic elegant ambiance that Paris is famous for.
4 Shepard Fairey
5 Inti
6 Invader
7 Shepard Fairey
8 Seth Globepainter
The scale and gravity of
the artworks are immense.
Whole apartment building
facades spanning over
uncountable meterage of
wall space are re-invented
far beyond its functional
role as housing.
Street Report BOULEVARD PARIS 13
53
ODEITH
VS
the
real
world
54 Artists in Focus ODEITH
artist Profile
IG @odeith
Making
the
unreal
come
to life
Regardless of the language a person spoke
when growing up, practically everyone
has a memory of playing the game »Eye
spy with my little eye«. For the portuguese
artists ODEITH, this concept was pro -
bably not rewarding enough as the selftaught
artists matured to create murals of
animals that he saw in his mind, that only
he could bring to life.
Born in 1976, at the tender age of 15 he dropped
out of school as an untrained self-taught
graffiti writer. ODEITH’s path was most likely
similar to that of many graffiti artists of
his generation. The following years creatively would see
him explore classic graffiti lettering until a crucial turning
point in his career came in 2005. Using a tecnique
called anamorphosis, ODEITH’s graffiti roots took a drastic
swing from letter-based art to the realist portrayal
of animals of all forms. This style he pushed, molded
and perfected to what he later coined as »Somber 3D«.
Using a technique called
anamorphosis, ODEITH’s
graffiti roots took a drastic
swing from letter-based
art to the realist portrayal
of animals of all forms.
Artists in Focus ODEITH
55
56 Artists in Focus ODEITH
Artists in Focus ODEITH
57
It didn’t take long till his newfound passion of
utilizing some of the most difficult and challenging
surfaces, angles and perspectives possible made him
one of Europe’s most unique public artists. In 2008
his decision to close his tattoo shop and move to London
was possibly the moment that ODEITH’s artist profile
went global.
Now based in Lisboa, Portugal is not the sole lo
cation of his art. A globe trotter, to say the least, his
artworks can be seen on walls all over the planet just
as prolifically as in group and solo exhibitions in the same
manner. So when you next look at the strange dilapidated
corners of abandoned buildings and think to your
self »Eye spy with my little eye« ask yourself what ODEITH
may be seeing?
When you next look at the
strange dilapidated corners
of abandoned buildings
and think to yourself »Eye
spy with my little eye« ask
yourself what ODEITH may
be seeing?
58 Artists in Focus ODEITH
Montana Cans
SPOTLIGHT
get to know:
ODEITH
Sérgio »Odeith« was born in 1976 in Damaia (Portugal).
It was in the mid-1980s when he used a spray can
for the first time. He painted some signatures and doo
dles on his neighborhood walls. But only in the mid-
1990s, Sérgio had his first contact with graffiti, while
some graffiti writers painted outside their neighborhood
(Carcavelos), where graffiti had a strong movement.
His first experiments were to paint illegally on
the street walls and mostly on the railway lines of
the Sintra line. The passion he had always shown for
drawing found a new purpose. The evolution was
impressive due to the dedication to painting large-scale
murals in Damaia, Carcavelos, and in many poor neighborhoods
of Amadora city.
Artists in Focus ODEITH
59
Stadt.
Wand.
Kunst
1
Festival Profile
IG @stadtwandkunst
www.stadt-wand-kunst.de
Artist Profiles
IG @okudart
@czolk
@zoonchez
@case_maclaim
@peeta_ead
@quinte55enz
@jensrichter.art
Photography
Montana-Cans / Alexander Krziwanie
Location
Mannheim, Germany
There are many street art festivals that
have popped up in the last 10 years. The
time for street artists, muralists, and
artists creating public art to shine and
prosper has never been better than now.
But what about the locations where these
festivals are taking place? Are the residents
benefitting from the newly decorated
streetscape?
1 A fear of heights is
not an option. OKUDA
reaches to the upper
areas of his monumental
sized mural.
The Stadt.Wand.Kunst (SWK) festival in
Mannheim Germany can clearly say it is the
case that the locals are benefitting from
the renaissance of their city. Why? Because
the locals themselves are identifying with the art -
works that are now at home in their urban space. This
sense of identity may be good curation, or maybe
by chance as the artists themselves come from exceptionally
diverse backgrounds.
In 2019 again the mural bar was raised and the
city became a better place to be. Or at the very least
to look at. Some of the works created in 2019 were by
local residents CZOLK and JENS RICHTER, Spanish
colorist OKUDA, fellow Spanish artist flying the intercultural
flag RUBEN SANCHEZ, Italian 3D illusionist PEETA,
the German duo QUINTESSENZ and Frankfurt’s own
cultural observer and realist painter CASE MA’CLAIM.
With a growing awareness of street art and mu -
ralism increasing in what was once a blue-collar city,
the many residents of Mannheim including immigrants
can now relate to the images they see on their walls.
Many identify with the messages, motifs or even the
colors used by the artist of which some come from the
same part of the world that they too originate from.
60 Recap Stadt.Wand.Kunst
2
2 The completed
work. »Girlslove«
by Oscar San Miguel
a.k.a. OKUDA
3 4
3 The vibrancy of the
Montana GOLD color
range was the
optimum ingredient
for OKUDA to exercise
his Spanish flair.
4 The artist in front
of his work upon
completion. Adding
a little sunshine
to the Mannheim
sub urban environment
and to the
homes and lives of
many residents that
inhabit the area.
Recap Stadt.Wand.Kunst
61
5
62 Recap Stadt.Wand.Kunst
6
5 Another completed
mural. This time
»Intercultural Balance«
by Spanish artist
Ruben Sanchez aka
ZOONCHEZ.
7
6 »Fenster zum Hof«
by local Mannheim
artist and resident,
CZOLK. Not only a
homage to his city
but also to it's music.
7 CZOLK at work,
concentrating on
some important
details of the female
figure in his mural.
8
8 Relieved and content
for a job
well done. Ruben
Sanchez takes
a moment to smile
and reflect in
front of his completed
artwork.
With a growing awareness
of street art and muralism
increasing in what was
once a blue-collar city, the
many residents of Mannheim
including immigrants
can now relate to the images
they see on their walls.
