MontanaCans LOOKBOOK 2021

021 

EDITION #06 

MONTANA-CANS LOOKBOOK 

WWW.MONTANA-CANS.COM

#GERMANSPRAYPAINT 

photography by edward nightingale


#GERMANSPRAYPAINT #GAMECHANGER


#GERMANSPRAYPAINT #GAMECHANGER

photography by Musa

MONTANA 

CANS 

LOOKBOOK 

2021 

Without even having a moment to realize it, 

2020 had ended as fast as it came. And 

2021 started with as much confusion as 

2020 ended. It is easy to turn on the television 

and be constantly reminded about 

how negative everything is or was. But the 

real challenge, and the reward, lie in wiping 

off the dust, removing our masks, and 

taking a deep breath, reflecting on all the 

good things that happened. All those amazing 

things that happened before, during, 

or after all the restrictions. The projects and 

ideas that wouldn’t have happened if we 

were still running up and down our old paths. 

So, what did happen in 2020? Well, 

actually a lot! In the Montana-Cans LOOK- 

BOOK 2021, which is the sixth edition of 

the LOOKBOOK series, we start the celebration 

with the freshly cooked cover illustration 

by one of our favorite Italian artists, 

LUGOSIS and STRATO200’s. Not only 

are their quirky characterizations known to 

the graffiti community the world over, but 

you may also recognize their style on every 

box of Montana BLACK cans. 

The start of 2021 marks the release 

of the 20th edition Montana BLACK Artist 

Edition cans by ATOM ONE. Not only special 

release as it is the 20th can in the series, 

but also as it pays extra respect to an 

artist that has well and truly earned it. The 

gray areas of copyright infringement and 

artists’ legal rights were also given a shakeup 

in 2020. So much so that the SEVENTH 

LETTER lawyer Jeff Gluck, CHINA TOWN 

MARKET, and Montana-Cans collabora ted 

in creating the “Call my Lawyer” can. Collaborating 

and staying socially connected 

in times of isolation and restricted social 

contact proved to be more important than 

ever in 2020. Making the release of the 

Montana-Cans x NITRO Backpack collaboration 

even more poignant. The icing 

on the cake being the SPRAYCATION patch 

series that told a story about travel and 

adventure that sits harmoniously on the 

NITRO bag. It wasn’t all about products 

and gadgets however, 2020 also saw the 

artistic development of many prolific 

artists who reached new levels. Artists like 

BOND TRULUV, blowing us away with 

his unique world of augmented reality that 

is based on one of the most solid outdoor 

and studio practices in the game. We 

reconnected to the streets with the gritty 

French bomber, KENO. Taking us on a 

visual adventure filled with the mark-making 

of a dedicated individual. The Israeli 

photographer MUSA FRAMES rose to our 

attention with his photographic documentation 

so close to the action, you can 

almost smell the sweat. 

Not to mention the amazing innovations 

of German artist, NOMAD. Pushing 

graffiti letter style writing to places it has 

never been before. And that’s just some of it. 

No one knows what will lie ahead, 

nor how the future of Graffiti, Urban art, and 

Visual art, in general, will look. One thing 

is for sure, it has never been more important 

to be creative than it is now. From all the 

team at Montana-Cans to all our loyal sup - 

porters, partners, and collaborators, we 

thank you for keeping the creative fire burning 

and making the world a colorful place. 

Onward, and upward. 

Montana-Cans LOOKBOOK 2021 Editorial 

7

5 Editorial 

10 Montana BLACK 

Artist Edition: ATOM 

14 LOCKDOWN 

ON LOCK 

Or how to make it 

through 2020 

30 POW WOW 

Hawai‘i 2020 

10th anniversary 

40 Montana-Cans 

Collabo Series: 

CHINATOWN 

MARKET 

44 GOLDZILLA by 

FLYING FÖRTRESS 

46 BOND TRULUV 

Entering the 

world of graffiti 

augmentation 

56 PICHIAVO 

for Metropolink 

62 Montana-Cans X 

NITRO BAGS 

70 The 2020 JBCB 

Summer Tour 

80 Corona Dampf 2020 

84 MUSA.FRAMES 

96 CLOAKWORK 

Graffiti on a tourist 

cruise ship 

104 The world according 

to N.O.MADSKI 

114 KENO was here 

120 AKUT 

studio insights 

124 SISTERHOOD 

in graffiti culture 

130 Montana-Cans 

Latest Products 

138 Blackbook 

148 Imprint 

8 LOOKBOOK 2021 content

10 

ATOM MEGABLAST 

Celebrating the 20th edition of the 

Montana BLACK Artist Series cans. 

30 

14 

LOCKDOWN ON LOCK 

The graffiti guide to surviving 2020. 

POW WOW Hawai‘i 2020 

Celebrating 10 years of POW! WOW! 

46 

BOND TRULUV 

Taking us beyond our 

comfort zones into graffiti 

augmented reality. 

62 

Montana-Cans X NITRO BAGS 

Time to go anywhere with the ultimate 

travel companion. 

84 

MUSA.FRAMES 

So close to the action you can 

smell the sweat. 

120 

AKUT 

Forcing us to look beyond the mask. 

LOOKBOOK 2021 Content 

9

ATOM's 

MEGA 

BLAST 

Location 

Dortmund, Germany 

Photography 

ATOM 

Profile 

@atomoneski 

ATOM ONE, a name that is synonymous 

with both German, and international graffiti 

history. A writer that has been active 

for well over three decades. Originating 

from the industrious city of Dortmund, this 

prolific graffiti artist has been paving 

his way through all disciplines of the graffiti 

spectrum since the beginning of his writing 

career. All the while doing what he loves 

most, letters. With artwork all over the 

world and a penchant for the color orange, 

we celebrate the release of the 20th 

Montana BLACK Artists Series can, ATOM's 

MEGABLAST- BLK 2120. 

↑ "Big, beautiful, 

colorful wholecars". 

From the very first 

time, Atom describes 

what still drives him 

today. 

→ With a new direction 

in the Artist 

Series can designs, 

ATOM opts for a 

photographic touch 

for the limited 

ATOM's MEGABLAST 

can. 

10 Artist Edition Atom'S MEgablast

Atom One is a name that stands for over 30 

years of quality graffiti innovation. His 

roots stemming from the German city of 

Dortmund, he is now one of the most 

respected graffiti writers on the globe. With an unstoppable 

work ethic, his continual commitment to graf - 

fiti style writing has made him a reference point for multiple 

generations of graffiti writers. To celebrate the 

legendary status of the 20th Montana-Cans Artist Series 

can, it seemed only fitting to feature a legendary 

writer that is active both behind the scenes and in the 

scene. With his choice of the Montana BLACK 

ATOM's MEGABLAST color, ATOM has paid homage 

to his favorite variation of his favorite color, orange. 

MC 

You have had many periods in your work where particular 

styles came to the fore. Do you have a favorite or 

any favorite phases in your style that you can reflect on? 

ATOM 

One poignant period for me was when the Berlin writers 

regularly came to visit Dortmund, and I saw that 

you can make your style a lot more attractive and with a 

lot more power with very few visual resources. 

For me when I saw this, I sat down and set myself 

the goal of taking the typical Dortmund blockbuster 

style that I was doing to a new level and dealing a little 

more with letter combinations or to put it more 

I do not judge when people progress 

and develop their ideas 

and expressive forms further, to 

reflect the art they make and 

the mediums they use. 

← ATOM proving 

again who is the 

winner between man 

and machine, with 

this colorful wholecar. 

MONTANA CANS 

Your graffiti name is known all over the world, your style 

of graffiti is a reference point for writers of all ages, 

and you have been heavily active for over 3 generations. 

Does the fire still burn in you as strongly as when 

you began? 

ATOM 

Yes, of course, the fire is still burning as it did at the beginning. 

MC 

Graffiti has splintered into many diverse sub-disciplines. 

What are your feelings toward writers who have 

turned to focus on fine art and gallery work, and do you 

still relate to the older writers who focus purely on 

graffiti style writing? 

ATOM 

Things are different now compared to 30 years ago. 

Some of us have different needs. Now there are 

obligations, children, you have to earn money, and the 

time is no longer there to go completely nuts as it 

was 30 years ago. Or better yet, at the beginning of your 

career. Time management is the keyword, and 

everything depends on that. Time management is not 

my strength otherwise I would be doing more. 

accurately, the combination of the letters. I no loger went 

out to just paint 5–6 pieces every day and that was 

that, rather, I wanted to do achieve one impressive piece 

and invest a little more effort to get a better result. 

This was such a milestone for me between 1994 and 

1998. 

MC 

You have been an active graffiti writer for the greater part 

of your life and have seen many changes in graffiti 

culture. (E.G., the internet and social media, the commercialization 

of graffiti, the many publications made, 

etc.) Are there any specific topics within graffiti writing 

culture now that you feel strongly about? 

ATOM 

Yes of course. I belong to the old guard and have certain 

ideas and values that I have come to appreciate and 

love over the years. Nevertheless, I do not judge when 

people progress and develop their ideas and expressive 

forms further, to reflect the art they make and the 

mediums they use. I have no problem with that, the 

one belongs to the other, and is also justified and should 

be continued in my opinion. The only thing I pass 

judgment on a little is the time people spend on social 

media. This is time that is not being used to be creative 

or to reflect on the art you bring to the outside world. 

Artist Edition Atom'S MEgablast 

11

That's why you don't see posts from me every day or 

every week, but only when I feel like it. 

MC 

Were there any turning points in your life or graffiti writing 

career that have affected you more than others? 

ATOM 

My turning point was when I was 16 years old. This is 

when my father said to me: "you have to take care 

of yourself now". He no longer felt like being held accountable 

all the time for the trouble I was getting 

myself into. I left home and stood on my own two feet 

for the first time. From that point on, graffiti was 

what I was best at and the only thing I had to earn money. 

I am grateful to my father for those words to this day. 

MC 

As a lot of writers see style writing as a never-ending 

quest for perfection, are you happy with the work 

you are creating right now? 

it my pictures or my work developing spray cans that 

are fun to use. 

I am still looking for perfection in my style which 

I will probably never find in my lifetime as there is no 

such thing. Or as the beat producers would say, "looking 

for the perfect beat". There isn´t one, everything is 

a learning process that everyone should go through, not 

giving up after going backward while learning the 

style process. It always gets better and so style is not 

timeless, but always variable, ever-changing, sometimes 

more complicated, other times less complicated 

or reduced. Sometimes even completely exaggerated. 

And that is what style lives from, ever dependent 

on the mood you are in. 

MC 

Your elaborate and prolific wholecar works often pop up 

on social media and mystify the audience. Are you that 

guy that needs an extra 10 minutes when everyone else 

is finished? Or are you the one who is emptying scraps 

on another panel while you wait for the others to finish? 

I just try to stay true to myself and 

not lose sight of the goal I set 

myself at the beginning of my career, 

which was to paint graffiti for as 

long as I could and to become as famous 

with it as possible. 

← Any model, any size. 

What ATOM does 

in 2 hours, many don't 

manage in a day. 

ATOM 

I just try to stay true to myself and not lose sight of the 

goal I set myself at the beginning of my career, which 

was to paint graffiti for as long as I could and to become 

as famous with it as possible. 

Graffiti has taken on an uncontrollable dynamic 

of its own over the years and it goes in all directions. 

These directions are all associated, be it street art, graffiti 

on canvas for the gallery exhibitions, straight style 

writing, tagging, the throw-up movement, etc... All these 

things fall under the heading GRAFFITI. 

It used to be a handful of people in a city, or in a 

country, on a continent. Today it is a complete movement 

that I helped spread to all areas of social life including 

fashion, music events packaging, advertising, 

or social media. Graffiti is simply a formative art form, 

or rather the formative form of art of the last 50 years 

that simply must be recognized. I am happy and grateful 

to be a part of it and to give something back, be 

ATOM 

Haha, no, I'm definitely not the guy you need to wait an 

extra 10 minutes for. Usually, I am the one who 

finishes first when there is a time limit of 1.5 to 2 hours. 

Particularly if this is discussed beforehand, you 

need to stick to it. 

I am probably more experienced and can reach 

my potential in exactly 2 hours, so it may look more 

complicated than others. But it is just that I know what I 

can do in 2 hours, keeping it safe, and not over exaggerating 

it. 

MC 

You have successfully managed to consistently paint in 

all disciplines of graffiti all over the globe. Whether 

it be the streets, walls, or trains. What was the most rewarding 

action/project that you have managed to 

paint until now? 

12 Artist Edition Atom'S MEgablast

→ ATOME ONE mixing 

it up with a style 

for every occasion. 

ATOM 

I think the first wholecar I ever painted was the most significant 

event or the most outstanding action I did. 

From that day on, it was like I was obsessed. All I wanted 

to do thereafter was to paint big, beautiful, colorful 

wholecars. I hope that I just have enough opportunity and 

time on this planet to be able to do that a little more. 

MC 

What is it that inspired the color MEGABLAST when it 

was being developed? 

ATOM 

Orange has always been my favorite color and that's why 

it was clear to me when I got the opportunity to 

make my own color, it would be some form of orange. 

Montana gave me the opportunity to make 

ATOM´s Napalm orange back in the days, but for strategic 

reasons, the Writer Team line was then discontinued. 

This resulted in ATOM´s MEGABLAST Orange. 

MEGABLAST because this orange covers 

extremely well. 

MC 

Imagine that for whatever reason, you have concluded 

that you must stop writing graffiti forever. If you 

can have one last painting session that is guaranteed to 

work out. Where would it be and on what? 

ATOM 

Yes, I've been contemplating this topic for quite a while, 

and at some point, I won't be able to paint graffiti 

anymore. You never know if you will stay healthy, your 

bones will get tired, or you just don't feel like it anymore, 

which I can't imagine at this point and I'm almost 

50. But the last action will definitely be a beautiful 

colorful Wholecar and I would be most happy about it if it 

was on an old steel train wagon. That was the first 

train I painted, so it would be a fitting ending. 

MC 

What's your favorite Montana BLACK can and cap combination? 

ATOM 

The best Montana cans cap combo for me is Montana 

BLACK black with a NYC fat cap for the outlines, or 

any Montana BLACK line can with Gold/Black fat cap to 

fill in. Absolutely the best! 

MC 

When in Italy, how many cups of coffee do you drink per 

day? 

ATOM 

Good question, when I'm in Italy, my Italian colleagues 

always laugh because I drink too much coffee. 

I only drink cappuccino and Italians only drink cappuccino 

in the morning with breakfast. But that's not enough 

for me, I drink cappuccino all day. There is always one or 

the other shake of the head from the Italian boys. 

Or as they say, "Latze, is not possible cappuccino now, 

only in the morning". 

Artist Edition Atom'S MEgablast 

13

LOCK 

DOWN 

ON 

LOck 

Or how to make it through 2020 

Text 

@team_flightmode 

Special thanks to 

all contributing artists 

& partners 

Photography 

@iamlaia 

@koolfunc88 

@waneonecod 

@cloakwork 

@kae_67 

@__lafranz__ 

@clicks05 

@pshines_aow 

RIBES 

ALONE 

1 

Last year was a bizarre period, certainly one 

for the books. At the beginning of January 

2020, reports of an unknown syndrome 

started to appear on the news sporadically. 

There had been an outbreak in a Chinese 

metropolis. That city was Wuhan and, the 

mysterious illness became one of the most 

frequently used words all over the world 

in that year: Corona. A new kind of virus, 

SARS COV-2, to be exact, causing a disease 

called Covid-19. Apparently, it was very 

contagious and possibly dangerous. Precautions 

were taken to prevent further 

prevalence, but it had been too late. A pandemic 

had started. Corona has been 

spreading relentlessly around the world 

ever since. 

2 

14 Montana Cans Lockdown on lock

“I remember watching the entire beginning of the 

pandemic in China on television. I thought this would 

never spread to the rest of the world”, Laia recognizes 

with a sense of disbelief when asked about how she 

remembers the beginning of 2020. “I thought it would 

be one more catastrophe, like all those that are experienced 

in many countries but end quickly.” 

Country after country was affected. Skeptical 

and hesitant reactions soon turned into pure paranoia, 

which seemed to morph into a kind of fatigue or negligence 

over time. Both individuals and governments acted 

upon the new circumstances. All of a sudden, our 

globalized world showed direct downsides of connectivity. 

Amongst others, traveling was identified as a 

catalyst of the pandemic. 