Recap Stadt.Wand.Kunst
63
9
10
9 CASE MACLAIM,
depicting societies
youth as slaves to
technology in his mural
»The Pied Piper«.
10 CASE's use of
positive and negative
space creates a
deception in how big
the work really is!
11 Residing in Venice,
Italy, PEETA 's work
finds itself on some
suburban Mannheim
architecture that
is not at all similar
to that of his own
neighborhood back
home.
12 Something to
be proud of, PEETA
stands in the Mannheim
sun as it bathes
on his finished artwork.
the locals themselves are
identifying with the artworks
that are now at home
in their urban space. This
sense of identity may
be good curation, or maybe
by chance as the artists
themselves come from
exceptionally diverse backgrounds.
11
64 Recap Stadt.Wand.Kunst
4 12
Recap Stadt.Wand.Kunst
65
1 2
ContemporAry GrAffiti in the UK
More than just
the hub of London
3
4
Artist Profiles
IG @pref_id
@voyder
@45rpmwhat
Location
London, UK
PhotogrAphy
Jordan Katz / Montana-Cans
Voyder
45RPM
PREF ID
66 Street Report GRAFFITI IN THE UK
5
Graffiti and its peripheral disciplines happen everywhere,
every day, constantly. Some cities are famous for
their train scene, others for the mural seen. But in an
area as diverse and populated as the UK, there is always
a little (or a lot) of everything happening all at once.
With most of its terrain being connected by land, travel
is easy and a UK artist can be just as active in the south
as they can be in the north at any given time if they
can transport themselves from place to place. But there
is one epicenter that all gravitate to at some point.
No other city on earth ticks quite like London. And as
such, no other creative scene nurtures graffiti, urban art,
street art and fine art quite like London does.
6 7
1 Permanent or not,
in cities like London
where legality is fluid,
there are always
Halls Of Fame that
come and go like this
one in Shoreditch.
2 Not dissimilar to
any other design
or fine art studio,
PREF’s workspace
does not give away
his graffiti heritage.
3 In this homage to
the Montana
MARBLE EFFECT
red color, VOYDER
brings illusion to epic
proportions.
4 Some of the best
places to paint are
those that are off
the beaten track, as
PREF shows here
while walking through
the inner suburban
jungles of London.
5 Inspiration
comes in all forms.
You just need to
have your eyes open
to realize it.
6 Striking, clever and
funny. 45RPM’s
walking hand design
proves that the pink
and black color way
are always in fashion.
7 Using bomb imagery
while dropping
street bombs.
45RPM can connect
the visual dots on the
street just as well as
in the studio.
Street Report GRAFFITI IN THE UK
67
But it is not all blue skies and happy days. The many
spots surrounding the city’s South and East
are cloaked in a blanket of uncertainty. Although
there are clear legal open halls of fame, what
is one day a legal wall can the following day be a place
for on the spot fines and being escorted away. Even
this, however, adds to the city’s charm and gives more
kudos to those artists that manage to rise above the
norm and take their artwork to more openly celebrated
spots and later the world.
One of those spots is Shoreditch in East London.
A known meeting point for street art, graffiti, and
fine art lovers, if it isn’t the great food and cool bars
that get you hooked, then maybe it’s the wall you’ve got
to paint that is frequented by the many street art
tours with international visitors. All recording your work
for instant multiplication online in cities and countries
far and wide.
The list of talented writers from the UK could
go on for miles and miles. But in a creative hub like
London, not everyone stands out. In 2019 we had the
chance to get a little closer to three extremely talented
writers who are holding the torch up high for UK graffiti.
Those artists were 45RPM, VOYDER and PREF ID.
8
9
Although there are clear
legal open halls of fame,
what is one day a legal wall
can the following day be
a place for on the spot fines
and being escorted away.
8 Big Brother
watching, or a graffiti
artist in disguise
getting a photo of
their illegal painting?
In his design work,
consciously or not
45RPM triggers
feelings and emotions
from the graffiti
game.
9 45RPM extending
on the timeless
graffiti notion that
»everybody’s got
their own arrows«
68 Street Report GRAFFITI IN THE UK
10
Take yourself back to 1999. Not quite London
but not that far from it either, 45RPM started his
quest to merge humor, graffiti and illustration into the
unique style that he boasts today. His self confessed,
»Goofy Nonsense« not only brightens any surface
he graces, but it also brings a smile to your dial as
characters interact with the letters he has perfected.
10 Outline, Montana
GOLD cans and beverages.
The classic
combination for a day
at the wall. Umbrella's
not included.
His self confessed, »Goofy
Nonsense« not only
brightens any surface he
graces, but it also brings a
smile to your dial as
characters interact with the
letters he has perfected
Street Report GRAFFITI IN THE UK
69
The space some writers
use to package one
word into is for PREF the
op portunity to encapsulate
a complete phrase.
11 PREF exhibits
confidence and comfort
in the materials
and tools he uses.
The result, a precision
that shines through
in triumph on his
final artworks.
11
12 Although it may
say »THE END«,
visually it is a
beginning. The right
phrases and word
combinations
become the keys to
new forms and artworks.
13 With a »less
is more« approach,
PREF often uses
less colors and more
tonal variation
within the color, or
colors used.
With an air of seriousness and a very definite
commitment to typography, we also had the privilege
to delve into the world of London artist PREF. With
twenty plus years of experimentation under his belt,
PREF of the ID crew continued amazing onlookers
in 2019 with his re-invention of phrases that are cleverly
camouflaged within words. The space some writers
use to package one word into is for PREF the opportunity
to encapsulate a complete phrase. It is not only
visually satisfying but also sports a built-in message.
70 Street Report GRAFFITI IN THE UK
12 13
With twenty plus years of
experimentation under his
belt, PREF of the ID crew
continued amazing onlookers
in 2019 with his reinvention
of phrases that
are cleverly camouflaged
within words.
Street Report GRAFFITI IN THE UK
71
14 Graffiti artists
spent decades run -
ning away from
poor quality watery
paint. However with
the aid of premium
quality Montana
GOLD TRANSPARENT
colors, the contemporary
VOYDER
knows exactly how
to make transparency
a winning aesthetic.
14
15 Mask, gloves,
Montana GOLD and
a ladder. The basic
must-haves in
the VOYDER tool kit.
Originating from the English city of Bristol our
next impressive artist VOYDER, took us back to visual
mastery of days gone by. Similar to that of renaissance
times, in a quiet moment alone he informed us that
a 2–3 year hiatus from graffiti was exactly the time he
chose to hone his skills with a brush. The result when
back on the cans was a transformation from overworked
graffiti paintings to precision-based strippedback
style. A re-birth of such for him which took him on
the path he is on today.
in a quiet moment alone he
informed us that a 2–3 year
hiatus from graffiti was exactly
the time he chose to
hone his skills with a brush.
15
72 Street Report GRAFFITI IN THE UK
16
Apart from the streets of London themselves,
with top-end locations to see art like The Tate Britain,
the Tate Modern, BSMT Gallery, and Stolenspace, it
is no wonder the city creates such diverse and eclectic
talent. Whatever your need for inspiration or the creative
period that you are influenced by, London has it
all. And for artists like VOYDER, PREF, and 45RPM, the
proof is in the pudding.
16 With a keen eye
and a solid understanding
of
composition and
scale, VOYDER
ex hibits skills simi -
lar to that of a
renaissance painter.
Whatever your need for
inspiration or the creative
period that you are influenced
by, London has it all.
Street Report GRAFFITI IN THE UK
73
Bring
The
PAint
Profile
IG @bring_the_paint
Photography
Bring the Paint
Location
Leicester, U.K.
Slap bang in the middle of England is the
beautiful town of Leicester, which also
happens to be the home of the heavy-hitting
biannual graffiti and street art event
called BRING THE PAINT. 2019 saw the
second installment of BTP which was celebrated
with an international line up
of world classed artists that would make
any camera go, »click«.
↑ Innovations stations
as DOES from NL
trail blazes through
uncharted visual
territories.
← The best of both
worlds. VOYDER
and ACHES push
illusion to its limits.
→ It’s all worth it in
the end as the
VOYDER and ACHES
collaboration
starts to take form.
74 Recap Bring the Paint
↖ PHILTH exploring
the space beyond
the letters.
→ In a return to Bring
The Paint, SMUG
takes his previous
achievements
and blows them off
the scales.
← Don’t take your
self too serious when
making art. Or at
least not all of the
time.
Recap Bring the Paint
75
Whether up on ladders, on scissor lifts or
at arms length at ground level, Bring The
Paint had every type of urban art covered.
Classic graffiti letter science rubbed
shoulders with paste up’s, street art and
muralism. Some of the worlds best have
made the journey to Leicester, England, to
»Bring The Paint« and their style.
↑ With ease, Flying
Förtress makes
the play between illustration,
good
de sign and great
graffiti look fun.
↓ 45RPM, making a
quick get away
with his iconic robber
character.
Gra
ffiti
JAm
2019
76 Recap Bring the Paint
← WON taking over
a whole building
facade with his famous
Asiatic themed
dragon styles.
↙ At Bring The Paint
all scales are covered.
Whether standing
on terra firma
or up a scissor lift at
10 meters.
↓ »Making one for
the team«. 1UP showing
it’s not always
about the individual.
Recap Bring the Paint
77
↖ Cult cinema classic
»The Warriors«,
gets a Yard Warriors
makeover.
↑↑ GENT rises to the
occasion making
use of some difficult
vertical space.
← One of Italy’s
favorite train writers
BRUS proves he can
rock the bricks just as
good as he does steel.
↗ HOMBRE brings
German efficiency
to the game doing a
massive one
man piece carrying
his beloved Montana
BLACK cans.
→ Old meets new.
Classic graffiti and
good design a plenty
at Bring The Paint.
78 Recap Bring the Paint
1UP / 2KOLD (DDS) / ABUZ / ACHES / ALEX RUBES /
BOOGIE (TAD SML) / BRUS (SDT) / CORE246 (RM GW NHS) /
DEYS (YWS) / DINER (FYS) / DOES / DOWTA (DNF) /
DRAX (WD PFB) / FLYING FORTRESS (JBCB) / GENT (48) /
HOMBRE (SUK TRS TA) / HOW & NOSM (TATS CRU) /
INKIE (KTF ASK KOST (YWS) / LEWSE (ADNS) /
N4T4 (NEVER READY) / MONO (FYS) / NOMAD CLAN /
OUST (TSP DFN WGS GW) / PHILTH (NEVER READY)
RUELO (NFA) / SAM GRUBB / SKANK (NFA) SOKER (ASK) /
STOE (SMT) / SMUG / STRAID (FYS YWS) /
TASSO (MACLAIM) / VOYDER / WON (ABC) / ZINER (NFA) /
ZOMBY (DDS)
Recap Bring the Paint
79
Introducing
Spanish
graffiti writer
LAIA
Doing it alone
in Barcelona
Artist artist Profile
IG @iamlaia
Location
Barcelona
↑ From markers to
spray paint and back.
It’s all one big creative
melting pot for Laia.
→ When you’re Laia
and you have got a
wall and some spray
paint, then you have
what you need to
create.
↓ Laia’s graffiti roots
are the foundation of
her ideas. Cartoon
characters merge
with clever design
and raw street edge.
There are many stereotypes
in the world. Graffiti
is not exempt from this
with lots of unspoken rules
and regulations. This
is why any contemporary
adult writer cringes at
the thought of defining an
artist by their gender.
Gender doesn’t predict or
define good style.
80 Artists in Focus LAiA
What stands out from the
crowd with Spanish born
writer and artist LAIA, is
not just that she is a talented
artist with style and concepts
that are engaging and aesthetic.
And most of all not that she is fe
male. What is noteworthy and inspiring
is that she started this whole
graffiti journey alone. Not moving in
the security of a crew and not
paying attention to any limits or
constraints that graffiti culture may
carry with it. Apart from graffiti,
ignoring negative stereotypes is
what LAIA does best.
This free-spirited writer
was born in Barcelona in 1984. Still
residing in the city, her interest in
graffiti was awakened in 1999. The
natural progression from bombing
to piecing occurred and before
long in 2000, the markers in her
tool kit were accompanied by spray
cans. The then 14-year-old took
to the streets alone as she decided
she wanted to »get up«.