It comes as no surprise also Graffiti culture would 

become affected eventually, as societies struggled 

to tackle the new situation on all levels. Fist bumps, hand 

sanitizer, social distancing, contact restrictions, 

remote work, superspreaders. Video calls, home workouts, 

homeschooling, home office, systematically 

relevant professions, curfews, travel restrictions, lockdowns. 

Some buzzwords gained momentum quickly. 

They manifest how language both mimics and shapes 

our way of thinking. What’s more, these concepts 

reveal a whole new set of rules and external factors that 

changed our behavior and modified our reality to a 

new normal. The world was changing fast, and we tried 

to adjust. But was it all just bad? 

3 

Country after country was affected. 

Skeptical and hesitant reactions 

soon turned into pure paranoia, 

which seemed to morph into a kind 

of fatigue or negligence over time. 

4 

Dissecting this pandemic’s symptoms and semantics 

could make one think writers should have 

been the first ones to adjust. Writers are used to disguising 

their faces, often wearing gloves and respirators 

for protection. Habits that were widespread already prepandemic 

in our niche became the norm. But writers 

also usually love to travel, and they are rather free-spirited 

beings that do not respond well to restrictions. 

The world never felt more at stake in recent years 

than in 2020. Not to mention other challenging issues: 

open racism, institutional violence, fake news, presidential 

elections in the United States, Brexit, Moria, and 

sadly, this list could go on. The bushfires in Australia 

were no metaphor; the world was, in fact, burning. 

1 ALONE, taking 

a moment to observe, 

seeing if the air is 

clear. 

2 Is this steel still 

safe to hold weight? 

RIBES putting the 

iconic bolt cutters to 

good use, ensuring 

they don't gather rust 

in Lockdown. 

3 Just because there 

is a pandemic, doesn't 

mean it doesn't get 

hot. WANE bringing 

the heat regardless of 

the conditions. 

4 LAIA keeping it 

smiley while sporting 

her own design 

Montana Cans TAKE 

AWAY cotton bag. 

Montana Cans Lockdown on lock 

15

5 

We didn’t take it seriously because 

it started on the other side of the 

planet, and we always think when 

it is far away, it wouldn’t impact us. 

Laia 

6 

But let us rewind to a time before masked faces were a 

common sight in the broad public. 

We asked ten Graffiti artists with diverse backgrounds 

about their personal journeys throughout the 

year 2020. From Asia to Northern and Southern Europe, 

from East Coast to West Coast in the United States, 

we spoke to enthusiasts from all over the planet. Enjoy insights 

by Alone (Italy), Cloak (Malaysia), Func (France), 

Kae (USA), LaFranz (Italy), Laia (Spain), Pheo (Denmark), 

Post (USA), Ribes (Italy), and Wane (USA). 

REALITY CHECK 

“We didn’t take it seriously because it started on the other 

side of the planet, and we always think when it is far 

away, it wouldn’t impact us,” Func says. The Paris resident 

quickly changed his mind, though. “I wasn’t 

scared at first... But I quickly started to remember all the 

dystopian movies I’m watching all the time and thinking 

it could be the end of days,” he continues with a smirk, 

seemingly trying to take the critical situation with humor. 

Laia and Func address what probably a majority 

can relate to. Disbelief, refusal, derealization, or feeling 

like being in a bad movie. With the omnipresence of 

technological devices, an abundance of information 

is guaranteed. Whether on news broadcasts or social 

media, updates on recent developments are available 

at all times. While this might accelerate global developments 

and business, there is also a downside. More 

information does not create more order. The universal 

law of thermodynamics describes this as entropy. 

Thus, more than ever, one needs to be media savvy to 

process the plethora. “It seemed like the world turned 


upside down overnight, and the future became so uncertain. 

In the early days of the pandemic, there was 

so much misinformation floating around out there, so it 

was really hard to know what was true or false or even 

know what to expect next,” Wane says. 

7 

FEELING TRAPPED – DOWNSIDES 

“When the pandemic was starting, it seemed all normal; 

I kept on as usual. However, as time passed, much 

negative news came. ...I started to demoralize myself. I 

had so much free time but at the same time very few 

opportunities,” Ribes admits. The native of northern Italy 

faced a struggle of many. With increasing precautions 

and restrictions, individual freedom got limited. 

Social interactions had to be reduced; people were 

forced to stay close to their homes to stop distributing 

the virus. As a result, many perceived themselves to 

be deprived. “I felt trapped as a lot of things couldn’t be 

achieved,” as Cloak from Malaysia puts it. “Most of 

my Graffiti tours and spraycations were put to a halt, and 

there was a lot of uncertainty,” he continues. “To be 

honest, I wasn’t mentally prepared for the pandemic as 

well as the lockdown as I’m someone who is outgoing 

and always loves to create new pieces outdoors.” Almost 

everybody was confronted with similar problems like 

isolation and constraint. Over time, not simultaneously, 

with regional variations, as waves of infections created 

constant ups and downs. A rising number of cases was 

usually followed by amplified measures and vice 

versa, creating a limbo. 

I had so much free time but at the 

same time very few opportunities. 

Ribes 

5 Cloakwork taking 

it back to basics 

in the black book. The 

beauty of drawing 

is you can do it at 

home and refer to it 

later. Anywhere, 

at any time. 

6 LAIA dropping 

a different take on a 

classic character. 

This time E.T. 

with some attitude. 

7 RIBES showing that 

the show must go 

on. Locked down or 

not, if you earned a 

spot in the game you 

have to maintain it. 

8 With less happening 

on the street, 

POST using all 

chances offered to 

him to get over. 

Apart from physical wellbeing, also mental health 

gained importance. A lot of people dealt with fear, 

uncertainty, and a decline in motivation. “...When I try to 

remember those two and a half months [referring to 

the first lockdown], the memories are hazy in my head. 

Every day was exactly the same, and obviously, I 

couldn’t paint,” Laia states. “The last wall was kinda 

weird, saying goodbye to your friends for a while, entering 

a very dystopic future,” Func adds. 

“The city [was] in fear. So people were locked in. 

The streets were kind of deserted. I went about life 

as I usually do, but with a mask on. Graffiti wise the pandemic 

brought a lot of people out. People that were 

already doing their thing started going harder. And people 

I’ve never seen up in my life started doing bad 

Graffiti all over the streets. A lot of businesses had to 

close, so they let the Graffiti run on everything for the 

most part, so it was like 10 new writers a day were born. 

Shit kind of took the essence out of it for me,” Post 

reveals about his experiences as a resident of New York. 

8 


17

9 

9 KAER giving the 

color treatment 

to a different moving 

target. 

10 

10 It isn't always 

about how many colors 

you can throw 

at a piece. LA FRANZ 

showing that tonal 

can be just as impressive 

with the new 

Montana GOLD gray 

tones. 

11 Three colors on 

virgin concrete. 

LAIA keeping it simple 

and effective. 


11 


19

The changes had me wondering 

about things I never had to stress 

too much about, like how I was 

going to get food from the supermarket, 

pay bills, stay safe during 

the madness. 

Kaer 


12 

“Los Angeles had its waves of lockdowns and 

curfews that were implemented. Painting has been a sort 

of push and pull situation. Mostly due to the fact that 

I have a family of my own and am the head of household 

who is responsible for holding shit down for five people. 

So, in the beginning, we were being super careful 

about everything we did. As time went on, the confusion 

progressed. And being sort of a street person, so 

to speak, being home for long periods of time, really 

took a toll,” Kae continues. “The uncertainty of what was 

coming was very confusing.” 

All of a sudden, Wane wondered how to organize 

everyday basics, “the biggest struggle was not necessarily 

having to stay home, but the uncertainty around 

some of the most basic things we were all so used to. 

The changes had me wondering about things I never had 

to stress too much about, like how I was going to get 

food from the supermarket, pay bills, stay safe during 

the madness. But perhaps most importantly, it had 

me wondering when I would see my friends and family 

again.” What once was normal apparently changed into 

something challenging. LaFranz continues to emphasize 

the lack of external stimulus: “Without being able 

to travel and to paint with your friends, and without all 

the events and Graffiti jams, it’s hard to feel always inspired. 

I do not live in a big city, so it was not so easy.” 

In lockdown periods, new routines had to be 

established. Former variety exchanged for monotony. 

On the contrary, time, which is usually scarce, was not a 

limiting factor anymore. So, how to turn all of this 

around and regain confidence? 

Without being able to travel and to 

paint with your friends, and without 

all the events and Graffiti jams, it’s 

hard to feel always inspired. 

LaFranz 

13 

12 “Say their names.” 

WANE faces the 

issues in his homeland 

through color 

and communication. 

13 KAER making light 

work of this van with 

his selected Montana 

BLACK can colors. 


21

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER 

OF INVENTION – UPSIDES 

“Back then, frustration was the main feeling overall: deleting 

all traveling plans and suffering those crazy restrictions 

of freedom like ‘curfew’ or being ‘forced to stay at 

home’. I’m personally a loner in a sense I enjoy the time 

with myself, I like to paint with no-one and, always take 

solitude as an opportunity,” Alone from Milan reveals. 

“As a graphic designer, lockdown didn’t change a thing 

for me; I’m still glued to the computer. Whatever... 

the nerd life,” laughs Func, admitting at least his profession 

was unaltered. Pheo tried to take the good with 

the bad: “My job, although required that I worked as usual, 

but for a short period, I worked from home. This gave 

me opportunities to make a piece or two during lunch 

break. I tried to do this as often as possible, most of 

the time alone, but sometimes it was possible to meet 

up with a couple of others. The advantage of Graffiti 

is that you can join up outside and keep the required 

distance. This opportunity meant a lot to me. Being 

able to keep up with my painting gave a lot of new energy 

and let a bit of positivity into a time where things 

looked bad.” 

So, after a time of frustration and grief came an 

acceptance. The circumstances were undeniable. The 

best one could do to cope with the situation was to seek 

possibilities rather than focusing on problems. Thus, 

some started to practice their craft to step their game up. 

I’m personally a loner in a sense I 

enjoy the time with myself, I like to 

paint with no-one and, always take 

solitude as an opportunity. 

Alone 

14 

15 


“I concentrated on sketching, to find out new 

pieces, that I could do as soon as all this situation would 

end,” says Ribes. “Sketching for hours daily became 

the highlight of the day,” Wane replies. “I don’t really 

sketch, just doodle thousands of throw-ups, straight 

letters, and hand styles just like any other day. Everything 

I’ve done before the pandemic... got the same focus 

throughout the pandemic.” Post highlights his already 

established routines and shows resilience. 

“I drew a lot, but my mind was a little blocked, so 

I changed my online store. I thought of new products 

to produce and ways to improve my projects. I also designed 

new tote bags,” Laia adds. “In the first lockdown, 

I sketched a lot on paper but also in digital. I did 

some collaboration with my CTA’s crewmates, and I 

had fun customizing some home stuff, like restyling old 

chairs and painting my alphabet on glass,” LaFranz 

continues. “I’m just doing my best to remain productive, 

thoughtful, and pushing myself to learn some new 

tricks when I have nothing but time. For example, I spent 

more time on digital illustrations and more sketches 

for future graffiti works (you never know when a sketch 

might come in handy!),” Cloak concludes. “I’ve just 

noticed how the lockdown has sort of slowed me down, 

in a good way, though.” 

Pheo also took the time to lay the groundwork for 

future projects, “I have spent a lot of time planning for 

color combinations, letters, productions, etc. I have enjoyed 

being able to spend a lot of time to immerse 

and develop my letters. I have been productive and created 

a lot more sketches than usual, so I am well prepared 

for the upcoming walls and productions this year.” 

14 The self-confessed 

loner. ALONE sees 

solitude as an opportunity. 

Including the 

opportunity to paint. 

15 Lunchtime burners. 

Working from home 

on a reduced timeline 

meant PHEO had 

more chances to 

dash out at lunchtime 

for a quick paint. 

16 Polishing up the 

drawing skills. WANE 

indulges in a little 

style experimentation. 

17 Meanwhile, on 

the other side of the 

globe, great minds 

were thinking alike. 

PHEO also trying 

out some new moves 

on paper. 

18 (following page) 

Stopping all stations 

to nowhere. ALONE 

keeping it locked 

down on steel while 

the world is locked 

down. 

16 

17 

I have enjoyed being able to spend 

a lot of time to immerse and develop 

my letters. I have been productive 

and created a lot more sketches than 

usual, so I am well prepared for 

the upcoming walls and productions 

this year. 

Pheo 

“I can probably count on both hands the times I 

actually sat down and sketched something in the last 

10 years. Until now of course. I decided to get an iPad 

where I was able to sketch up pieces directly on the 

surfaces I planned to paint in order to analyze color and 

structure,” Kae goes on. He did not just think of himself 

though, “aside from that, I took some time to send 

friends of mine sketches I drew up of their names. I 

also hadn’t owned a set of fancy blackbook markers in 

over 10 years.” 


23


18 


25

18 “Can I kick it, yes 

you can”. FUNC and 

his friends throwing 

themselves into the 

@ciki3000 sketch 

battles. 

19–21 POSTR taking 

it back to the New 

York underground 

one tag and throw-up 

at a time. 

22 Creeping on spots 

that are usually hard. 

With heavy lockdown 

restrictions being in 

place, some Milan 

yards were left understaffed, 

and ′open′ to 

negotiation. 

23 When opportunity 

knocked, ALONE rose 

to the occasion. 

18 

Func and his friends took sketching to a new 

level and added a social aspect since physical contacts 

were reduced. “During the first lockdown we created 

a private Instagram account moderated by Crazé and 

Fred1 called ‘ciki3000 aka Can I kick it 3000’. A bunch 

of selected stylewriting addicts joined the group, and we 

battled some names days after days. As much as the 

rhythm started to be insane, we counted more than 2500 

posts at the end of the lockdown with mad styles and 

creative tries. That was fun and a good way to get to know 

each other a little bit more. It was basically a French- 

German initiative project.” 

Their initiative creatively utilized technology and 

pushed their individual style developments through 

interactive feedback. Cloak could benefit from technology 

as well, but he had a different approach. “I was 

physically and mentally prepared to go to Taiwan to paint 

a cruise ship, but unfortunately, I couldn’t make it, 

and I had to ask my best pals in Taiwan to execute the plan 

on my behalf. The project was a success at the end, 

as we had constant communication with each member 

of the team.” 

The less people on the streets... 

the more you stand out. Otherwise, 

it’s almost like hiding in plain sight. 

19 

Post 

20 

21 

Writers are usually an adaptive crowd. Overcoming 

obstacles is constantly part of the game; thus, 

writers are masters of finding creative solutions. 

“There was a lockdown. But I was out and about 

as usual. On my ‘essential worker’ shit. As for bombing 

I could carry on if I wanted to. I would paint in public 

in broad day when there was no pandemic. And did 

the same thing during the pandemic and actually got 

caught. The less people on the streets... the more 

you stand out. Otherwise, it’s almost like hiding in plain 

sight. And at night, everyone had to be indoors. All 

public transportation was stopped: trains, busses, taxis, 

Ubers, Lyfts, everything. If you had your own car and 

were outside, you stood out because any cars were out. 

So you had to have a reason to be out if you got pulled 

over, which was something that would most likely happen. 

That made it difficult to do Graffiti in the streets for a 

while,” Post explains what kind of problems he faced on 

the streets of New York. However, he came up with 

a solution: “If I can’t or don’t want to do Graffiti in the 

streets, I take it underground. The thing about doing 

Graffiti underground, is that none of it last past a 48 hours. 

So most of it, if not 99%, doesn’t get seen or pics taken 

other than my own pics or pics I allow certain graffiti 

photographers to go get before the Graff gets cleaned. 

And in the world of social media, if people don’t see 

pics of what you are doing nonstop, they will think you 

are inactive. I like it that way, though. There’s so much 

shit I’ve done in 2020 that didn’t touch social media.” 


22 

Instead of painting, I concentrated 

more on some other passions related 

to the mountains, finding back the 

freedom I lost twice. 

Alone 

23 

“Milan early 2020 was completely fucked up until 

May. This was the first lockdown, then summer arrived, 

and more loose rules together with it. I had super 

much fun painting spots that were super hard before 

lockdown, security was pretty much understaffed, and 

we caught the opportunity,” says Alone. Milan, the 

biggest city in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, 

was hit the hardest by Corona early on in the pandemic 

in Europe. A skyrocketing number of infections 

meant strict restrictions from the beginning. 