Artists in Focus LAiA
81
82 Artists in Focus LAiA
In total ignorance and com
plete absence of influences or
guidance, LAIA started to master her
craft which 20 years on is still part
of her daily routine. Although
not outgrowing the streets, LAIA
also became active in galleries, online
and in the studio. What was
a city-based thing became an international
affair with participation
in Graffiti events and jams taking
her through her country and abroad.
As with all dedicated writers,
connections become friends and
actions strengthen friendships. For
this talented Spanish writer, even
with 20 years of hard work behind
her, the world is her oyster and
we are bound to see a whole more.
The then 14-year-old took
to the streets alone as
she decided she wanted
to »get up«.
← As comfortable
with a brush and a
bottle of Montana
ACRYLIC paint as
she is with a can and
a wall.
↓ Her hand finished
printed works take
her creative edge
onto paper as well.
She started this whole graffiti
journey alone. Not
moving in the security of a
crew and not pay ing attention
to any limits or constraints
that graffiti culture
may carry with it.
Artists in Focus LAiA
83
84 Artists in Focus OSMAN
No brAkes
on this
mAchine
Photography
Osman
Location
Worldwide
The word OSMAN has nothing in common
with a fully loaded train trundling down
the line with no brakes. But maybe the German
graffiti artist »OSMAN« does. This
style machine knows no boundaries. In an
ever forward moving quest for graffiti
innovation, there is almost nothing he
hasn't mastered or tried. On this machine,
there are no brakes!
Originating out of the German-style mill
Stut tgart, since 1999 OSMAN has been mixing
and shaking up letters and words with
any tool that comes into his hands. No thing
creatively is taboo except for the sin of not trying.
With just as many countries under his belt as styles,
OSMAN’s name is on the honor roles of many crews in -
cluding HCCB, DTS, and W2D.
Regardless of whether a painting is a new style,
or old, there is always a little something special in
the ingredients that are uniquely OSMAN. Whether it be
the placement of the tags, some bubbles in the 3D
or his creative use of the unique Montana MARBLE
Effect cans. His is a style unto its own. Having the op -
portunity to see a little snippet of otherwise seldom seen
steelworks was one we couldn't pass up. As this machine
keeps plowing forward through the fodder of »been
there done that« graffiti, we take a moment to analyze
this innovator and appreciate what is already buffed.
Artists in Focus OSMAN
85
86 Artists in Focus OSMAN
Artists in Focus OSMAN
87
88 Artists in Focus OSMAN
Artists in Focus OSMAN
89
Making
it last on
the lines
Taking freight train writing seriously with
the TCI crew
Location
U.S.A.
Photography
TCI CREW
Many graffiti movements across the world
spawned and multiplied thanks to heavily
populated cities with commuter train
systems that kept the people moving. For
a long time, the freight train system
was in the periphery as for those in these
cities, their goals and expectations
on the metro systems were often not
complete ly achieved before their careers
as writers came to an end.
90
Artists in Focus TCI Crew
For many writers in cities
without their own city train
coverage, the freights
were where East met West
with everything in between.
In a country like the U.S.A, the freight train system
has even more weight than one would think. It
is one of the only ways that all the microcosms of
train writing graffiti connect on this massive continent.
For many writers in cities without their own city
train coverage, the freights were where East met West
with everything in between. The TCI crew originating
from Madison WI, are amongst these entities that take
the freight train game to the highest level. We were
lucky enough to get some words from the horse’s mouth
directly to help understand what TCI crew is all about.
↑ At mincto conet ut
ommolecte imilignimus.
Edit, ulparit as
ullesed
Artists in Focus TCI Crew
91
As the freight train graffiti movement got rolling
in the early 90’s, styles from both coasts began to
arrive in small towns throughout the states. Towns like
Madison Wisconsin, where TCI’s Hybrid, Heat, Sever,
and Intel were exposed to styles from the likes of Sinister
Sein5 out of the Bronx, and Charlie Porno from LA.
The connection freight trains provided was
essential in the development of styles, friendships, and
networks across the country.
The TCI approach to trains is to execute a
production with professional efficiency and to have
The connection freight
trains provided was essential
in the development
of styles, friend ships,
and networks across the
country.
92
Artists in Focus TCI Crew
fun while doing it. Every step of the process is well
planned as members work together to burn.
Train Champs Inc. embraced the concept of the
»End to End« early in the crew’s development. When
two writers are painting a train, they share by painting
either side and putting TCI over the doors. Combining
competitive lettering with elaborate backgrounds and
themes are a trademark of the crew as they dominate
the lines with a reputation for quality freight train graffiti.
Freight trains are a great surface to paint, but
they are constantly exposed to a changing environment
as they travel through the USA. Having a quality
spray paint that covers well and doesn’t fade is essential
to making sure our work lasts on the lines.
With quality like this, the future of freight train
graffiti looks very bright. With a conceptual approach
and a »quality and quantity« result, if you’re in the USA
or Canada, there is bound to be a lot more TCI product
rolling through your neighborhood in the near future.
Artists in Focus TCI Crew
TCI
TRAIN CHAMPS
INCORPORATED
Est.1993, Madison WI
Freight trains are a great
surface to paint, but they
are constantly exposed
to a changing environment
as they travel through
the USA. Having a quality
spray paint that covers well
and doesn’t fade is essential
to making sure our
work lasts on the lines.
93
Step
Out
of the
ArenA
2019
1
Location
Eindhoven, Netherlands
Photography
@lukedaduke
Graffiti Jam in Eindhoven
For every yin there is a yang.
The Step In The Arena
graffiti festival in Eindhoven
Netherlands is no exception.
Logically the artists
that step in the arena need
to step out. But there is
no half-steppin!
1 Riot1394 keeping
it warm with some
three dimensional
letter trickery.
2 TelmoMiel abstracting
this image of a
young female figure.
2
94 Recap Step Out of the Arena
3
Step Out Of The Arena (SOOTA) took place shortly
after the creative hangers of SITA started to fade.