“I did some quick road trips with good friends, 

and everything was nice again. Then a second lockdown 

arrived in autumn. I was more organized, and the 

cops were more chill, but my personal motivation 

was beaten down by these stupid rules again. Instead 

of painting, I concentrated more on some other passions 

related to the mountains, finding back the freedom 

I lost twice,” he continues. To him, escapism is a 

means to deal with the stress city life can entail. “So the 

big issue for me was meeting too much police and 

army everywhere, always checking even when just walking. 

This pressure sucks so much; I thought, ‘fuck, 

Orwell is getting closer and closer’...Train writers deal 

with adapting to different environments every day. 

We don’t need open bars or restaurants to do what we 

like: a bush, a construction area, or a parking lot can 

be cozier than anything else sometimes, but all this control 

was way too much in the first, super hard, lockdown 

in Milan. I respect people who were struggling at 


27

24 

the hospital or dying – but paying the consequences 

of stupid people out there who have no clue about surviving 

alone (or with your relatives), it was too much 

as well.” Alone addresses a dilemma: a double bind situation 

of being caught up in between responsibility 

for others yet feeling the need for individual freedom. 

Kae admits having mixed feelings, too: “somehow I 

managed to pull off some interesting things that I now 

reflect on and have some sort of bitter-sweet guilt 

attached to. This is after really seeing the effects this 

whole shit had on everybody, including family members 

outside of my household.” 

25 

The main thing the pandemic has 

taught me is that we really took even 

our most basic freedoms for granted, 

whether it is the freedom to travel, 

the freedom to paint outside, and 

even the freedom to spend time with 

the ones we love. 

Wane 

I would love to reunite with people, 

...party, and have the freedom to 

explore places without fear. 

Cloak 

26 

ANTICIPATION IS THE 

GREATEST JOY – OUTLOOK 

“I would love to reunite with people, ...party, and have the 

freedom to explore places without fear,” Cloak bursts 

out in response to what he looks forward to. Post simply 

emphasizes continuity: “No lockouts, the game 

don’t stop.” 

“Travel. Travel again. I’m pretty sure my first destination 

will be Germany,” LaFranz states. The answer 

is unisono – Laia, Ribes, Pheo, Alone, Wane, and Func 

want to see the world and, even more, embrace their 

friends. Humans are social beings, after all. 

“I want to take my kids and wife out to a really 

nice dinner. I used to spoil them when it came to going 

out to eat. It’s something I hold really close, as I never 

really had that structure as a kid where we sat down to 

enjoy a meal as a family. So watching my family enjoy 

themselves together is something I value,” Kae shares. 

Drawing a conclusion as of now seems hard 

since the pandemic is still not over. The virus or its mutations 

might become endemic. Yet, some things are 

certain. For better or worse, Corona will be a catalyst in 

some aspects. Digitalization took a big step forward. 

While tourism and imports slowed down, at least nature 

could catch a short break. Global repercussions are 

undeniable and inevitable. Thus, the best thing to do is to 

concentrate on positive aspects. Try to benefit from 

the extra time. Invest energy into your passion; maybe 

go painting more. Take a moment to rethink, focus on 

what can be done now – like sketching, for instance. 


24 Caught in traffic, 

RIBES manages to 

spread some color in 

an otherwise gray situation. 

25 No hidden message 

here as LAIA 

brings another smile 

with some style. 

26 Tuning the the 

canvas skills, one of 

many pieces created 

by WANE during 

the lockdown period. 

27 Making the important 

decisions, 

WANE looks over his 

Montana BLACK 

and GOLD cans to see 

which comes next. 

28 WANE reminding 

us to “Just Skate” 

when the chips are 

down. 

27 

We encourage you to be creative! This applies to 

both professional and purely passionate contexts of 

your artistic output. Quite a few writers managed to invest 

their surplus of time wisely. Graffiti media flourished 

in 2020. There was time for creation, curation, and 

consumption, whether magazines, blogs, books, 

videos, and podcasts. “I took the opportunity to put together 

a fanzine-book called Graffiti Minded. For a 

long time, I wanted to do something on paper, and thanks 

to the lockdown, I did it together with all my beautiful 

friends around the globe, more or less locked, like me,” 

Alone says. 

“...Better times will come,” Laia is certain. “For 

sure, I painted way less compared to the previous 

year, and every action now considers new elements. But 

those new things are not always unpleasant! Like, 

wearing a mask everywhere is not that bad,” Alone concludes 

with a smile. Wane has humble reasoning, “the 

main thing the pandemic has taught me is that we really 

took even our most basic freedoms for granted, 

whether it is the freedom to travel, the freedom to paint 

outside, and even the freedom to spend time with the 

ones we love.” 

Like, wearing a mask everywhere is 

not that bad. 

Alone 

28 


29

Pow! 

wow! 

10th anniversary HAWAI‘I 2020 

Location 

Hawai‘i 

Profile 

@powwowworldwide 

Photography 

Ian Lundie & 

Lannycatcheswalls 

For the last 10 years the POW! WOW! organization 

has been creating a world-renowned 

street art festival. But if you look 

at their achievements during this time, 

this is but a mear portion of what the team 

and all the participants have created. 

← The now-iconic, limited 

edition Montana 

Cans x POW! WOW! 

10th Anniversary collaboration 

can. 

↑ The POW! WOW! 

team in the flesh at 

Lana Lane Studios, 

the home of POW! 

WOW! 

Let’s start by looking at the participating artists 

in 2020. The strong line up came from all over the 

globe. Internationally, the visiting artists were; 

123Klan, Aaron de la Cruz, Aaron Kai, Alex Pardee, 

Andrew Schoultz, Baghead, Bier and Brood, Brian 

Butler, Cryptik, Czolk, Defer, Denpa, Dragon76, Drew 

Merritt, Edwin Ushiro, Frida Stiil Vium, Jay Howell, 

Jose Mertz, Joshua Vides, Jurne, Kevin Lyons, Lauren 

YS, Madsteez, Matt Eaton, Mayonaize, Nathan Smith, 

OG Slick, Persue, Rabi, Saturno, Simone Legno of Tokidoki, 

Tatiana Suarez, Tristan Eaton, Will Barras, Woes, Yoheyy. 

30 Recap Pow! Wow! Hawai‘I

Locally the talent participating was just as strong; 

7Sketches, Asalt, Bethany Georges, Cheyne Gallarde, 

Ckaweeks, CME, Cory Taum, Dak1ne, Devour, East3, Flip, 

Gary Draws Fish, Gavin Murai, Grace, Mr. Hahn, Jack 

Soren, Jana Lam, Jesico Serrano, Kahiau Beamer, Kai 

Kaulukukui, Kaplan Bunce, Katch, Kate Wadsworth, 

Kealakukui, Kim Sielbeck, Kris Goto, Kween, Lauren Hana 

Chai, Lucky Olelo, Luke DeKneef, Maek, Mark Milligan, 

Marko Livingston, Matthew Tapia, Mauka, Melon James, 

Nanea Lum, Oera, Pero, Puff, Ralph De La Cruz, Ran 

Noveck, Retsy, Sergio Garzon, Shar Tuiasoa, Shingo, 

Solomon Enos, Ware, Wooden Wave. 

↑ Bier En Broot (NL). 

Enter the vortex, this 

mind boggling mural 

draws the viewer in 

to an imaginary void. 

↖ German artist 

CZOLK takes the 

stage to show what 

he can do for the 

POW! WOW! audience. 

← Baghead and 

Upperhand, taking 

it from Miami to 

Hawai‘i. With just 

the right amount 

of everything. 

→ Josh Hall aka Baghead 

and Brian Butler 

aka Upperhand pause 

to smile for the cameras 

they had been trying 

to ignore for the 

duration of painting. 

Recap Pow! Wow! Hawai‘I 

31

In 2020 to help celebrate the 10th anniversary, a 

select group of our own MONTANA CANS team went 

beachside in Hawaii to see, hear, and experience it all in 

the flesh themselves. With the welcomed special 

Collabo Montana Cans Shock Black 10th anniversary 

can at the event, design by POW! WOW! co-founder 

Kamea, it seemed a fitting occasion for everyone to meet 

and greet. The natural landscape of Hawaii, which 

plays such a large roll in the home of the POW! WOW! 

festival was a welcoming host as the colors off, and 

on the walls were as inspiring as those being sprayed 

with Montana GOLD and Montana BLACK on them. 

↗ 123 Klan featuring 

Scien and Klor. Bringing 

tradition of graffiti 

style writing to the 

island. 

→→ The Michelle 

Hoogveld mural in all 

its geometric, yet organic 

glory. 

→ Michelle Hoogveld 

(CA). Posing in front 

of her finished work. 

↓ Haunting and enchanting. 

It is not 

always about lots 

of colors. 


↑ Flora and fauna, 

play a large role in 

POW! WOW! murals 

thanks to the inspiring 

landscape. 

→ All shapes and sizes. 

The POW! WOW! 

festival has it all. 

All visiting artists who sometimes become 

international POW! WOW! collaborators 

are amazed by the positive response and 

support by residents of the Kaka’ako 

district of Honolulu. 

→ Rule number one 

at any POW! WOW! 

event; „Don’t take 

yourself too seriously.“ 

↓ Murals of all sizes 

and shapes. The artists 

at POW! WOW! 

know how to do it all. 

← Kevin Lyons keeping 

it fruity, and 

aesthetic. 


33


↖ Art. The place where 

life, death, and nature 

merge, thanks to 

the hand of the artist. 

← Wildlife, a great 

source of inspiration 

for murals on this 

idyllic island. 

↑ With a flavor of 

tattoo art, figures 

and form harmonize 

on a large scale. 


35

The local community also plays a large role in 

the success of POW! WOW! both nationally and 

internationally. All visiting artists who sometimes become 

international POW! WOW! collaborators are 

amazed by the positive response and support by residents 

of the Kaka’ako district of Honolulu. Their positive 

energy transports a spirit that is welcomed and in 

demand, all over the world. 

There are also many teams behind the team. Copartners 

like Thinkspace help create exhibitions, happenings 

and artist talks that take being a POW! WOW! 

participant to a whole other level. A place where graffiti 

meets street art, urban art, music, and dance, the POW! 

WOW! umbrella is a creative force to be reckoned with. 

We look forward to the future years of collaboration 

and partnership with POW! WOW! team, and reflect 

fondly on the ten years of achievements thus far. 

↖ All styles and colors. 

The POW! WOW! 

reach is not only felt 

by its audience, but 

also its wide spectrum 

of artists. 

← The power to create 

and come together. 

The true essence of 

every POW! WOW! 

gathering. 

↙ Let’s not forget a 

touch of humor. Art 

for the inner child, 

both young and old. 

↓ Abstract, figurative, 

and everything in between. 

There is something 

for everyone. 

↓ It’s not all men, 

↓ spray cans, and 

graffiti. POW! WOW! 

is a truly unique 

creative happening. 


↑ Final wall by Jose 

Mertz & SaturnoArt in 

Kakaako, Oahu 

← Final wall by 

Woes & Dragon76 in 

Kakaako, Oahu. 

↙ Dragon76, Jose 

Mertz, SaturnoArt & 

Woes. Not afraid to 

take on big projects. 

A place where graffiti meets 

street art, urban art, music, 

and dance, the POW! WOW! 

umbrella is a creative force 

to be reckoned with. 

↓ Size doesn’t always 

matter. A small wall 

with a lot to offer at 

ground level. 


37

TRISTAN & MATT EATON 

“RABINDRA” MURAL 

Tristan and Matt Eaton @ POW! WOW! 

HAWAII – A homage to “Rabindra” 

Location 

Hawai‘i 

Profile 

@ matteatonasnobody 

@tristaneaton 

Photography 

Ian Lundie & 

Lannycatcheswalls 

Make sure to check out the LEGACY EPISODE on: 

www.tristaneaton.com 

↓ The finished mural, 

„Rabindra“. By Matt 

and Tristan Eaton. 

↓ Starting, with a long 

↓ road ahead. Painting 

offers time to reflect 

and connect. 

It’s hard to look past the sorrow when losing someone 

you love. But for American artists, Tristan and 

Matt Eaton, being invited to POW! WOW! HAWAII was 

the perfect opportunity to create a mural inspired 

by their much-loved uncle Ralph “Rabindra” Danks aka 

“Binda”. The name Rabindra is related to the sun Indra 

and was given to their uncle by an Indian Guru. The Eaton 

brothers credit their uncle for a lot of their outlook 

on life, humor, music and above all art. With a fascination 

for animals, Binda’s life included being born in Glasgow, 

being a musician in a band playing alongside the 

likes of The Beatles, Eric Clapton, and the Rolling 

Stones, to eventually settling down in Japan to focus 

on a successful career in art and creativity. 


This rich tapestry of inspiration and stories was 

easily drawn from by Matt and Tristan Eaton who 

have created monumental artwork combining their two 

styles with their uncles love of the natural world. 

The artwork also titled ‘Rabindra’, truly celebrates their 

uncle’s life and gives the brothers a chance to share 

visual homage with the POW! WOW! HAWAII audience 

and beyond. 

The name Rabindra is related to the sun 

Indra and was given to their uncle by 

an Indian Guru. 

With the vibrant Montana GOLD colors expanding 

in and around what appears to be the shape of 

a tiger, the white of the walls base coat plays host to a 

neutral background for the tiger’s internal details to 

come to the gelding. Take a moment here to ponder the 

beauty that is ‘Rabindra’. 

The Eaton brothers credit their uncle for a 

lot of their outlook on life, humor, music 

and above all art. With a fascination for animals, 

Binda’s life included being born in 

Glasgow, being a musician in a band... 

↑ The hot Hawaiian 

sun can be hard at the 

best of times. Being 

on a scissor lift with a 

wall reflecting light 

onto you is just another 

challenge for the 

Eaton brothers. 

→ Traditions and rituals, 

a bonding experience 

for all POW! 

WOW! participants. 

↙ Being brothers doesn’t 

make painting 

large murals any easier. 

But it does help 

communication. 


39

CALL MY 

LAWYER 

Location 

Los Angeles, USA 

Profile 

@chinatownmarket 

Photography 

Chinatown Market 

In case of an emergency, call the number on 

the can. This might sound like a health 

and safety warning for aerosol can use, but 

it is not. It could be, however, a practical 

instruction for artists to pick up the phone 

when their rights have been infringed or 

work used without authorization. 

↑ A new take on a 

American classic. 

Chinatown Market 

re-invents the basketball 

with a new look. 

→ The message is 

clear, the tides have 

turned for artists that 

have their work used 

for the financial gain 

of others. 

40 Collabo Series Jeff Gluck X Chinatown Market

Big business knows who’s 

hot in the art world. 

The artists are seldom included 

in this financial 

chain, and theirs is the artwork 

that functions as 

the backbone of many campaigns 

without any remuneration. 

↓ Yellow and black, 

the new CI to remind 

you when it’s time 

to call your lawyer. 

CALL MY LAWYER is a limited edition collabo 

can that tackles this topic head-on. And 

actually provides a number for artists to call 

when they think have been ripped off. 

The idea was born out of a recent trend by big businesses 

that use original artworks for their own purposes 

to generate revenue and drive their sales. 

All without the consent of the artist or payment 

for their creative contribution. The Seventh Letter, 

lawyer Jeff Gluck, China Town Market and Montana Cans 

have come together to create a can that spreads 

awareness of the issue and provide a possible solution 

to this problem for those affected. Gluck, Seventh 

Letter and China Town Market are all at the coal face of 

the issue. In cases of copyright infringement or 

unauthorized use, Jeff Gluck is a New York-based lawyer 

who specializes in protecting the work and rights 

of artists. Recent cases with Seventh Letter artists such 

as Jason REVOK Williams’s work being used by 

H&M and Cavalli, RIME’s work being used by Jeremy Scott 

or DASH SNOW’s work being used by Mc Donalds 

highlights that big business know who’s hot in the art 

world. Using their ideas and artwork to reach their target 

demographic without the normal associated costs. 

Collabo Series Jeff Gluck X Chinatown Market 

41

But the artists are seldom included in this financial chain, 

and theirs is the artwork that functions as the backbone 

of many campaigns without any remuneration. 

Gluck has been a lone ranger representing the often 

non financial artists against deep-pocketed big business. 

For him, it all started in the initial phases of him 

opening his own practice. His work with Curtis Kulig 

who became his first client, began a process of referrals 

and testimonials, showing artists that Gluck had 

their backs. In his words, he is trying to “level the 

playing field” which can assist artists in protecting their 

rights and their financial interests. 

↓ In case of emergency, 

call the number on 

the donut and speak 

to your lawyer. 

He is trying to “level the 

playing field” which 

can assist artists in protecting 

their rights and 

their financial interests. 

42 Collabo Series Jeff Gluck X Chinatown Market

A can that has positioned 

itself as the ultimate 

tool to fight the system 

since day one. 

↑ Clever and real. Jeff 

Gluck puts his money 

where his mouth is 

and helps artists fight 

the big fight. 

After a successful sell-through of a CALL MY 

LAWYER t-shirts by China Town Market, the obvious 

next step was to transform the design on the tools of 

which the artists use to create the work. The black 

lithography of the CALL MY LAWYER can boast a similar 

aesthetic of the Montana BLACK can. A can that has 

positioned itself as the ultimate tool to fight the system 

since day one. Filled with benchmark black 9001 

color, this can will find it’s way into the hands of the artists 

via, The Seventh Letter, China Town Market and Jeff 

Gluck himself. An instant collectors item with an important 

message. 

Collabo Series Jeff Gluck X Chinatown Market 

43

Goldzilla 

Limited edition print: 

GOLDZILLA – 

The King of Cans 

FRA MED 

Location 

Hamburg, Germany 

Photography 

@nokiss.print 

Profile 

@flyingfortress243 

44 Art Print GOLDZILLA – A Flying Förtress Design

FLYING FÖRTRESS, the German artist, graffiti 

writer, and fan of all things mullet, is well known 

across the globe for his signature teddy bear 

helmet characters, and his humorous illustrative 

graffiti styles. No stranger to the Montana Cans family, 

he has often participated in various Montana Cans projects 

including the highly collectible, Limited Edition, 

BLACKBRÄU – OKTOBER FEST can. Since 2015, 

Although he is an avid Montana 

BLACK user when doing graffiti, 

FÖRTRESS shows some love for 

his favorite artmaking can, the 

Montana GOLD. 

FÖRTRESS has been toying with the idea of a characterized 

Montana GOLD x GODZILLA design, but until now 

just hasn’t had the right moment or format to develop it. 

That was until COVID came to town and gave everyone 

a reason to stay home and have a lot more time. Fast 

forward a little, and we celebrate the launch of the 

Limited Edition FLYING FÖRTRESS print, GOLDZILLA! 

And the second love incorporated 

in the design is the iconic character 

from his childhood, GODZILLA. 

The GOLDZILLA art print is a homage to two of 

FÖRTRESS’s favorite things. Although he is an avid 

Montana BLACK user when doing graffiti, FÖRTRESS 

shows some love for his favorite artmaking can, the 

Montana GOLD. And the second love incorporated in the 

design is the iconic character from his childhood, 

GODZILLA. 

↑ At a close look it is 

clear to see that every 

print features color 

cut edges by the 

personal hand touch 

of FLYING FÖRTRESS 

and Montana GOLD. 

↗ More than just a 

multiple, the FLYING 

FÖRTRESS - GOLD- 

ZILLA print is the 

perfect addition to 

any art collection. 

← The inner child of 

Flying Förtress, 

GOLDZILLA in all its 

graffiti glory. 

The 3-color hand-printed screen 

print is in A4 format and color cut with 

Montana GOLD along the edges. 

The print was released in a numbered limited 

series of 100 at Nokiss Letterpress Studio. The 3-color 

hand-printed screen print is in A4 format and color 

cut with Montana GOLD along the edges. Maybe you too 

can still get lucky and grab one of these exclusiv 

prints for yourself from the FLYING FÖRTRESS webshop 

or at the Montana Cans Store Vienna or Frankfurt! 

Art Print GOLDZILLA – A Flying Förtress Design 

45

Bond 

truluv 

Location 

Leipzig, Germany 

Photography 

Jordan Katz 

Profile 

@bondtruluv 

Montana Cans visits BOND TRULUV 

Entering the world of graffiti augmentation 

BOND TRULUV uses travel as one of his 

greatest sources of inspiration. Walking 

paths he has never gone before translates 

to his creative goal of creating artwork 

that has never been seen or done 

before. In this article, we explore the world 

of BOND TRULUV from the comfort of 

his studio and watch as this dynamic artist 

creates his augmented reality artwork, 

with his trademark graffiti touch. 

46 Artist in focus / Interview bond truluv

There have been many references to the Germanborn 

artist BOND TRULUV throughout the 

Montana media platforms. Without a doubt, his 

unique artworks have caught not only our eye 

but also that of an international audience. Going beyond 

your classic graffiti style writing, BOND’s commitment 

to finding new ways to express his artwork and letters has 

taken him down a unique path. Born in 1981, since the 

2000s BOND’s roots in graffiti have guided him in a direction 

where graffiti meets fine art, stopping in the digital 

world and graphic design along the way. With a neverending 

thirst for travel, BOND’s adventures have not 

only taken him around the world for education and experience, 

but they have also enabled him to leave behind 

an international trail of artworks. He has exhibited and 

created murals all over Europe, Africa and Asia, including 

countries like India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, 

and Myanmar. 

His constant experimentation 

of the digital world, 

long exposure photography, 

installations, and video 

mapping has resulted in him 

being the first graffiti artist 

to embed augmented reality 

into his artworks. 

↑ Layer upon layer, 

there is no easy way 

to get to perfection 

except with patience 

and passion. 

↓ From the outside 

looking in. The space 

where BOND’s studio 

work comes to life. 

To get a closer look at how BOND creates artworks 

on small scale, we were lucky enough to have 

a studio visit with this multi-media creator. Not only was 

his informed ease of use with Montana spray products 

such as Montana GOLD, BLACK, MARBLE, and 

VARNISH impressive, his instinctive incorporation 

of drawing by way of the ACRYLIC refills and Montana 

EMPTY markers, was equally as natural. Where 

BOND takes his art to a new level is his multi-media initiatives. 

His constant experimentation of the digital 

world, long exposure photography, installations, and 

video mapping has resulted in him being the first graffiti 

artist to embed augmented reality into his artworks. 

This extends both the visual content but also builds on 

digital transformations that are also site-specific. 

Constantly pushing the boundaries of contemporary 

urban art has made him a leader in his respective 

fields. On one hand, he has earned and maintained 

the respect of his peers in the hands-on analog world 

of graffiti writing, while on the other, creating a whole new 

way of making contemporary art that is compelling 

even for the ‘outsider’. Given that there are few innovators 

in this field such as BOND, while at his studio, we took 

the opportunity to ask him a few questions to hear his own 

perspectives on his work. This is what he had to say… 

Artist in focus / Interview bond truluv 

47

MONTANA CANS 

Before you started exploring the augmented reality 

aspect of your work, what was your focus when creating 

graffiti or murals? 

BOND TRULUV 

Well, I guess it’s safe to say that my focus changed every 

so often, finding so much inspiration from so many 

different sources. Looking back now, there are really a 

lot of different styles and approaches in my work. 

You have already mentioned a few in your intro. There 

were and still are times when I felt really confused 

about which path, or style, to follow. Waging economic, 

practical, personal, and even political aspects against 

each other. When you look at the popular and in other 

ways successful artists that emerged from the sea 

of writers, it seems that they all have this one signature 

style that they are known for and according to which 

parameters they work. Like a brand or consumer product, 

it almost seemed to me that most them have a 

certain type of “corporate identity”. Naturally, I thought 

that’s the recipe for success and was constantly 

confused about myself not being able to build up this 

solid body of coherent work. Nowadays I think that 

this ability to change and play with new influences is a 

strength and I try to embrace and welcome new and 

unusual ideas. The world we live in is too diverse for singular 

inspiration. Of course, the longer you work in a 

certain set of restraints, certain routines come with it. 

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it sure can 

be limiting at times. 

↑ Start at the beginning, 

no matter how 

far you delve into 

making art digitally, 

nothing substitutes 

a strong foundation 

in drawing by hand. 

I’m a self-taught person, not 

working in the industry or 

anything and I pretty much 

do everything myself. 

MC 

At what point in your career did the AR work start to enter 

your painting work? Was there any specific moment 

to this starting? 

BT 

One night about three years ago I had a couple of beers 

with some nerd friends of mine and we were deep in 

a discussion about technology stuff when the AR topic 

popped up. Pretty much the very next day I built my first 

AR app with Unity3D, and the help of a YouTube tutorial. 

MC 

Your affiliation to traveling must deeply inform your artwork, 

how do you practically manage this combination 

of analog and digital work? Is it as simple as bringing 

along a laptop with your cans, or do you need other 

special requirements? 

BT 

Unfortunately, the technical aspect of the more complex 

AR pieces is super time consuming and challenging. 

I’m a self-taught person, not working in the industry or 

anything and I pretty much do everything myself. So, 

most of the time, putting together the AR animations and 

whole infrastructure as well as conceiving and editing 

the whole show is more work than the actual painting of 

it. Also, the troubleshooting and researching for the 

best techniques takes its time. There is rarely a case when 

technology or software just work like that. Usually 

there are random errors and a blue screen that come 

with the piece. 

MC 

Has the development of digital work become more 

important to you than painting with cans? 

BT 

For me, the interesting and important part is the combination. 

There are way better digital artists out there 

and there are better graffiti writers and spray paint artists 

out there. But blending the different approaches to 

create something new and unique is what’s raising my 

curiosity. 


↑ From the hi-fi digital 

world to cardboard 

and wood lo-fi. BOND 

knows how to use 

any material to help 

him create. 

↑ Everything is there 

to inspire, for BOND, 

the real world is an 

invitation to conceive 

ideas. 

↓ Anything is possible, 

even Bart Simpson 

finds his way into 

a BOND TRULUV concept 

in epic proportions. 

The development of the digital aspects of my 

pieces surely take more time, though. But I enjoy 

the painting part a bit more. So, they always compliment 

and balance each other. 

MC 

Seeing you create in the studio is as if it is as natural to 

you as painting a wall. Do you prefer small studio 

work over working large scale? 

BT 

Honestly, I don’t like studio work too much. I like to move 

and climb and explore. Also working inside the studio 

with solvents, ventilation is always an issue, especially 

when it’s cold outside. And I love spray paint for its 

handling, even for very small pieces. It dries faster and 

covers so much better than any water-based acrylic. 

I am constantly astonished how far spray paint technology 

has evolved. 

MC 

Do you prefer incorporating the AR element into smaller 

or larger scale works? 

BT 

For me it’s the same. 


49

MC 

Do you still have the classic graffiti urges to just “go and 

drop a piece”, or would you rather develop a larger scale 

work that takes longer and includes the AR integration? 

BT 

I try to keep the balance between fast and elaborate work. 

I really can’t work on a piece too long. Even on large 

scale murals I get bored after 3 days max. I have a couple 

of walls and abandoned spots around my house 

where I go regularly and do 1-3 hour freestyle pieces 

without much planning to blow off steam. Without 

those regular sessions I really get in a bad mood and I 

found out that I need those, just like a type of meditation. 

I have this abandoned complex a few miles away 

from me where I can paint in solitude and sometimes, 

I go there for a couple of days just sleeping in the 

ruins, painting 12 hours straight. Sometimes I paint 

10-15 pieces a day like that. It’s like a challenge for me 

to see how much I can do and to tick ideas off my 

list. I keep a long list with random ideas for pieces that I 

work from top to bottom. But it’s never over. 

BT 

Montana Black and the cap it comes with (black/pink 

fatcap). I rarely use anything else. 

MC 

What is the worst food experience you have had while 

traveling? 

BT 

Interesting last question! There are a few actually. New 

Year’s eve in Mumbai 2010, I ate some bad chicken 

that knocked me out for 10 days straight. Lost 8 kg and 

took me about three weeks to fully recover. In Indonesia 

I had some very spicy sauce that I rubbed in my 

eye by accident. I was sure that I’d go blind that 

evening. In Taipei, somebody served us cluttered duck 

blood in a very spicy sauce for breakfast after a 

drinking night…bahhh. And the goat brain curry in Delhi 

was tough as well… 

That place was so inspiring, 

and I have kept on painting 

according to my “Japan list” 

for almost two years now 

to get rid of all the ideas. 

↓ Art is BOND’s place 

where anything goes. 

His ability to translate 

ideas into artworks 

leads to a vast array 

of mark-making and 

compositional decisions. 

→ The studio perspective. 

Amazing 

art works complimented 

by amazing 

art making tools. 

Just one of the places 

where BOND pushes 

things forward. 

MC 

If you had to choose only one medium to work in, what 

would it be? 

BT 

Tough one. But spray paint wins. Sitting in front of a 

screen all day is not cool. 

MC 

Do you have a favorite country you like to visit, or would 

you prefer to keep visiting the ones you’ve never been 

to? 

BT 

I’d really like to go back to Japan. That place was so 

inspiring, and I have kept on painting according to my 

“Japan list” for almost two years now to get rid of all 

the ideas. Also, southeast Asia always has been a good 

place and I definitely always enjoy the US. But there 

is a bunch of interesting places and every country has 

its perks. I’m not picky about that. These days it’s 

hard to plan trips and think about traveling though! 

MC 

What’s your favorite Montana can and cap combination? 



51

Stairway 

to Heaven 

by BOND TRULUV 

Location 

Mannheim, Germany 

Photography 

Alexander Krziwanie 

Profile 

@bondtruluv 

↑ Time to get down to 

business. The concentration 

is plain to 

see as BOND TRULUV 

prepares to lift off for 

higher levels. 

The SWK organization has been bringing 

amazing artists from all over the world 

to paint at its open-air art museum in Mannheim 

Germany, since 2013. For one of 

the 2020 murals, they called in the skills of 

German-born, Leipzig based artist BOND 

TRULUV. 


KKnown to his parents as Jonas Ihlenfeldt, 

there has not been much that is considered 

taboo by BOND in the exploration of his 

artwork. Although graffiti has remained a 

strong basis on which to explore, even elements like 

science-fiction and spirituality can be credited as ingredients 

to his unique style. All of which is fueled even 

more by the experience gained while using his wellstamped 

passport. 

During what little was the European 2020 

summer mural season, BOND also found his way to the 

German city Mannheim to participate in the renowned 

SWK mural festival. His mission: to create a next-level, 

jaw-dropping work, which he titled, “Stairway to 

Heaven”. And that is exactly what he did. His tools for the 

job were: A select color palette of Montana GOLD 

low-pressure cans, backed up by a popping array of 

Montana BLACK high-pressure 400ml spray paint. 

“Stairway to Heaven”, is a rewarding mural bringing 

together many elements from many visual 

sources. Graffiti art, typography, 3D illusions, futuristic 

realism, and even pixelated arrows that look like 

they have been lifted straight out of the 90s’, all come 

together in a beautiful four-story mural. Seamlessly, 

as no sign of error or hesitation can be seen as BOND 

proves his comfort in using many of the Montana 

GOLD and BLACK color ranges. The normally boring 

apartment block was transformed into an electrifying 

artwork, that will without a doubt will brighten 

many days of the residence within it. 

↑ Precision is paramount. 

Even when 

using the high pressure 

Montana BLACK 

with its original fat 

cap. 

↓ Piece by piece, step 

by step. The plotting of 

an image that is both 

analog and digital is 

no easy feat. That is 

unless your BOND. 


53

The artwork is a gift that keeps on giving. As a 

finished piece, it is something special to look at. Both 

technically and aesthetically impressive. However the 

mural goes way beyond this. Working with augmented 

reality, BOND spends just as much, if not more time 

in the preparation of his murals than in the painting 

of them. In the case of “Stairway to Heaven”, if viewers 

scan the artwork with the Artivive app, or scan a 

photo of it, an animation created for the mural is activated. 

Taking the concept beyond just a painting on the 

streets – just try it! 

BOND has a rich history of combining art and 

travel. Apart from his homeland Germany and the 

surrounding countries of Europe, countries like Egypt, 

India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and 

Japan all belong to his list of countries he has painted 

in. And it shows in his diverse artwork. Take a moment 

for yourself to lose yourself in “The stairway to 

Heaven”. Using the app artivive while holding on the 

mural or even the photo of it will allow you to experience 

also the digital layers behind! 

↓ Due to being 4 stories 

up, few viewers 

will be able to appreciate 

the intricacy 

of the 8 spheres that 

make up the chrome 

arrow in “Stairway to 

Heaven”. 