This time staying in the home of SITA, Eindhoven,
SOOTA was like the aftershock to the earth -
quake that was SITA. Confused? Don’t be. The artists
still hanging around after the main event got together
to rock a concept wall that was not located at the
SITA site. The Montana GOLD and Montana BLACK
cans that were still warm from the days before were at
the ready for a color connected afterburner.
4
3 In progress, NovaDead
has Biggie
Smalls on the radar
for some creative
re-invention.
4 Attention to detail.
Even after the main
event, Russia's
Zmogk took his work
equally as seriously.
5 Reser from Italy
making light work of
his time away from
home.
5
Recap Step Out of the Arena
95
6 7
6 Ladders at full extension
as complete
wall space is utilized.
7 Jos Hoppenbrouwers
keeping the
cultures connected
with a street version
of his Nike Air's.
8 Pauks flying the
Dutch flag with some
classic yet contemporary
graffiti style
writing.
8
The Montana GOLD and
Montana BLACK cans
that were still warm from
the days before were at
the ready for a color connected
afterburner.
9 French artist
Babs creating some
extremely impressive
cutting edge contemporary
graffiti.
9
96 Recap Step Out of the Arena
The artists in control
of the cans were:
10
Made 514 (ITA), TelmoMiel
(NL), Chas (NL),Neist (FR),
HrvB (D),Rate (BUL),
FatHeat (HUN), Dater (D),
Mister (NL), Fleks (NL),
Dart (SE), Aroe (UK), Babs
(FR), Nilko (FR), Bios (UKR),
Zmogk (RUS), Truba (RUS),
Novadead (B), Puaks (NL),
Saker (ES), Fork (HUN),
Beyond (NL), Ceser 87 (ES),
Reser (ITA), Riot1394 (D),
Norm (D), Fokus (FR), Kush
(NL), Jos Hoppenbrouwers
(NL), Real (NL), Toren (ES)
& Angel26 (HUN)
10 Nilko's work of a
street smart gorilla
image brought a
touch of animalia to
the concept.
11 »Stopping all Stations«.
Swedish train
writer Dart makes a
welcomed abnormal
stop on the static
concrete wall.
11
Recap Step Out of the Arena
97
98 Acrylic Series DMOTE
DMOTE
video
montana-cans.blog/acrylic-series
artist Profile
IG @dmoterola
Photography
Jordan Katz / Montana-Cans
↑ Large or small,
scale is no issue
when transcribing
ideas on one substrate
or another.
← As »at home« in
his studio as he is in
the streets, DMOTE
hits the black book
surrounded by color
and ideas.
NEW
YORK
It’s been a long time since Australian graffiti artist DMOTE,
has actually been based in Australia. It has also been
a long time since he was only known as DMOTE. With a
bag full of words and brain full of ideas, the title Graffiti
Artist is not really enough to encompass the wide array
of skills he exercises within his art making practice.
The now New York based artists is still as active as he
ever was in the creation of traditional letter based graffiti
style writing. His graffiti artwork has come a long way
through relentless doing, re-inventing and self reflection.
But so has his fine artwork. A body of work that is
hard to compartmentalize. Hard to put in a little box and
call it something that everyone understands. For this reason
he was the perfect candidate for the Montana-Cans
Acrylic Series.
Acrylic Series DMOTE
99
o
n our journey with him, it was clear that it
would start where it all began. The streets
of New York. With a sent of the city and
Montana BLACK and Montana GOLD
cans a blaze, DMOTE laid down the fundamentals for
what was to become a classic graffiti canvas. And
this time with the word SHANK. The ACRYLIC markers
and ACRYLIC paint refills were out and shaken, at
the ready for creating. A full spectrum of colors were
used and DMOTE showed no confusion as he grabbed
each color instinctually, placing the right color in the
right context for a vibrant yet harmonious color scape.
With a love of robust round tips, he even turned to the
Montana Empty Marker products for various application
possibilities. With a refill here and some intricate
line work there, we soon saw the style master pull the
»SHANK« canvas together. Aerosol faded color, juxtaposed
against opaque placements served up accurate
linear craftsmanship.
Even for the non graffiti initiated, watching
DMOTE create is like an enthralling passage of time
travel through the origins and future of graffiti style
writing. Regardless of which tool he puts in his hands,
something impressive always happens.
Watching DMOTE create is
like an enthralling passage
of time travel through the
origins and future of graffiti
style writing
↗ »New York, New
York big city of dreams,
but everything
in New York ain‘t always
what it seems«.
For DMOTE, a long
way from Australia
but home never the
less.
→ Anything is possible.
Various phases of
DMOTE’s artist path
composed on paper,
cover his studio walls.
Mapping out where he
has been and possibly
where he could go.
→→ SHANK, just one
of many alter egos for
DMOTE that helped
him re-invent himself
when arriving in New
York, explore new
letter possibilities
and avoid becoming
stagnant.
100 Acrylic Series DMOTE
Acrylic Series DMOTE
101
AMBER
VITTORIA
Photography
Jordan Katz / Montana-Cans
NEW
YORK
artist Profile
IG @amber_vittoria
Video
montana-cans.blog/acrylic-series
The ACRYLIC marker and paint range has done a lot of
yards with traditional graffiti artists. Thats why it is
even more inspiring when super talented artists not in
that discipline take the materials to a whole new level, or
better yet a new location. Introducing New York based
artist, Amber Vittoria. With an instagram bio sentence
stating »Dismantling societal tropes set upon women«, we
knew we were going to be in for something special
when we invited her to feature in the latest Montana-Cans
Acrylic Series film. And Vittoria didn’t disappoint.
↗ Brush work, marker
line work and vibrant
color. Vittoria‘s work
welcomes it all.
→ Her ability to
characterize and yet
humanize makes her
an ideal candidate for
commercial artwork.
→ → In the hustle and
bustle of the city that
never sleeps, Vittoria’s
work is a breath
of fresh air.