Montana Cans 

SPOTLIGHT 

get to know: 

Bond 

Truluv 

The name conjures up many possibilities as 

to what the work of such a named artist 

could be like. But one thing it does capture 

is BOND’s love of what he does. Whether 

it be the love of detail, love of illusion, or even 

just the love of color. It is all there in a unique 

package that goes way beyond the norm. 


↓ Nothing short of 

captivating. BOND 

poses in front of this 

eye catching masterpiece 

which was 

warmly welcomed by 

the local Mannheim 

community. 

↖ Scan with the 

Artivive-App! 


55

PICHIAVO 

for METROPOLINK 

At Heidelberg Central Station 

Location 

Heidelberg, Germany 

Photography 

Schreiber & Pötter 

Profile 

@ pichiavo, @metropolinkurbanartfestival 

The chances of residents, tourists, and commuters missing 

their trains at Heidelberg’s Central Station in Germany 

has just increased. Not because of trackwork, strikes, or 

god forbid it…vandalism! The reason is the amazing new 

head-turning mural by Spanish street art duo, PichiAvo. 

→ It doesn’t get any 

better. A café right 

under your piece for 

those hard earned 

coffee breaks. 

56 Production Pichiavo for Metropolink

↖ The weapons of 

choice, Montana 

BLACK, and GOLD 

cans lay at the ready 

as the artists prepare 

their materials. 

← The calm, before 

the storm, before the 

calm again. One of 

the many layers of 

what becomes a 

tapestry of graffiti 

iconography. 

↑ A very large, blank, 

white, indoor space 

ready to go. Right 

in the middle of 

Heidelberg’s main 

station. 

→ Up-close and personal. 

Not possible 

for most viewers considering 

the elevated 

nature of the work. 

As part of the METROPOLINK festival that 

takes part in the region of Heidelberg, the 

mural has found its new home on a large 

scale in the main terminal building of the 

station. A meeting point, food stop, and transport 

hub all in one, the station has now become home to a 

contemporary mix of graffiti, classical sculpture and 

street art. Starting with layers of graffiti fodder, their 

image forms as a transparent eagle, and a Romanesque 

statue figure emerge over the backdrop of vibrant, 

Montana BLACK and GOLD fueled graffiti mark-making. 

A meeting point, food stop, and transport 

hub all in one, the station has 

now become home to a contemporary 

mix of graffiti, classical sculpture 

and street art. 

The duo from Valencia Spain, formed in 2007 

after meeting in the graffiti scene and later studying 

Fine Art and Design together. Pichi born in 1977 and Avo 

born in 1985 abandoned the idea of individualism 

for a path of art-making that works best in pairs or more. 

Production Pichiavo for Metropolink 

57


They abandoned the idea of individualism 

for a path of art-making 

that works best in pairs or more. 

Once all was said and done, the plastic dust covers 

removed, and the shops beneath the mural returned 

to business as usual, the mural leaves behind 

not only the traces of some other local graffiti greats, 

who stopped by as the scissor lift was in full extension 

but also a cultural story that connects many elements 

of historical and contemporary art, that will stay 

behind for years to come, filling in the gaps for all 

those who can spare a moment to look up and contemplate 

what they are seeing. 

The mural leaves behind not only the 

traces of some other local graffiti 

greats, who stopped by as the scissor 

lift was in full extension. 

← Just like the organic 

nature of any surface, 

the various elements 

of graffiti disciplines 

embellished the wall 

before the grand 

finale. 

↙ The contrast of red 

and yellow, one of 

many that will fill the 

space before the 

figurative elements 

are chiseled away. 

↗ A moment of contemplation 

amongst 

the hustle and bustle 

of commuters rushing 

to their destinations. 

↓ And then the magic 

starts to happen. 

Even spectators now 

see there is more 

than just graffiti 

going on. 


59



61

MONTAna 

CaNs 

X 

NITRO 

Location 

Worldwide 

Photography 

Edward Nightingale 

Profile 

@nitrobags 

@montanacans 

Backpack 

Collabo 

The SPRAYCATION, a unique graffiti concept 

that combines the graffiti writer’s 

instinct for creation and travel. What once 

was “writing my name” while on holidays, 

has now become “going on holidays to write 

my name”. 

62 Collaboration Montana Cans x NITRO Backpack

One thing is for sure, regardless of your motivation 

when you travel, you need a good 

backpack. In all its simple beauty, the backpack 

combines the strength of the human 

form, with the necessity for it to be able to carry things. 

For quite a while, Montana Cans has been exploring 

carrying solutions in the form of the Montana Bag range. 

We have created practical bags, cool bags, and environmentally 

friendly ones. All with the idea that if you have 

to part with it, it’s not the end of the world. But now 

and then, the need arises for something more. Something 

you will keep that will accompany you on your adventures, 

that could also see you through your daily routine. 

For the team at Montana Cans, this 

is a path that runs parallel to our 

quest to create the greatest urban 

art-making tools, that are durable, 

high performance, and with Made in 

Germany reliability. 

↓ Stylish, timeless, 

and in good taste. The 

NITRO backpack is 

the ideal companion 

for travel of any sort. 

→ Creativity on the run. 

Whether your planning 

your next piece or 

jotting down an idea, 

the NITRO SCRAMB- 

LER covers all bases. 

Collaboration Montana Cans x NITRO Backpack 

63

The German NITRO Bag company has been 

combining function and style into their products since 

1990. As a company founded in the origin of lifestyle 

sports, its quest to combine urban elements with stateof-the-art 

technology plots their path to the pursuit of 

durability and reliability. For the team at Montana Cans, 

this is a path that runs parallel to our quest to create 

the greatest urban art-making tools, that are durable, high 

performance, and with Made in Germany reliability. 

The NITRO SCRAMBLER backpack could be considered 

a symbol of where these two innovative brands meet, 

which is where the Montana Cans x Nitro Backpack collabo, 

is now a reality. 

The hard-wearing outer material 

enables the removal of unwanted paint 

marks or accidental overspray. 

→ The contemporary 

citizen knows no 

boundaries between 

work and play. 

↓ Last call to board. 

Even if you are 

running late, it won’t 

be because of 

baggage issues. 

↘ Practical and 

functional. When it 

comes to cabin 

baggage, check it in, 

or carry it on. 

As a company founded in the origin 

of lifestyle sports, its quest to 

combine urban elements with stateof-the-art 

technology plots their 

path to the pursuit of durability and 

reliability. 


Ergonomic fitted straps result in secure 

comfortable wear regardless 

of how rigorous your daily routine is. 

Stylish, urban, and professional, 

this go-anywhere bag fits your 15″ laptop 

in a separate compartment for 

easy access even when the bag is full. 

The Montana x Nitro Scrambler backpack is the 

ultimate companion for creative adventures into 

unchartered terrains. This stunning black, 960g bag is 

47×30×12cm, for a perfect fit on any back. Whether 

you have planned your work meeting to precision or need 

to fill it in the last minute on the way to a spontaneous 

spraycation, the Montana x Nitro Scrambler allows you 

to carry 12 x 400ml cans in the main compartment. 

The hard-wearing outer material enables the removal 

of unwanted paint marks or accidental overspray. 

Ergonomic fitted straps result in secure comfortable 

wear regardless of how rigorous your daily routine 

is. Stylish, urban, and professional, this go-anywhere 

bag fits your 15″ laptop in a separate compartment 

for easy access even when the bag is full. And when required, 

the roll-top closure offers more space in the 

main compartment. 

www.nitrobags.com 

↑ Any color as long as 

it is black. This 

timeless backpack is 

as discrete as it is 

eye-catching. 

→ Sturdy and reliable, 

the NITRO backpack 

can be adjusted to 

your needs. 

→→ The Velcro strip 

along the front of the 

bag allows for easy 

attachment of all your 

favorite Spraycation 

patches. 

↘ Take a second look. 

Only upon a second 

glance is it clear that 

the MTA patch is the 

Montana Cans MTA 

patch. 


65

SPRAY 

CATION 

More than just a vacation 

→ Collect them all. The 

Montana Cans Spraycation 

patches are the 

boy scout patches for 

graffiti writers. 

Location 

Worldwide 

Photography 


ProfileS 

@montanacans 

@matterof.online 

@sprayvacation 

In the early days of graffiti writing history, 

‘KINGing’ your city was the name of the 

game. Your checklist before every mission 

was simple and clear; cans, caps, bag, 

appropriate clothing... Check. What started 

out as a neighborhood-by-neighborhood 

conquest, soon spread to other boroughs, 

cities, and eventually the globe. With the 

world of the graffiti writer opening, traveling 

to make their art became a greater part 

of their everyday reality. 


STRAY CAT 

Leaving the safety and security of their homes, 

the STRAY CAT would rather explore its 

neighborhood to extend its turf and mark its 

new territory. 

GISELA 

The Berlin G series subway trains have lovingly 

acquired the nickname GISELA. With its 

corrugations, it is considered reminiscent of the 

Mother of all subway models, the New York 

Metro. Whether you are a train spotting nerd or 

a roughneck graffiti writer, getting one in 

front of your camera’s lens can make a visit to 

Berlin, unforgettable. 

TUNNEL RAT 

It doesn’t matter which subway tunnel you find 

yourself deep within, anywhere around the 

world. They always smell like home. 

FREIGHT TRAIN 

With no fixed address, but at home in every city, 

the freight train has not only been a means 

of movement for hobo’s and writers, but they 

have also become a much-loved surface 

for colors and burners. And it doesn’t matter if 

they have a little rust. 

GERMAN QUALITY 

The most loved quote, happily seen on any product 

the world over. Made in Germany is a 

symbol of reliability and quality that can see 

you through any of your adventures, regardless 

of the conditions. 


67

SPRAY SAFE 

No matter how safe you think you are, it never 

hurts to remind yourself; “Don’t die today!” 

Don’t lose your concentration and keep away 

from the third rail. 

DON’T GET BUSTED! 

A situation nobody wishes upon anybody, not 

even your greatest enemies. Better peak 

around the corner one more time to ensure your 

sleeping position on your host’s warm couch, 

then to spend the night(s) on a cold cell floor. 

MONTANA CANS MTA 

Subway-Hunters will immediately catch the eyes 

of fellow colleagues on the hunt with this logo. 

An ode to the golden age and the origin of subway 

graffiti as we know it today. 

BIG APPLE 

In the BIG APPLE, there is always something to 

eat for a little worm. The same rules apply to 

traveling writers, on a pilgrimage to where it all 

began. 

LEAVE NO TRACE 

What is valid for hiking in the wild, also applies 

to the sustainable and responsible handling 

of your yard. Care for it, leave it (almost) as you 

found it, and above all, do not leave any traces 

in it that could lead back to you. 


Times have changed since those humble 

beginnings of this beautiful culture we call graffiti. But 

the urge to travel hasn’t. On the contrary, as the surfaces 

and motivations of graffiti writing have developed 

and increased, so have the places and contexts to do 

it. The new checklist looks like this; cans, gloves, mask, 

caps, backpack, appropriate clothing, camera and/or 

smartphone, PASSPORT, money... Check. And as a bonus 

(and if space permits), a change of socks and underwear 

are also welcomed. 

Like an unspoken code known only 

to graffiti artists, the SPRAYCATION 

patches capture the spirit of the 

graffiti brotherhood. 

To celebrate the condition of graffiti writing today 

as we know it, we have created the new Montana Cans, 

SPRAYCATION patches. Like an unspoken code known 

only to graffiti artists, the SPRAYCATION patches capture 

the spirit of the graffiti brotherhood. With a spotlight 

on some of the common elements of the SPRAY- 

CATION experience, each patch has a unique message 

connecting all those who are ‘in the know’. 


69

The 2020 

JBCB 

summer 

tour 

70 Travel Report The 2020 JBCB summer tour

Tour de France 

Location 

France 

Photography 

Jukebox Cowboys 

Profile 

@graffitigruppe 

It’s springtime. Usually, the first signs of 

spring ensure that I think about where the 

upcoming summer will take me. The first 

e-mail to Rize and Skoe doesn’t need long 

for a reply and our thoughts start to turn 

into concrete ideas. 

Travel Report The 2020 JBCB summer tour 

71

This is how almost every spraycation begins for 

me, with my now permanent travel comrades. 

The first ideas of possible travel destinations are 

exchanged. Fueled by photos found during 

internet research, which most show old train models 

chugging through picturesque landscapes. The goldrush 

mood begins to rise within us! Now the task is to 

find out where these old rail companions are still 

running. 

But this year everything is a little different. A pandemic 

is on its way. Like most, I first must figure out 

what the difference is to an epidemic, a term that has 

been heard quite often. But as almost always, everything 

extraordinary and terrible lies in the distance for 

my generation. War, emergency, and disaster. We 

are the children happily kissed by an affluent society, 

thanks to our economic miracle! In my case, my 

hobby is the result of luxury. Spraying paint onto trains. 

Money that ends up in the buffers bucket. Except for 

your own scene, nobody really cares, and it is completely 

irrelevant in the real world. It’s still fun though, 

and there is a little bit of adventure in it too. 

Things are beginning to return to 

normal, and hardly anyone is afraid 

of the situation anymore. We return 

to the thoughts of our annual trip. 


So, a trip is out of the question for now. Which is 

completely OK and necessary in this situation. Spring 

presents us with the best possible weather, even in northern 

Germany, and the German lockdown feels like 

most people are enjoying relaxed outdoor activities. Once 

again, we are lucky if you compare our situation with 

that in Lombardy. 

Then comes summer. The infection numbers 

are falling. Things are beginning to return to normal, 

and hardly anyone is afraid of the situation anymore. We 

return to the thoughts of our annual trip. With our own 

car, we are self-sufficient anyway and hardly exposed to 

other people. The first idea for the destination is Bilbao. 

Old Eusko is long gone and the situation of painting 

trains in Spain has become modest. But on the way there 

we would like to bag a few models in France. And on 

the way back, drive along the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean. 

The mountain panorama is already building 

up in my mind’s eye, but shortly before we depart, the 

beautiful picture disappears again into thin air. Northern 

Spain reports a rapidly increasing number of infections 

and most regions are declared high-risk areas. 

A new goal is urgently needed! 

← Idyllic landscapes, 

with blue skies, 

chirping birds, and 

plastic trains. 

↙ It’s the balance of 

action and tranquility 

that makes spraycations 

more special 

than standard tourism. 

↓ The trophies, color 

on steel regardless of 

if it’s old or new. 


73

The images you show 

your mother, graffiti 

takes you to places 

that other people never 

reach. 


The alternative plan is France. From Freiburg, via 

Burgundy to Provence. If things go well, back up to 

the coast of the Mediterranean. As is so often the case 

on the way south, we make one of the first stops at 

Bay in Freiburg and spend a few nice days with him in 

Basel. It is now midsummer. We are on the banks of 

the Rhine. In order to not melt, we cool down in the stream 

on the hour. Bay shows us some interesting places on 

our route on a large map. As the founder of the Down By 

The River Crew, he is very familiar with the rivers in 

France. His tactic: always look for crossings of tracks 

and waterways! So, we shimmy along the rivers to 

the south according to his plan. In the depots, we almost 

only find plastic train models with rainbow decals, 

but the out of service trains from the last decades gather 

in many places. This year’s tour acquires the working 

title; “Tour de Trash” for a short time but is later named 

the Tour de France. Since we discover so many beautiful 

places and regions on the way, the Mediterranean 

Sea remains a long way off, and we say goodbye to 

the dream of again being able to bathe in saltwater. 

← Cooling off in regular 

intervals. The 

French summer in full 

swing, pool included. 

↓ Under a moonlit sky, 

night time is the right 

time. 


75

Despite the circumstances that 2020 brought 

with it, we went on a wonderful tour together. With 

the usual ups, and downs. Tension, relaxation, exhaustion, 

euphoria, and so on. As always, a little bit of 

everything. Finding the right balancing act is a life skill. 

Once again, I return happy. Happy to have balanced 

the scales with my friends yet another time. 

Tension, relaxation, exhaustion, 

euphoria, and so on. As always, a 

little bit of everything. Finding 

the right balancing act is a life skill. 

↑ “Tour de Trash 

France”. Thankfully 

not all trains were 

trash and even some 

of the plastic models 

got a new lick of paint. 

→ Every splash of color 

counts. On a spraycation, 

there is no such 

thing as no space. 


A final glance at 

nature’s treasures 

before returning 

back to normal life. 


77

Another magical moment 

in the middle 

of nowhere. Life is a 

whole lot more than 

just going to work. 



79

Corona 

Dampf 2020 

Location 

Essen, Germany 

Profile 

@hafendampf_essen 

Photography 

@topnotch 

The (masked) 

show must 

go on 

→ The new location, 

not even a virus can 

stop the Dampf. 

80 Recap Corona Dampf 2020

For 8 consecutive years, the Hafen Dampf jam under the highway 

pillars of the A42 in Essen in Germany has been steaming 

away. Literally translated (Port Steam), the name and the 

location for the 2020 edition of the event needed a slight 

change, due to environmental conditions. This year for obvious 

reasons, Hafen Dampf made way for “Corona Dampf” 

← Nomad making 

light work of black 

and color. 

↙ Putting things into 

perspective, a passing 

shows how big the 

pieces really are. 

↓ From large to small, 

FNACK knows how to 

handle the wall. 

Recap corona Dampf 2020 

81

With yet another line-up of European graffiti 

stars, names like Rookie the Weird, Zay, 

Pout, Birne, Most, Mynt, Nomad, and Semor, 

could be seen painting the new underpass 

location, rocking in graffiti writing harmony. On this 

day, the term “LOCKDOWN” gained new meaning as 

each writer locked down their pieces in unprecedented 

graffiti stylewriting. 

↑ ZAY doing his part 

his part on the right 

with the Montana 

BLACK colors 

popping off the black 

background. 

↖ MOST taking the 

left in a concept 

piece with JBCB team 

member Zay. 

← Over, under, 

wherever. All space is 

used and filled with 

glorious color. 

↓ Pout shows that 

innovation is a must. 

82 Recap Corona Dampf 2020

Recap corona Dampf 2020 

83

MUSA. 

Frames 

Berlin from a different perspective 

Location 

Berlin, Germany 

Photography 

Musa 

Profile 

@MUSA.FRAMES 

When one thinks of cutting-edge contemporary graffiti 

documentation, the first place that comes to mind is not 

Israel. All the more reason why the images of Israeli born 

photographer Musa Agron aka @MUSA.FRAMES, offer a 

unique perspective on a past time that often goes unseen. 

84 Street Report Musa

Street Report MUSA 

85

For two years, the Tel Aviv native has changed residence 

to Berlin, not only the capital of Germany but also one 

of the epicenters of German and European graffiti culture. 

With an accompanying team member like MUSA, the 

underground graffiti scene of Berlin has not only won another 

pair of eyes to keep them safe but also a different 

creative perspective that helps solidify Berlin’s graffiti in 

the vaults of world graffiti history. 



87



89


Rolling with heavy-hitting crews like Berlin’s infamous 1UP 

crew, his breathtaking pictures can be found online 

on platforms like Instagram, as well as in print in graffiti 

publications like Stylefile. With a bright future ahead 

of him, we look forward to seeing the developments of 

MUSA.FRAMES’ documentation of his version of graffiti 

photographic history. 


91



93



95

Cloakwork 

Graffiti on a tourist cruise ship 

Making fast work for the sea 

The Malaysian graffiti artist Cloakwork was not exempt 

from the obligations and restrictions of Covid-19. As 

with many artists, during this time, many projects were 

either postponed or canceled altogether. 

Location 

Taiwan 

↓ Negotiating the curves 

of the bow of a 

ship, a different experience 

from painting 

walls on terra firma. 

ProfileS 

@cloakwork 

@bambooyang 

@jrt.artwork 

@montanacans_taiwan 

Photography 

@bambooyang 

96 Production Cloakwork

In 2020, for Cloakwork, there was one important project 

that almost slipped through his fingers. The 

painting of a large cruise ship in Taiwan. With a travel 

ban and lockdown in place, he assumed there 

was no way to get the project done on time. Even if he was 

soon able to travel to Taiwan and start his work. But 

where there is a will, there is a way. 

↓ Scaffolding in dry 

dock, just one of the 

hurdles that were 

faced and conquered 

by Cloakwork and 

his team. 

↑ A moment to think. 

Working on a job 

as big as a cruise ship 

with a closing deadline 

is no easy feat. 

Memories are the best souvenirs, 

we must not get 

so busy making a living that 

we forget to make a life. 

Production Cloakwork 

97

With the assistance of fellow artists @bambooyang, 

@jrt.artwork and @montanacans_taiwan the 

project was not only finished on time, but also with 

an amazing result. Scaffolding in epic proportions was 

built to give the artists safe passage many stories 

above the ground in dry dock, and an endless supply of 

Montana BLACK and GOLD cans assisted as well in 

making it all come true. And to the positive surprise of 

all involved, the boat made its ocean deadline. 

↑ There is no “I” in the 

word team. With the 

assistance of his team, 

Cloakwork takes his 

project to fruition within 

the deadline. 

↓ A look from above, 

there is little chance 

to stand back and gain 

perspective making 

the placement of every 

color crucial. 

With a travel ban and lockdown 

in place, he assumed 

there was no way to get 

the project done on time. 

98 Production Cloakwork

↑ Unmasked and in 

all its glory, the final 

product birthed at 

the dock with water 

under its feet. 

↓ Let the adventure 

begin. In traffic and 

ready to depart, sailing 

the seas of Asia. 

And traveling by boat certainly 

is a life experience 

that turns every adventure 

into a story! 

The work is not just aesthetic. There is also some 

deep thought behind its design. Cloakwork states, 

“Memories are the best souvenirs, we must not get so 

busy making a living that we forget to make a life”. 

His image a reminder to live, travel and keep having adventures 

to experience life to its fullest. And traveling 

by boat certainly is a life experience that turns every 

adventure into a story! 

Production Cloakwork 

99

A CloakWork 

Orange 

and blue, black, green, yellow, 

pink, red, white, gray, purple… 

When you think of the Malaysian capital city Kuala Lumpur, 

you don't exactly think of its world-renowned graffiti 

and thriving street culture. That is for now. But thanks to 

the Malaysian writer CLOAKWORK, a new reputation 

for the city as a creative hub is being created, and all with 

a healthy dosage of humor and skills. 

Location 

Kuala Lumpur, 

Malaysia 

ProfileS 

@cloakwork 

Photography 

Cloakwork 

↓ With the hairdressers 

closed in Lock - 

down, sometimes you 

must take matters 

into your own hands. 

100 Artists in Focus Cloakwork

The graffiti artist who also works prolifically as an 

illustrator, has been spreading his imagination 

on the through color since 2012, is no stranger to 

the benefits of his favorite Montana GOLD 

and BLACK can colors. The duality of the name CLOAK- 

WORK stands for CLOAK (representing being hidden, 

or stealth), and WORK (representing his ethic, motion, and 

action), is only the beginning of his invitation to explore 

his creativity. A prospect that is not easy to do growing 

up in a country like Malaysia, where the penalties or 

punishment for activities such as illegal graffiti are well 

beyond that of countries where it is taken relatively lightly. 

↑ Graffiti in progress. 

Only one love will 

get us through this 

difficult period. 

↓ Size doesn't matter. 

Even the smallest 

vans can support the 

biggest ideas. 

A prospect that is not 

easy to do growing up in a 

country like Malaysia, 

where the penalties or 

punishment for activities 

such as illegal graffiti 

are well beyond that of 

countries where it is taken 

relatively lightly. 

Artists in Focus Cloakwork 

101

↑ All dressed up and 

no place to dance. 

Regardless of the 

difficulties the local culture 

re presents for a keen 

graffiti artist, CLOAKWORK 

has managed to overcome 

diversities and remain 

positive. 

↑ "Awesome", like 

reading a CLOAK- 

WORK comic book, 

only it's on a wall. 

↓ Influenced by the 

iconic film "A 

Clockwork Orange", 

CLOAKWORK 

explores his own 

take on the concept. 

Regardless of the difficulties the local culture 

represents for a keen graffiti artist, CLOAKWORK has 

managed to overcome diversities and remain positive. 

A mindset that shows through in his work, which is 

nothing less than colorful, vibrant, inspiring, and of 

course, very aesthetic. Possibly this is the key to his success 

as he manages to bring a smile to viewers of all 

orientations. Whether they are young, old, open-minded, 

or other. 

102 Artists in Focus Cloakwork

With the skill of capturing a particular character 

in his artworks, CLOAKWORK takes his letters and 

figures to a varied assortment of surfaces, including 

walls, boats, cars, food trucks, or the digital realm. If he 

hasn't been on your radar until now, don't worry, on his 

side of the world he is well and truly on the radar having 

worked with clients such as Adidas, Volkswagen, BMW, 

Converse, Warner Music, Hypebeast, and Tiger Beer, 

just to name a few. Keep your eye out for more CLOAK- 

WORK pieces from now on. 

If he hasn't been on your 

radar until now, don't 

worry, on his side of the 

world he is well and truly 

on the radar. 

↑ CLOAK the masked 

writer, doing his bit 

for the pandemic. 

↓ Surfing the roof the 

relaxed way. CLOAK- 

WORK posing on 

his freshly finished 

van artwork. 

Artists in Focus Cloakwork 

103

N.O. 

MAD SKI 

Location 

Hamburg, Germany 

Profile 

@ n_o_madski 

Photography 

Nomad 

Balancing 

between the 

extremes 

The world 

according 

to 

The German city of Hamburg 

can lay claims on having 

some of the most innovative 

graffiti style writers from 

Germany as residents of the 

port city. But not all of them 

are born and bred there. 

N.O.MADSKI aka NOMAD is 

an example of one of these 

talented writers who now call 

the Hanseatic City home. 

104 Interview Nomad

Born in 1978, NOMAD’s graffiti journey started 

in the city of Bremerhaven where experienced 

his formative years. Although starting 

his graffiti path in 1993, it wasn’t till 1998– 

1999 till he took ownership of the name NOMAD while 

living in Nürnberg. 

Without his awareness, these 5 letters became 

the key to his pursuit for continual progression in 

the graffiti discipline of letter styles. NOMAD’s path took 

him on a style map that not even Google would be able 

to plot. With the vigor of the Berlin style writing movement, 

NOMAD took his skills, not to the nation’s capital, 

but rather, the port city of Hamburg. Which incidentally 

due to its strong graffiti community, plays a key 

role in the history and future of not only German graffiti 

but also, Europe and all over the globe. 

← A knowing nod to 

the history of graffiti, 

and a progressive 

need to keep pushing 

things forward. 

↓ Going from positive 

to negative, or negative 

to positive, NOMAD 

makes it look easy either 

way. 

↑ The hand and ductus 

of NOMAD are 

ever-present in his 

continually evolving 

practice. There is 

always a little more 

than mear perfection. 

Paying homage to those that came 

before him, many traditional graffiti 

elements such as arrows, clouds, 

3D, highlights, or horizontal (train 

panel) placement are present in 

many phases of his development. 

With rebellion at its core, NOMAD’s style is at 

times indescribable, and at other times the epidemy 

of graphic typography. An arena where graffiti abstraction 

meets head-on with some classic typographic 

heavyweights. Always heavily loaded with the key color 

ingredients of black and white, NOMAD can do with 

two cans which few can even conceive. What is for some 

a restriction, is to him a challenge. A challenge, that 

just like his style experiments, lead him down a road that 

can go in any direction. Paying homage to those that 

came before him, many traditional graffiti elements such 

as arrows, clouds, 3D, highlights, or horizontal (train 

panel) placement are present in many phases of his development. 

However even if you think you’ve seen it 

before, he manages to make it look like no other. 

Without his awareness, these 5 

letters became the key to his pursuit 

for continual progression in the 

graffiti discipline of letter styles. 

Interview Nomad 

105

↓ Another “why didn’t 

I think of that” moment 

as NOMAD pushes 

the envelope 

and keeps his peers 

on their toes. 

NOMAD’s path took him on a style 

map that not even Google would 

be able to plot. 

106 Interview Nomad

More recently, the re-addition of colors, and in 

some cases, mega amounts of color into his work 

have led to a luminosity that is reminiscent of retro computer 

and television graphics. The impeccable composition 

and placement of his letters with just the right 

amount of handmade spray paint grittiness makefor a 

mandatory second, third, and fourth look at every piece. 

“How does he do that”, the viewer asks themselves as 

the artist’s own ductus, an ever-present key characteristic 

of the work, which at a distance appears seamless. 

In some of his latest works, NOMAD has taken 

his visual language even further, bringing in the visually 

deceptive element of plastic film into his work. At a first 

glance from close range, a melting pot of lines and color 

create an abstract field that is not yet recognizable. As 

the viewer’s eye zoom’s out, slowly but surely the image 

starts to make more sense. With distance, the visual 

illusion happening within the fill-in of the letters exposes 

the clever crinkled plastic film effect. With shimmering 

light being represented by spray strokes and color 

shifts, the heavy use of black and white helps to stamp 

the graffiti authority back onto the piece in its entirety. 

Always with that unique and personal NOMAD touch. 

This is what still inspires me to this 

day. To take as much freedom as 

you want and to express yourself 

creatively. 

↙ A poignant statement 

that should 

never be forgotten; 

“Don’t forget the feeling”. 

↑ Never short of 

ideas, NOMAD doesn’t 

just paint graffiti, 

he creates new 

concepts. 

The intrigue was too much to hypothesize 

about how or why the works have become 

what they are. Instead, we chose to speak 

to the artist directly to see if he could unravel 

the code a little for us. 

MONTANA CANS 

In a post about your work on the Montana Blog, it was 

stated you thought that if graffiti and graffiti artists 

when you started were like they are today, you would 

have never started writing. With a little distance 

from that viewpoint, what things do you like about graffiti 

now? What are some inspirational aspects that inspire 

or motivate to keep innovating? 

N.O.MADSKI 

Sometimes Graffiti seems to be more conservative and 

boring nowadays than in the early days as I remember. 

But if you take a close look, it only appears that way. 

There is still the opportunity to express yourself 

freely. This is what still inspires me to this day. To take 

as much freedom as you want and to express yourself 

creatively. And there is still the opportunity to take 

my inspirations, which sometimes come from totally 

different worlds, and to implement these in my way of 

expression: Graffiti Writing. I think Graffiti only gets 

boring if you don’t set yourself new challenges. Unfortunately, 

I always get bored quickly when I do the same 

things for too long, so I’m forced to innovate the way I 

do Graffiti. 

“How does he do that”, the viewer 

asks themselves as the artist’s 

own ductus, an ever-present key 

characteristic of the work, which 

at a distance appears seamless. 


107

Ultimately, in the last few years, I 

have increasingly enjoyed painting 

quickly and freely. If everything is 

planned concretely, and it is all about 

the technical implementation, I 

also get bored with that after a while. 

← The start of a new 

era. Holographic plastic 

film fill-ins, inspired 

by holographic 

stickers. There is a 

first for everything. 

↓ Color, color, color. 

But there is never too 

much black and white 

to go with that. 

MC 

In what kind of frequency do you paint your graffiti, and 

about how long do you like to invest in each piece? 

N.O.MADSKI 

There are times in which I paint or sketch daily. But there 

is sometimes a week or two in which nothing happens. 

It all depends on what else is going on in my life. The time 

I spend painting a piece depends on what I want to 

achieve. Sometimes I’m more into quick actions of 2–3 

hours. When it comes to more laborious projects, a 

painting could last a couple of days. Ultimately, in the 

last few years, I have increasingly enjoyed painting 

quickly and freely. If everything is planned concretely, 

and it is all about the technical implementation, I also 

get bored with that after a while. 

MC 

Other than Hamburg, are there any other cities or different 

countries you could imaging moving to, to continue 

your creative path? 

MC 

Do you feel a sense of competition in Hamburg within 

graffiti writing circles? Or does the graffiti/art community 

help you to get to where you want to be? 

N.O.MADSKI 

Competition is more of a topic for younger writers, and I 

don’t think Hamburg really stands out in that respect. 

There is competition in every scene. Often when there 

are several different generations of writers, or when it 

is of a certain size. As for the older, longer active writers, 

we know each other, more closely networked, and are 

not opposed to exchanging ideas. There is instead no 

competition, especially because our demands on 

ourselves are usually very different. And when it comes 

to the inner circle, there is a lot of support for new 

projects. 