102 Acrylic Series AMBER VITTORIA
Acrylic Series AMBER VITTORIA
103
With a client list featuring some international
heavy weight brands like NBC,
Gucci, Adidas, The New York Times,
and Instagram, Vittoria has been tack -
ling the subject of the portrayal of women in art for
quite some time. Both in her illustration work as well
as her fine art work. And with client names like those
we mentioned, this engaging subject has a large audience
to play with. Including the added dynamic of
fashion, she also helps change and challenge stereotypes
for the positive in industries that are otherwise
loaded with unrealistic portrayals of women. But it
doesn’t end there. As an ADC annual award winner, Vittoria
is under the world creativity spotlight and seems
comfortable with that too. Moving from brush pens to
the Montana water-based ACRYLIC marker range was
an easy step for Amber Vittoria. The speed of drying,
brilliant opacity and coloration, endless possibilities
of mixing colors and the varied sizes the marker range
gave her to play with, meant it was a thumbs up for
making a transition. The extra bonus of being able to
use it with brushes and get results as vibrant as any
acrylic tube paint made it a no-brainer.
With an assertively feminine touch, her strong
bold images are not only easy on the eye, they are also
to be taken seriously in their ability to broaden the portrayal
of women in society generally. The works often
display rounded features, proportional challenges and
body hair in the places it normally grows. Which can be
a grounding and refreshing experience for the plastic
photo-shopped version society is normally served up
in glossy magazines. On a recent visit to her New York
studio, we were honored to capture a small portion of
her creative world on film.
She helps change and
challenge stereotypes for
the positive in industries
that are otherwise loaded
with unrealistic portrayals
of women.
Ambers works are a
grounding and refreshing
experience for the plastic
photoshopped version
society is normally served
up in glossy magazines.
↗ At home in her
studio, the Montana
ACRYLIC marker
range is a permanent
feature of her desktop.
→ Wide or fine, all
shapes and sizes
have their place for
Vittoria, just like the
woman she portrays
in her artwork.
→→ Never afraid of
color, beyond the
visual aesthetics
there is always an
important message
in the artwork.
104 Acrylic Series AMBER VITTORIA
Acrylic Series AMBER VITTORIA
105
LOW
BROS
Shaking up the village for METROPOLINK
artists Profile
IG @low_bros
Festival Profile
IG @metropolinkurbanartfestival
Photography
Daniel Schreiber / Montana-Cans
The LOW BROS name in this case may not be so
accurate. Or at least the LOW part. With nearly every part
of their new artwork at the Patrick Henry Village
in Mannheim-Germany being elevated off the ground, the
festival METROPOLINK is glad they got them out
to make things happen.
106 Artists in Focus LOW BROS
Artists in Focus LOW BROS
107
108 Artists in Focus LOW BROS
With the sun shining and the
Mon tana GOLD and Montana BLACK
cans flowing like the LOW BROS
very original ideas themselves,
the pillars, frontage and many things
in between were up for grabs.
Artists in Focus LOW BROS
109
110 Artists in Focus LOW BROS
Artists in Focus LOW BROS
111
Carefully chosen, the LOW BROS
re-invented symbols of a lost youth
and cooked them up into a post
modern, visual soup. Drink brands,
Credit card providers, spiritual symbology
and of course tennis balls,
all got the LOW BROS treatment.
Even a major computer brand was
reduced and re-introduced in a
whole new context.
112 Artists in Focus LOW BROS
Artists in Focus LOW BROS
113
114 Artists in Focus LOW BROS
Artists in Focus LOW BROS
115
1
POW!
WOW!
J
A P
A
N
2
0 1
9
Location
Okinawa, Japan
Profile
@powwowjapan
Photography
@gralffic
In 2019 the POW! WOW! event returned
to the Asian mega culture, Japan.
Curated and directed by @emiriokamoto,
Okinawa was the city that played
host to the event making POW! WOW!
2019 a coastal experience.
2 3
4
1 Denpa proving that
black and white is the
new colorful.
2 The smell of of the
Okinawa salty air was
a positive ingredient
for making art.
3 Jason Keam throwing
everything in
the mix.
4 Tatiana Saurez
explores some femininity
in a larger than
life female figure.
5 Super Deux adding
French flair to the
Okinawa streets
as his bold opaque
characters stand
proudly.
5
116 Recap POW! WOW! JApan 2019
6
Featuring artists such as Jason Keam, Tatiana
Saurez, Towmei Kaisen, Luise Ono, Super Deux,
Denpa, 123klan, Cab, and Laurence Vallières, the
diverse artworks represented a cultural mixing
pot of ideas and techniques. It didn’t just stop at art.
The usual festivities were naturally complemented by
skateboarding, BMX, dancing and artist talks.
The artworks were a mirror of the color and
vibrancy of the event. Excluding those works in black
and white by Denpa that were just as dynamic. The
beach made a perfect base and backdrop as the final
stages of the event were spent by the artists resting by
the barbeque listening to the music and waves sooth
their creative fatigue. Another great year for POW! WOW!
and another exceptional cultural happening for Japan.
8
6 123 Klan keeping it
graffiti, and keeping
it colorful. A classic
trademark mural
sitting happily in it’s
new surrounds.
7 Laurence Vallières
making a unique
addition to the artist
line up working in
predominantly cardboard
as apposed to
paint.
8 Luise Ono representing
Japan with
an aesthetic floral
composition on a
challenging building.
9 Japanese artist
Cab adding a touch
of illustrative style
achieving impact
with bold color.
7
9
Recap POW! WOW! JApan 2019
117
POW!
WOW!
Rotterdam 2019
Location
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Photography
Martine Kiers
Profile
@powwowrotterdam
MONTANA-CANS X
POW! WOW! ROTTERDAM
To celebrate the partnership and strengthen the European
integration of the POW! WOW! event, Montana
Cans released a Limited Edition Collabo Series can in
honor of the event. The vibrant green litho sporting the
classic POW! WOW!, logo was complimented by the
number one used color in the Montana GOLD range,
Shock Black! As with all the POW! WOW! collabo series
cans before it, they were only available at the event.
The POW! WOW! festival made a success
landing on its maiden voyage in Europe 2018
in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Although
the first edition was a success, more than
10.000 visitors one year later proved that
POW! WOW! Rotterdam is here to stay. With
its heavy artillary of Graffiti, Muralism, Hip
Hop culture and live music, the Afrikaanderpark
and the surrounding Afrikaanderwijk
played host to an array of sensory delights.