N.O.MADSKI 

I’ve been traveling a lot and I’ve met a lot of great people 

to paint with everywhere. Every country or city has 

got a special history and development when it comes to 

Graffiti. Discovering and experiencing the differences 

is practically a science within itself. From this perspective, 

I could think of a lot of countries and cities to live 

and work in. But what I really love in this regard are the 

countries in which graffiti started completely from 

scratch. Like for example some of the countries in Eastern 

Europe after the collapse of the USSR. It seems to me 

that the residents of these countries are often as openminded 

as the artists when it comes to graffiti. I have 

spent a lot of time traveling in Greece. This is due to both 

the interesting graffiti history they have, and the lively 

scene that produces great artists. Who knows, perhaps 

one day I’ll stay there for a longer period. 

108 Interview Nomad

↑ You can’t get to where 

you need to be if 

you don’t leave behind 

where you were. When 

it comes to style writing, 

there is no idea 

too confronting for 

NOMAD. 

↓ Next stop... Who 

knows? As long as 

there are innovative 

and quality materials, 

NOMAD will not stay 

standing still. 

I have always lived by the claim: Not 

just to paint for fun, but also to 

stand out and show everyone what 

ideas and skills you have. 

MC 

Does having such talented peers in your city function as a 

motivating aspect, or can it sometimes just be draining? 

N.O.MADSKI 

The competition today is more international, especially 

since Graffiti nowadays predominantly takes place 

in social media where you want to attract attention. Personally, 

I have always lived by the claim: Not just to 

paint for fun, but also to stand out and show everyone 

what ideas and skills you have. Maybe, I am still a 

little bit influenced by the Hip Hop history of German 

graffiti, but this claim still motivates me until this day. 

The total digitization of graffiti publications that have 

taken place in recent years, unfortunately, from my 

perspective, also shifts the consideration and evaluation 

of Graffiti. Thus, changing the notion of competition, 

a lot. For example, a writer in his hometown could be “all 

city” with bombings in the streets, have the most 

trains running, or have an extremely good style. If pictures 

of his work do not appear on social media, he 

hardly exists. Conversely, the artist who is most conspicuously 

and staged on social media becomes 

known quickly. The result is that some of the best and 

most influential graffiti artists from Germany in my 

eyes are increasingly being forgotten just because they 

do not take place on social media. This competition, 

which is about likes or clicks, hardly interests me, and 

sometimes demotivates me. Especially since artistic 

aspirations hardly play a role there, but often only the 

attitude of pleasing the anonymous audience. 


109

MC 

There was a while there where your pieces were predominantly 

black and white, or at least monochrome (e.g., 

black & silver). Were you also doing color pieces at the 

time, or was it a conscious act to return to basics? 

And when you did do color pieces, was there a greater 

sense of satisfaction with those as opposed to the 

monochrome works? 

← Context can be 

everything. In NO- 

MAD’s case, there 

never seems to be 

a wrong context 

for his work. 

↑ Less is more. Finding 

the balance between 

curved shapes 

and geometry is hard 

to do when you mainly 

use black and white 

and have nowhere 

to hide your errors. 

↓ A great quality of 

NOMAD’s work is 

knowing how to exploit 

context. Something 

abandoned 

spaces offer plentifully. 

N.O.MADSKI 

For a long time, I had always painted very large and 

elaborate concept walls. But it always bothered me that 

both writers and ordinary viewers only praised the 

colors or the figures. The styles were usually not looked 

at properly at all. That made me very frustrated because 

painting styles and evolving my writing has been 

my focus for over 25 years. This situation was so 

unsatisfactory, that I decided to totally rely on my roots. 

If the style of writing is so important to me, I must 

put it in the foreground. And above all, I wanted to show 

the ordinary viewer that you can also transport things 

through the style of writing alone. That was where the 

idea that I call KRYPTOGRAFF got started. Colors 

are secondary here; this is all about the style of writing 

as a means of artistic expression. This step was 

really liberating. I am sure that graffiti can also convince 

without requiring any illustrative accessories, or 

elements of graphic design. In my own opinion, the core 

of graffiti remains to be the writing, even if you can 

get more attention nowadays (apparently), with illustrative 

decoration. In the end, I understand this path as 

one series of my work. In between this series I have also 

painted other pieces naturally. As a rule, I always act 

according to the motto of doing what I feel like doing. 

MC 

How did your interest in your new “plastic film” series 

arise? Did it come from experiments you made within 

other paintings, or did you see something that made you 

want to try and create that effect? 

Colors are secondary here; this is all 

about the style of writing as a 

means of artistic expression. This 

step was really liberating. 

110 Interview Nomad

→ Just as progressive 

in the studio, 

NOMAD’s work 

takes us to graffiti 

and beyond. 


111

N.O.MADSKI 

For a long time, I had the vision that the lettering should 

come to life. More should happen than just good 

design. I was certainly inspired by digital animation as 

in movies or 3D animation. I tried a lot with various 

effect colors to achieve something like a metal effect, 

or flip-flop paint that appears to change depending 

where you look at it from. But the effect was barely visible. 

The idea of gluing plastic foil sheets was ultimately 

inspired by holographic stickers. Why not do 

something like that as a piece? As there are many 

different plastic effect foil sheets to stick around, I then 

tried different things. Such as mirror foil. Unfortunately, 

the pieces are always short-lived. Walls at Halls 

of Fame are destroyed if they are pasted and painted 

over.Therefore, I needed to remove the foil after documentation. 

From my point of view, it takes an 

artist a lifetime to put their rationality 

aside and put their emotions 

first when creating artwork. When 

it comes to Graffiti writing, I think 

it is the same situation. 

MC 

Do you approach your graffiti writing pragmatically 

and rationally, or does your emotional state feed your 

creative process and affect the artworks you make? 

N.O.MADSKI 

From my point of view, it takes an artist a lifetime to put 

their rationality aside and put their emotions first 

when creating artwork. When it comes to Graffiti writing, 

I think it is the same situation. In the beginning, most 

writers start with a completely rational attitude. Only after 

they have understood the letters and the aesthetics, 

can they develop their personality freely. When it comes 

to me: I’m somewhere in the middle of that! 

MC 

Which way do you prefer to go, Montana GOLD or 

Montana BLACK? 

Montana Cans 

SPOTLIGHT 

get to know: 

↑ It’s easy to pack 

your bag when your 

pieces are in black 

and white. Resulting 

in more time for actual 

painting. 

→ It only needs a 

soundtrack. This colorful 

burner takes 

us back to the glorious 

days of arcade 

games, joysticks, and 

buttons to press. 

N.O. 

MADSKI 

N.O.MADSKI 

Both – depends on what task I need to use them for. I have 

come to appreciate the Montana Black can as one of 

the best cans for filling in and I use Montana Gold for the 

detailed works, for example, my outlines. 

We look forward to seeing where the 

creative path of NOMAD leads. As one of 

the world’s great innovative writers, we 

are left with no other option than to say, 

“watch this space”. 

Where there is destruction, you will find cre - 

ation. For NOMAD, destroying classic 

graffiti confines is as rewarding as re-creating 

his own perception of what graffiti 

can be. Equally as at home in a delapitated 

building, or the clean white cube of the 

gallery, NOMAD can create or destroy at will. 

112


113

Keno 

wAs 

Here 

Paris is a tough city if you 

are a graffiti artist that 

wants to stand out amongst 

the crowd. Why? Because 

the crowd is big, the quality 

is high, and the physical 

height of which the streets 

are already bombed is 

even higher. 

Location 

Paris, France 

Photography 

Keno 

Profile 

@kenowashere 

GRAFFTI from Paris – 

Redefining the streets 

114 Street Report Keno

One prolific artist that doesn’t seem to have 

a problem rising to the top of the melting 

pot is KENO. We are not saying he can 

leap over tall buildings in a single bound, 

but his hard work proves that he can 

find the right spots on those tall buildings and cover them 

with stylish tags, pieces, throw-ups, and stickers. 

With a style that oozes with flow, you can only 

come to the conclusion that he writes his name a lot. 

Dripping Montana BOLD tags, strategically placed in the 

streets like arrows on bullseyes, flared fat cap Montana 

BLACK tags that appear to have a history of thousands 

before them. Or awkward, yet very cool pieces, vibrating 

with Montana BLACK and GOLD colors with letters 

that embrace his inner child while flexing his knowledge 

of all the graffiti that came before him. 

Taking a walk down the streets of Paris a much 

more colorful experience as KENO has all angles 

covered. Reminding those “who know” to look up, and 

down, as they walk through his world. If you can’t 

make it to his world, take a moment here to check some 

of it out yourself. 

Street Report Keno 

115



117



119

AKUT 

Studio Insights – 

“Masquerade” 

Location 

Berlin, Germany 

Photography 

@akut_herakut 

Profile 

@akut_herakut 

The pace of today’s society is often hard to 

keep up with. In a world filled with wannabes 

and ladder climbers, everyone is doing 

their bit to save face and play the role 

that is expected of them to get to where 

they want to go. 

120 Studio Insight Akut

But is it where they need to be, or even who they 

really are? Even for kids, the value of a perfect 

selfie on social media now has more value 

than the actual content of their true personality. 

And what personalities do they even have, at least 

outside of their digital ones? The German artist Falk 

Lehmann aka AKUT has been observing this social condition 

with concern for the destination it is taking our 

society. For the exhibition “Réalités” at Galerie Mathgoth 

focussing on the work of hyper realistic artists, in 

January 2020, AKUT created the painting “MASQUERADE“. 

↓ As if from another 

time still to come, 

AKUT’s rendition of 

the chrome face 

reminds us of science 

fiction films and 

robotic technologies. 

→ Within every 

element of the human 

skin is a broad spectrum 

of color and 

tones. Making AKUT’s 

ability to convey 

them all in his art even 

more impressive. 

The 80 × 100cm work started 

its journey as a soft 

charcoal sketch on the canvas. 

The image of a girl, 

removing her face as a mask 

which doubles as that 

which society sees as her 

‘real’ face. 

Studio Insight Akut 

121

The process of the painting’s creation was a magical 

one, that took us right to the pulse of what makes 

AKUT’s work so impressive. The 80cm x 100cm work 

started its journey as a soft charcoal sketch on the 

canvas. The image of a girl, removing her face as a mask 

which doubles as that which society sees as her ‘real’ 

face. Under it, a chrome face, lifeless, smooth, and void 

of personality. Only her eyes (a trademark talent 

showcasing AKUT’s abilities), seem to be real, however 

void of any emotions other than shame and regret. 

↑ Intricate details, the 

tip of the Montana 

FINE ACRYLIC marker 

gives AKUT a broad 

range of marks and 

precision for greater 

depth and intimacy. 

→ Despite its relatively 

small size, MAS- 

QUERADE is a haunting 

yet enchanting 

depiction of life for a 

modern-day young 

person. 

Although the message a hard 

pill to swallow, the image 

itself a mystical interpretation 

of the modern lay 

life of our youth and young 

people. 

The background, a connection to AKUT’s 

graffiti roots, is a dirty, earthy texture of tags and dark 

color, straight from his Montana GOLD cans and 

Montana ACRYLIC markers. Layers of acrylic paint are 

then converted into three-dimensional form by 

fine coats of paint mist from an array of colors from the 

Montana GOLD range. AKUT then adds the final 

touches to the hyper-real image by way of precision line 

work from his Montana ACRYLIC FINE and EXTRA 

FINE markers. Even elements of the chrome face are 

brought to life by perfectly placed colors applied in 

distinct marker generated lines. Although the message 

a hard pill to swallow, the image itself a mystical 

interpretation of the modern lay life of our youth and 

young people. No wonder the image sold at the exhibition. 

Take off your own mask in the privacy of your 

own home and be amazed by MASQUERADE. 

122 Studio Insight Akut

Studio Insight Akut 

123

Sister 

hood 

A ‘SISTERHOOD’ in graffiti culture 

Location 

worldwide 

Photography 

Sisterhood 

Profile 

@sisterhood.graffiti 

Even if graffiti is the thread that connects 

all writers, we can all agree that it makes 

things even easier if whoever you are painting 

with speaks the same language as 

you do. This is not a concept that needs 

more explanation for the SISTERHOOD. 

Brought together by their common passion 

for graffiti, being all-female is yet another 

thread that takes the group further and 

makes their experience even more fulfilling. 

Since the beginning of Hip Hop culture 

as we know it, girls have been an integral 

part of graffiti writing culture. Not on the peripheral, 

not on the side-lines, and definitely 

not as understudies to the male-dominated 

head figures that later rose to 

prominence as the ‘originators’ of the culture. 

→ On the lines at night, 

a previously maledominated 

world. However, 

making art 

and emptying cans is 

not a gender dependent 

topic. 

124 Street Report / Interview Sisterhood

Street Report / Interview Sisterhood 

125

Possibly, the biggest mistake one can make is 

to start justifying, comparing, creating a 

mental list of names, or trying to compensate 

against their male counterparts. But let’s 

make a short roll call just to put it into perspective that 

women are and were there in Hip Hop culture from 

the beginning. Lady Pink, Roxanne Shante, Queen Latifa, 

Monie Love, Martha Cooper, Cora E, Musa, Utah, 

Merlot, Mad C, just to name a very few. It is important to 

acknowledge that in every town, city, country and 

continent, there is a massive unwritten list of female talent 

just waiting to have a light shone upon them. 

And therein lies the concept for the German allfemale 

group, “SISTERHOOD” (Girls Go Graffiti). To 

shine the light on their fellow creators of female orientation 

who are equally as talented and productive as 

any other male creators in the media spotlight. 

In their own words, “Graffiti is rebellion, perfection, 

thrill seeking, expression and much more: for 

example, male-dominated. Still, women are part of this 

subculture”. Which is exactly what their mission is 

in their self-funded, self-created, and self-organized 

exhibition concept of the same name; “SISTERHOOD 

Girls Go Graffiti”. To put the spotlight on their fellow female 

creative achievers and bridge the gender gaps 

in a male-dominated culture that they too are an important 

part of. 

Active on bricks, streets, and steel, 

the girls make art that not only 

catches the eye but engages the 

brain as well. 

↓ No different from 

their male colleagues, 

the girls in the SIS- 

TERHOOD are active 

in all disciplines of 

graffiti. 

↑ Creeping, watching, 

and waiting. The SIS- 

TERHOOD knows how 

the game works, and 

above all they know 

how to play it. 

To be more exact, the names behind the masks 

are Antje, Amrei, Alva and Katje. With a network spanning 

over the whole globe, with just a small reach out to 

the next sister, the endless pool of available skill 

sets enables them to achieve a multi-facet of creative 

activities. Some of them including film making, sound 

production, product creation and sales, musical event 

organization, graphic design, artwork, and of course, 

all disciplines of graffiti. 

But let’s get back to the important part that connects 

us all, GRAFFITI. No strangers to a Montana 

BLACK or GOLD can, SISTERHOOD has all the bases 

covered in the disciplines of graffiti. Active on bricks, 

streets, and steel, the girls make art that not only catches 

the eye but engages the brain as well. And if the 

viewer is female, then the value is heightened as selfconfidence, 

self-reflection, and positive messages 

of self-acceptance are always on offer. 

With the number or size of the female writing 

community uncertain, we took the opportunity to speak 

to the SISTERHOOD to try and see if they could school 

us some more. Here is what they had to say: 


MONTANA-CANS 

Most, if not all of you have been active writers so long that 

you would be judged by your peers on the quality of 

your work, and not your gender (we hope). Were there any 

specific moments or turning points that made your 

creative focus have a feminist tendency, or do you feel 

like it was a topic from the beginning you have been 

tackling all the way? 

SISTERHOOD 

The backgrounds and creative careers of the women in 

our group vary. Some of us have already dealt with 

feminism before we even started painting and sometimes 

started from concrete political contexts. Others were 

involved with graffiti first. Over time, we have all understood 

the importance of networking with other women 

to approach the societal phenomenon of sexism in 

solidarity. 

Graffiti and the accompanying play 

with letters is always a guideline 

for us. Which we accept and is inevitable 

if we want to paint graffiti. 

MC 

Do you all cross over into the other disciplines of graffiti, 

or do the members of your collective all have certain 

avenues they specialize in? (e.g. street bombing, pieces, 

trains, freights etc.) 

SH 

We all have different paths and all of us have our disciplines 

within graffiti where it is the most fun. We live out 

most of our creativity on the rails and in the streets. 

But graffiti is more than just that as it is so diverse. Therefore, 

we also networked with women from different 

disciplines for the exhibition. 

MC 

Is classic style writing and street graffiti as we see 

it online (dominated by the exposure of male artists) inspirational 

for you? Or do you go to other sources for 

your own inspiration? Is it even relavent if a male did or 

did not create something you like? 