Considering the main day was Sunday 15th
of September, a week before the event saw
both the participating artists and plenty
of street wandering street art enthusiasts
flooding into city to watch art happen.
1 2
1 Size does matter,
even if it’s small.
SLINKACHU making
big waves with
little art.
2 SMOK’s floating
artwork on a Rotterdam
boat.
118
Recap POW! WOW! Rotterdam 2019
The artist line up was as strong as the name
POW! WOW! itself. With a Montana GOLD in
one hand and a Montana BLACK in the other,
the artworks were again broken into two programs.
The murals were covered by DANNY RUMBL,
DOURONE, DIDIER JABA MATHIEU, HELEN PROCTOR,
MURMURE, NINA VALKHOFF, SAID KINOS, SMOK,
SMUG, SUPER A, TELMO MIEL, WOES, SLINKACHU
and SPENCER LITTLE.
4
3
3 Super A at
work re-inventing
Pinocchio for a
modern audience.
4 Telmo Miel and
Smug join forces
to create what is
now judged by
www.widewalls.ch
as the »Most Beauti -
ful Mural of 2019«!
5 Didier Jaba
Mathieu taking out
a whole facade with
ease.
5
Recap POW! WOW! Rotterdam 2019
119
6 7
6 The finished mural.
Super A wraps modernity
over tradition
with his giant Pinocchio
homage.
7 Edoardo Trionfera
aka Dodici bringing
some festive illustration
to the mural
game.
8 Murmure’s amazing
plastic bag floats
gracefully over this
buildings side.
9 A welcomed break
in the monotony,
Spencer Little explores
his sculptural
linear artwork on the
light poles of Rotterdam.
More than 10,000 visitors
one year later proved that
POW! WOW! Rotterdam is
here to stay.
8
9
120 Recap POW! WOW! Rotterdam 2019
9 10
And to continue the theme of the »20 VANS
30 CANS« project, artists AVOID010, BILLY COLOURS,
BIER EN BROOD, CHAS, DZIA, FELEON, ILLUSTRA-
TOR DANNY, JAWGEM, KARSKI and BEYOND, KLAAS
LAGEWEG, LEVI JACOBS, MINA, MR. JUNE, NAAM-
LOOOZZ, NNAMARI, NOLART, OTTOGRAPH, OX ALIEN,
SOGO SHOW, SR. PAPÁ CHANGO, TALIB, STEPHAN
BONTJE and VENOUR, were all called in to transform
the moving targets. All in all the event went on with an
positivity and without a hitch.
11
12
9 Artist duo Dourone
pack a punch with
their vibrant and
figurative mural.
10 Said Kinos making
sure typography got
a good runwas well
represented in an
international artist
line-up displaying
many disciplines.
11 Native Dutch letter
master Chas making
light work of a van.
12 One of many vans
receiving an artist
makeover at the 2019
POW! WOW! Rotterdam
event.
Recap POW! WOW! Rotterdam 2019
121
From mainland
U.S.A and beyond
122 Street Report Greetings Tour
→ Starting at 14
feet off the ground,
ladders were not an
option on this mural.
↓ Always welcomed
by onlookers, the
GREETINGS TOUR
murals connect the
cultural threads of
local residents. Even
when in Bermuda.
ArtistS Profile
IG @greetingstour
Photography
Beggs
Location
USA
Victor Ving and Lisa Beggs
know what it means to
be uncomfortable. They
have been living out of an
RV since 2015 when
they departed from their
then city of residence,
New York. The years proceeding
have seen them
travel through their beloved
mainland the United States
and beyond, on what is
possibly one of the most
unique projects of its kind.
The »GREETINGS TOUR«.
Street Report Greetings Tour
123
Reminiscing on the classic
American »GREETINGS
FROM …« postcards of years
gone by, Ving (the artist)
and Beggs (the photographer) have
been traveling together from
state to state creating murals in
this exact same theme. Adding a
touch of contemporary relevance
and a sense of belonging for all
the residents in the communities
these murals have been painted in.
In each state, the duo has cre -
ated »GREETINGS FROM« murals
that feature contemporary local
icons, landmarks, and historical
artifacts. In every case, they leave
what was a relatively lull wall space
with an impressive mural that
brightens the landscape and offers
a sense of pride for those lucky
enough to live around it.
← GREETINGS FROM
Moab, Utah. Too hot
to sleep in the RV,
Ving and Beggs were
offered one week
free in air conditioned
luxury at the
Bowen Motel, the site
of the mural.
↑ The GREETINGS
TOUR travels through
nearly every type of
terrain. Each location
offering ingredients
for the next mural.
They leave what was a relatively
lull wall space with
an impressive mural that
brightens the landscape
and offers a sense of pride
for those lucky enough to
live around it.
124 Street Report Greetings Tour
← The much loved RV.
The workhorse of the
tour as mobile home,
studio and garage all
in one.
↓ The seascapes of
Bermuda and endless
source of inspiration.
Never a dull moment
for Lisa Beggs and
Victor Ving.
↑ Reliability and
quality, the Montana
GOLD never lets the
team down. Even
available in colors
made for the location.
BERMUDA BLUE, as
used in Bermuda.
With approximately 41 murals
in over 21 states,
the prime goal for Ving and
Beggs in this project is
to cover at least one
»GREETINGS FROM« mural
in every state of the USA.
Amongst many locations, in
2019 Ving and Beggs managed to
get the RV van over the seas to the
coastal island of Bermuda. Or at
least symbolically speaking as the
need to fly meant being committed
to a booked travel itinerary and
being finished on time to catch the
flights home.
With approximately 41 murals
in over 21 states, the prime goal
for Ving and Beggs in this project
is to cover at least one »GREETINGS
FROM« mural in every state of the
USA. With 9.834.000 km² of possible
surface area to cover, we will enjoy
watching the GREETINGS TOUR
unfold over the coming years.
Street Report Greetings Tour
125
126 Street Report Greetings Tour
Street Report Greetings Tour
127
MontAnA
Cans
German Quality
Spray paint
Photography
Daniel Schreiber / Montana-Cans
LOcation
Heidelberg, Germany
The machine behind the brand –
There are many destinations in Germany
that tourists savor as »must do’s« on
their travel itinerary. Visiting the office
headquarters of a supplier is not normally
high on the priority list. But this is not
the case if the offices your visiting is that
of Montana-Cans.
128
Insight MONTANA-CANS
↑ Every product has
its origin. Often not
looking anything like
the final product on
the shelves, in store.
↓ Compromise is not
an option.There can
be hundreds of formula’s
for any given
product before it ever
comes to market.
There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes at
Montana-Cans before any product ever reaches
the end-users. In a picturesque quaint little city
tucked away in the valleys spanning around
the Neckar river, Heidelberg is where the head office is
located and happens to be the original town where
Montana-Cans came to life. In a historic residence in a
tree-lined street, here the thinktank behind the brand
Montana-Cans takes care of daily business and
looks after customers with direct and personal service
all over the world.
At second glance, it is obvious that this is not
where the manufacturing magic happens. But the
factory is only a short ride away by train or car with the
Neckar river flowing gracefully aside you, through
the green valleys and hills which stretch as far as the
eye can see. Upon arrival at the main production site in
the peaceful little Oden-Wald town of Haßmersheim,
within seconds it is noticeable of the proud relationship
between parent company Motip Dupli and
daughter company, Montana-Cans. Artworks and
photographs of all Montana orientations are strewn
throughout the complexes buildings and offices.
← MADE IN GERMANY.
This means something
to each and
every person working
with Montana-Cans.
Not excluding
the latest technologies
used for precision
manufacturing.
Heidelberg is actually
one of Germany’s humming
graffiti and creative hubs
and the original town
of which Montana-Cans
was born
Insight MONTANA-CANS 129
130
Insight MONTANA-CANS
← Caps and valves
play a large role in
the performance,
handling and output
of a spray can. Extensive
testing is
undergone to ensure
the right combination
is found for all aerosol
products.
↓ You can’t cut corners
in color. The sun
will call your bluff
each time. At Montana-Cans
we use only
premium quality,
European made pigments.
Proven to resist
even the hardest
of UV exposure.
Insight MONTANA-CANS 131
132
Insight MONTANA-CANS
← The Montana-Cans
Warehouse has the
perfect balance of
space, efficiency and
safety. Always filled
to optimal capacity,
this is a space that is
a pleasure to move
around for all those
working in it.
→ It’s not just about
the cans. In the Montana-Cans
Warehouse
every single item
in our assortment
is ready to go at all
times.
With precision and care,
goods here are picked and
packed for transport to
distributors and stores all
over the globe.
↓ Fresh out the box:
the new limited
edition Montana
BLACK Artist Series
can featuring DEMS.
The pristine grounds of Motip Dupli are a buzz
of activity. Between the chirping of birds in the
shrubs and trees along the Eco Path, the sound of electric
ve hicles transporting products and raw materials
from building to building and workers moving from
space to space, show that German efficiency is well and
truly at work. But this is not by accident, Motip Dupli’s
has worked hard to achieve a quality management
sys tem certification ISO EN9001 and an environmen -
tal management system certification to the level of ISO
EN 14001.
The large, quiet buildings, hold within them the
production heart of the Montana-Cans aerosol range.
On multiple well oiled modern production lines, cans are
electronically sent on their path under human assistance
from empty container to premium quality German
spray paint. At the blink of an eye, thousands of cans
whizz by as they are boxed and loaded for their next
destination, the Montana-Cans Warehouse.
The Montana-Cans Warehouse is the hub within
the hub for the full Montana-Cans assortment. Here
all products are stored, processed and doc umented
in preparation for the most important journey of all, to
our customers. The solid in house team
of Montana-Cans pickers and packers move with ease
from position to position in one of the most modern
aerosol warehouses available. With precision and care,
goods here are picked and packed for transport to
distributors and stores all over the globe.
Insight MONTANA-CANS 133
↑ A vision of beauty.
Even when unfilled,
the empty Montana
BLACK can litho is inspiring
and enticing.
A true symbol of our
graffiti roots.
With castles perched on hilltops
and the scent of trees
and nature blowing in the
wind, it’s hard to fathom
how they can actually get
any work done. But as is
proven in over 70 countries
worldwide, they do.
↓ The Montana-Cans
ULTRAWIDE can, first
of its type, best of its
kind.
With a slight tilt of the head, there is no escaping
the light glowing from the Montana-Cans
Showroom which sits humbly over the Montana-Cans
warehouse with a view of the products below it. The
ideal space for distributors and store owners, the
showroom is the ultimate display of the full Montana-Cans
product range as would be on everyone’s
wish lists. The inviting space also caters for meetings,
testing, and creative brainstorming.
With all this action going on, it is often frightening
when you stop and realize how beautiful the
surroundings really are. With castles perched on
hilltops and the scent of trees and nature blowing in
the wind, it's hard to fathom how they can actually
get any work done. But as is proven in over 70 countries
worldwide, they do.
134
Insight MONTANA-CANS
↓ The path for a
Montana-Cans aerosol
can is one of precision
and efficiency.
Traveling on the most
modern of production
lines ensures quality
and consistency
every time.
Insight MONTANA-CANS 135
138 photography by edward nightingale
MONTANA-CANS #Germanspraypaint
139
Imprint
LOOKBOOK
020
Media owner and publisher:
MONTANA-CANS
Editorial Staff:
MONTANA-CANS
Editorial design & Art direction:
Matter Of (MO-P-061)
Alexander Krziwanie (MONTANA-CANS)
Texts:
René Van Kan
Special thanks to all contributing artists & partners!
Cover Photo:
Sobekcis in Belgrade, Serbia © Carlo Kohal
© 2020, MONTANA-CANS
All rights reserved.
Reprinting, even in part, only with the approval of the
publisher. No liability can be accepted for unsolicited
photos, slides, films or manuscripts received.
MONTANA-CANS
Häusserstraße 36
69115 Heidelberg
Deutschland
Ph: +49 (0) 6221 36 333 0
info@montana-cans.com
WWW.MONTANA-CANS.COM
WWW.MONTANA-CANS.BLOG
LOOKBOOK / EDITION #05 / 2020
WWW.MONTANA-CANS.COM