SH 

For us, it is irrelevant who created the picture. People’s 

pictures, regardless of female or male, who we know 

or like due to their attitude, we celebrate the most. In the 

beginning, we had mostly male role models when it 

came to style, but also because in the beginning you 

never knew for sure whether an artist was male or 

female. Today we are even more inspired by women 

who have managed to push their way through. 

↑ More than just a 

graffiti crew, the 

SISTERHOOD is also 

involved with the 

development of varying 

forms of art and 

creativity and the 

making of their own 

products. 

MC 

Is the topic of feminism, or developing the female status 

within creative culture the most important aspect 

in the creation of your artworks, or does ‘graffiti’ and its 

unwritten agenda (style, letters, innovation, competition 

etc.) come first however offering you an outlet to 

convey other messages? 

SH 

Graffiti and the accompanying play with letters is always 

a guideline for us. Which we accept and is inevitable 

if we want to paint graffiti. After some of us had only 

painted our alter ego names for several years, the 

combination of political and feminist messages as a 

group, brought us important new input and energy. 

This is how we want to reach other people and try to 

make them think. 

MC 

Does your group reach out to other female artists 

who are not yet involved to broaden the network? Or do 

the other female artists come to you to be part of it? 


127

SH 

We ask female writers if they would like to be interviewed. 

Sometimes we also get tips or suggestions that we 

followed and included. Some collectives or individuals 

also approached us and want to connect or paint together. 

But due to our time restrictions and for security 

reasons, we normally don’t do that though. Nevertheless, 

we network automatically in all directions. 

MC 

How do female artists who are not active femists 

respond to your work or your cause? 

SH 

Since we do not have feminism as an explicit topic and 

just want to celebrate women in graffiti, the resistance 

is limited. Feminism should not be the sole focus for us, 

it’s primarily about graffiti. Every now and then some 

people find it senseless that it is about women in graffiti 

because they want to get away from the stereotype. 

The worst is when guys think that something is being 

taken away from them, or who are afraid that they 

will all be branded as fools. However, the street bombers 

don’t complain when a film like “Unlike U” is released, 

and it only focuses on train painters. 

MC 

To broaden the greater public’s awareness of female 

writers, who are your heroes, and was there anyone that 

inspired you to follow your paths? 

SH 

There are many writers, female crews, and supporters who 

have been part of graffiti from the start. If you don’t 

know the synonyms of women, of course, you won’t notice 

them in public either. But women like Lady Pink, Sany 

from the “Girl Power” movie, or Martha Cooper, who have 

been documenting the graffiti scene since the beginning, 

are of course icons. But there are also many others 

who are not in the public eye that have not come out 

publicly as “woman” to be judged differently or torn down. 

With the support of some male 

friends, we started our project in the 

first place and many thought it was 

very cool that there are women who 

paint. 

MC 

When you are out in the ‘field’, do you think fellow male 

artists treat you any differently to their male counterparts? 

SH 

Yes and no. We have all had different experiences, and 

definitely not only negative ones. With the support 

of some male friends, we started our project in the first 


Additionally, that as many people as possible hear about 

the exhibition and see it. Just so that people understand 

the message, celebrate, and respect women in 

graffiti. Not forgetting that we manage to give girls a 

stage and encourage them to do their thing. 

MC 

If your whole crew had only one Montana Cans cap and 

can combination to use, which one would it be? 

SH 

Black-orange dot! Lavender, Royal Purple, Nappies, 

True Yellow, Black, and White! 

The worst is when guys think that 

something is being taken awayfrom 

them, or who are afraid that they 

will all be branded as fools. 

↑ In the end, it’s all about 

graffiti. And the 

playing rules for girls 

are no different to that 

of the boys. So in the 

end, graffiti wins. 

Montana Cans 

SPOTLIGHT 

get to know: 

Sister 

hood 

place and many thought it was very cool that there are 

women who paint. But also, something like being 

treated very nicely, or that people want to take care of 

you was part of it, which was kind of patronizing. 

We also know what it is like to be not taken seriously or 

reduced to how we look. Unfortunately, often our 

gender is automatically their first point of attack when 

they are aware that we are female. And for many, it 

becomes an issue as they start to find you somehow 

attractive, or interesting. This sometimes makes 

things complicated. We can understand that women are 

celebrated by men who do atypical things, and with 

whom they share their own passion. But there have also 

been some very unpleasant interactions where personal 

boundaries have been crossed. These are the types 

of guys that are unlikely to be respectful to women 

outside of graffiti. It’s a societal problem. 

MC 

If you could achieve one major achievement as a collective, 

what would that be? 

SH 

The first thing would be to encourage other women to 

continue doing what they love and not to be belittled! 

Pooling skills, strengths, and resources are 

no secret for success in whatever endeavors 

you choose to do. So why should it 

be any different for female writers? The 

SISTERHOOD is here to stay, so stayed tuned 

for the artworks, events, and colors that 

this group is destined to spread across the 

globe. 


129

german quality spray paint since 1996 

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The name says it all. The Montana ULTRA WIDE is the ultimate contemporary 

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the colors Power Green and Light Blue Green, the ULTRA WIDE range 

also features the colors Kicking Yellow, Red, Royal Purple, Blue, Nappies, 

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These ultra-high-pressure spray cans boast a spray width 

that varies from 15cm if applied rapidly at close range, to approx. 60cm if 

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The new Montana 3D Hologram Sticker pack takes eggshell stickers to the 

next level. The high quality, 100mm x 65mm eggshell stickers come 

in packs of 50 pieces and are perfect for indoor or outdoor use. With extra 

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3 

Montana Empty Marker 

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The Montana EMPTY Marker 8mm Chisel is the shorter hybrid of the larger EMPTY marker assortment. 

Also featuring the specially optimized valve system for best flow control, the refillable empty 

body of the 8mm CHISEL holds 14ml of liquid and is slightly shorter for easy use and fast stowing. 

Suitable for all Montana inks and paints, the marker is supplied empty with mixing balls included. 

The replaceable sharp 8mm chisel tip is ideal for the delivery of dye ink, and the Montana BOLD Ultra 

Ink 200ml refill. Montana EMPTY Markers are also available as 8mm/ 2mm round, 10mm/ 3mm 

chisel, 15mm standard, and 10mm crusher. Highest quality manufacturing - MADE IN GERMANY 

4 

Montana Rust effect 400ml 

Rust and oxidization illusion 

For the illusion of rust and oxidization. Can be used on various surfaces. 

The effect is created by a nitro-combi formulation that mimics the 

appearance of oxidized. Available in Orange-Brown and Brown. Can 

be top coated and combined with Montana GOLD, Montana ACRYL- 

IC markers, and customary acrylic paints once completely dry. 

5 

Montana SCHWARZ 500ml 

High Pressure Graffiti Spray Paint 

Montana SCHWARZ 500ml is a recycled BLACK formula for more paint, less waste and a one-off 

production at a reduced price. Don’t sleep on this and get them while theyre available. We won’t produce 

them again in the near future: The Montana BLACK is the prime tool for graffiti writing all over 

the world. Making the best cans has its rewards, but also comes with a lot of different responsibilities. 

Everything must be created with full attention and always to the exact, precise formula. 

With every production of the Montana BLACK spraypaint, there is a small surplus of 

raw materials and ingredients which are premium in quality but would not meet the same quality 

standards of the Montana BLACK BLK9001 Black. Usually this surplus ends up being trashed. 

After playing around with this remains we believe that they still can be used for painting, so we 

decided to collect them and put them into a spraycan. We created the new Montana SCHWARZ 

which is an budget-friendly version of the Montana BLACK BLK9001 Black, in a similar quality. The 

results being less waste and more black paint at an lower price for the artists. We recommend using 

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131

6 

MONTANA NEEDLe 

Fine Liner 

The NEEDLE FINE LINER (Purple) is the little sibling of the original Needle Cap. Its average spray width 

is 2mm-10mm (0,08" to 0,39″) making it a finer version. It achieves sketchy rough lines that 

are ideal for highlights, small details or rendering. The spray width changes with the used distance 

to the object. For skinnier lines, spray from a closer distance. For fatter lines, spray from a 

further distance. 

The NEEDLE CAP series earn their names due to there unique appearance. Unlike the dots 

that designate the spray trajectory in standard caps, the needle cap has a hollow plastic tube 

extruding from its round body form, that offers a paint trajectory in squirting output as if the paint 

was being sprayed through a needle. With an average spray width of 2mm to 10mm, the line 

the NEEDLE FINE LINER (Purple) produces is similar to the STANDARD Cap with its dirty and raw 

characteristics. Often used by street artists, urban artists and studio artists to achieve splatter 

like application on small scales, the needle cap fits on all-female valve caps like Montana GOLD, 

Montana BLACK and Montana WHITE. The spray width changes subject to the distance it is 

used from the object being coated. For skinnier lines, spray from a closer distance. For wider lines, 

spray from a further distance. For greater splatter effects, withdraw pressure on the cap to half triggering. 

Best results are achieved with Montana GOLD cans. 

7 

Montana HELLO-GRAM Sticker 

Non-eggshell 

The phrase “Hello My Name Is”, is all too familiar with the modern-day 

graffiti sticker bomber. This humble sticker transformed from a simple 

tool to help people remember each other’s names, to becoming an 

iconic graffiti tool to help graffiti writers tell the world what their names 

are. The new Montana HELLO-GRAM stickers take sticker bombing to 

a new level. The 12cm x 9cm sticker base features the traditional Montana 

Cans “Hello My Name Is” design and places it on a new holographic 

(non-eggshell) adhesive film. Sold in packs of 50, stand out from the crowd 

with a galactic touch on the new Montana HELLO-GRAM sticker. 

8 

"Spraycation" 

Montana Sticker Set #2 

No longer is painting a secondary thought while 

on vacation, these days we travel to paint. 

To celebrate the Spraycation way of life, we 

have created the new Montana Cans STICKER 

SET #2 "SPRAYCATION". Like their patch 

equivalents, the SPRAYCATION stickers capture 

the spirit of the graffiti brotherhood. 


9 

MONTANA MARBLE 400ML 

Pastel Green 

High-covering spray paint for a deceivingly realistic marble effect. Can be 

used on many different surfaces such as paper, cardboard, primed canvas, 

wood, glass, metal, ceramics, porcelain, stone, acrylic and other 

paintable materials. The marble effect is formed by very fine colored 

paint strands on the surface area of the object in question. The area which 

is to be sprayed is not entirely covered and will stay partially visible. 

Can be top-coated with many common lacquer types once thoroughly 

dry. MARBLE Effect can be combined with Montana GOLD, Montana 

ACRYLIC markers and customary acrylic paints. The Marble Effect can 

comes standard with a calligraphy that can be adjusted to create spray output 

lines in vertical, horizontal or variations there of. 

10 

Montana PRIMER 400ml 

Aluminium 

The Montana ALUMINIUM Primer is a quick-drying primer for the optimal 

pretreatment of aluminium surfaces to increase protection against flaking 

and cracking. The primer is ideal for use on aluminium. In limited 

conditions can be used on copper and zinc. Montana Aluminium 

Primer can be coated with Montana GOLD, Montana BLACK, Montana 

WHITE, Montana TECH, EFFECT range colors. Always test before 

using on a non-visible area of the object. Available as 400ml. 

11 

10-years CANPIRE 

Anniversary Can 

2020 saw the ten-year anniversary of the beloved 

„CANPIRE“ (The Montana Store Frankfurt). 

With a litho image that pays homage to the tradi - 

tional „Geripptes“ glass, a lozenge cut glass 

used for drinking the region‘s favorite beverage 

Apfelwein, this Montana BLACK black, took 

on yet another personality as the store‘s own 

birthday icon. 


133

→ The new Montana 

Ultra Wide Power 

Green. The new generation 

of vibrant colors 

for the artists that 

love spontaneity. 

Gamechanger 

Text 

Team Flight Mode 

Photography 


Emanuel Batali 

Usually, circumstances dictate possibilities in our game. 

Surface, timeframe, visibility, light, third-party work 

routines, and weather are just some of the crucial external 

factors that influence outcomes. Of course, some 

of these elements can be modified to even play in one’s 

favor. Especially when things do not look promising, 

creativity is vital, and one must not underestimate the 

factor of motivation. Writers are a flexible crowd. The 

history of Graffiti constantly shows signs of adaptation. 

New approaches, new techniques - and new materials. 


After all, Graffiti means competition. 

The inner pressure to achieve adequate 

results, the external pressure 

to perform yet get away with it. 

→ Second to none 

coverage at an application 

rate that is at 

the top of its game. 

We have come a long way from repurposing 

hardware supplies. In the 1980s, enamel paints and ovencleaner 

nozzles were our most advanced tools. Fast 

forward twenty years later: a broad range of colors and 

numerous caps can be ordered online – designer 

paints with shorter drying times, better coverage, new 

valves, and more pressure. Pressure surrounds us. 

After all, Graffiti means competition. The inner pressure 

to achieve adequate results, the external pressure 

to perform yet get away with it. Translating these underlying 

patterns of culture into a product is a reasonable 

conclusion. 

↓ The sky is the limit 

both literally and 

symbolically with the 

new Montana Ultra 

Wide Light Blue. 

In 2012, a new player entered the 

game: the Montana Ultra Wide. 

A high-pressure can with a unique 

valve enables it to cover bigger 

spaces in significantly less time. 

In 2012, a new player entered the game: the 

Montana Ultra Wide. A high-pressure can with a 

unique valve enables it to cover bigger spaces in significantly 

less time. There is no need to imagine a 

boost through a double-handed use. For a real-time de - 

monstration, watch any recent video. Numerous 

clips showcase how boundaries can be pushed. Since 

the launch, the game has been changed. Backjump 

windows of three minutes all of a sudden offered valid 

options. Palanca gained a new catalyst to race the clock. 


135

↑ A David von Bahr 

work, in the still 

of winter. Is it aggressive, 

or is it spontaneous? 

With the 

Ultra Wide cans, the 

lack of friction during 

application leaves 

the viewer guessing. 

Go big or go home, right? 

Not exactly. Any new medium is 

essentially no more than a tool. 

Go big or go home, right? Not exactly. Any 

new medium is essentially no more than a tool. However, 

a particular use case may be intended during the 

development. Artists, on the other hand, like to play with 

ideas. Thus, there has been an extreme countertrend. 

Instead of strict outdoor use, Ultra Wide has been 

introduced to the studios, too. Think of works by 

David von Bahr, for instance. Stark contrasts dominate 

his paintings which exude impulsivity, spontaneity, 

and even hints of aggression. All facilitated by the 

frictionless paint application. Ultra Wide is an instrument 

that can create a distinct look. The outcome, 

nonetheless, depends on the specific context. Whether 

these aesthetics are consciously highlighted or just 

a by product is up to the artist. No loose ends! 

← A ductus that is 

as chaotic as it is 

beautiful. The marks 

of the Ultra Wide 

cans bring the streets 

to the studio and 

beyond. 

→ Abstract markmaking 

or palm trees 

in black? With the 

Ultra Wide can, the 

viewer's interpretation 

is as open as the 

tool that created it. 



137

1 

2 

5 

138 BLACKBOOK

3 

4 

6 

1 ATOM ONE 

2 LA FRANZ 

3 HORST 

4 NOID 

5 HOT DOG 

6 TWIGS 

7 FRESH 

7 

Blackbook 

139

8 

11 

8 AMUSE126 

9 CAN2 

10 SMASH137 

11 SWEET 

12 CAN2 

13 MOST 

140 BLACKBOOK

9 

10 

12 

13 

Blackbook 

141


Montana-Cans Ultrawide #GAMECHANGER

Montana-Cans Ultrawide #GAMECHANGER

Imprint 

LOOKBOOK 

021 

Media owner and publisher: 

MONTANA-CANS 

Editorial Staff: 

MONTANA-CANS 

Editorial design & Art direction: 

Matter Of (MO-P-126) 

Alexander Krziwanie (MONTANA-CANS) 

Nico Gnad (MONTANA-CANS) 

Texts: 

René Van Kan 

Flightmode 

Special thanks to all contributing artists & partners! 

Cover Photo: 

Montana Cans 

Cover Illustrations: 

Lugosis & Strato200´s 

© 2021, 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 

148 Imprint

#MontanaCans #GermanSpraypaint 

WWW.MONTANA-CANS.COM

LOOKBOOK / EDITION #06 / 2021 

WWW.MONTANA-CANS.COM 

TNR 447181

MontanaCans LOOKBOOK 2021

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