A Conversation with the Athens-Based Artist
Blue pill or red pill? Jokes aside, you could feel like Neo while looking around the cityscape of Athens when stumbling upon one of the many impressive works by Insane51. His works often resemble a glitch in the Matrix with their characteristic anaglyph effects. We met him on a sunny lunch break for a sweet Frappé in his newly built studio to talk about his approach toward artistic endeavors just before the release of our upcoming Montana BLACK Artist Edition #28 TR5000 True Cyan. πάμε!
MC: Hey, nice to meet you! How’s the preparation for our launch going?
I: It’s going great, thanks! We will finish filming tomorrow. We were waiting for the weather to improve because it was raining. Since it’s sunny now, it will be the last day of filming. Pretty much everything is ready. I just have to varnish the canvas and make a box for the shipment.
MC: That’s great to hear. I can’t wait to see the final result! Would you mind talking about the background of your artist collaboration? What’s your color, and why did you choose it?
I: I can say whatever I want, right? Haha! I was in between Cyan and Red because, obviously, they are my colors. I chose TR5000 True Cyan because Red was not available. That’s the main reason. The ideal scenario for me would be to release two colors, but it was impossible. So we kind of found a solution, and I chose what I love because I love blue and the sea. It’s also part of the culture of Greece, with the sea, the sky, and everything. So it fits. I’m also the first Greek mural artist who is releasing a Limited Edition spray camp with a brand. Then I thought we could release my can with a touch of red still, so I chose a red cap. And there you have it!
MC: Such a creative way to incorporate both of your ideas into the concept! By the way, do you always use the exact same shades in your works, or do you have a variation that you choose from?
I: So it’s pretty much always the same. So, for the red part, it’s always the same because it’s red, and then for the blue part, you can go from blue to Cyan. I have a specific some specific tones from Montana that I always choose. Then we can change them a little bit and make them bluer, for example. When I use Cyan and red, the color you get in between the combination is basically pink. And if you use blue instead of Cyan, what you get in the middle is Magenta.
MC: What’s your favorite format, and what’s your favorite surface? Do you like painting in crowded cityscapes? Or do you like secluded walls? Do you prefer working alone in the studio on a canvas? What’s your favorite medium?
I: I can put them in order. So number one is a big wall in the city, with a lift. The wall surface absorbs the spray paint perfectly. So I can do whatever I want. Obviously, spray paint is my favorite medium. And it also combines a little bit of exploration and traveling exercise. I like to be active. I used to do graffiti when I was young, so that’s where I got it; obviously, now everything is legal. My second favorite is the studio. I can be more precise, try different mediums, and be in a more controlled environment. But when I’m painting in the studio, I miss painting murals, and when I’m painting murals, and it’s windy, or it’s raining, for example, then I’m thinking, Oh, it would be nice to be in the studio. So I think it’s perfect to do both!
MC: Good answer. Do you think the speed of the progress is the same on a wall compared to a canvas?
I: I can’t really say – usually it’s faster when you’re painting a wall, even though it can be hundreds of times larger. I try to be fast because if I stay on a project for more than 10 days I get bored and I want to do the next one. So I try to focus 100%, and just finish everything in one go, or at least in one week, and then move to the next project!
MC: I can see the skeleton in the background. I always wondered if you had an X-ray device?
I: Haha, I don’t have an X-ray device – but I do have a skeleton! He is my buddy here. I try to photograph the models that we use for the walls, and I also try to photograph the skeleton, add different lights, and have more control over what you’re painting. Especially because back in the day, I used to find pictures of other photographers or artists online, and I would use and manipulate the photos. Nowadays, I just prefer to do it myself, and having a skeleton is the best and most natural way.
MC: So your interest regarding your work is rather anatomical than a memento mori?
I: Obviously, it is Memento Mori! Part of my work is about life and death, and Memento Mori has been very mainstream in the last year. Everyone is using the concept. To me, it is also about the perspectives. You have three ways to see the artwork. One is without the glasses, with the naked eye, where you see the skeleton and the figure combined, and the other viewpoint is the person, and the third one is the skeleton. So what’s inside? Basically, so the whole concept shows you the different aspects of the same thing. People can explore the artwork and see what they want to see for themselves. Instead of me trying to show them something, they can choose what they see depending on their experiences and their personality.
MC: Interesting answer! I was wondering, since layering is so important, I saw that your works shifted from being sharp to now sometimes being a little bit more blurry. What’s your inspiration for this work? Is it enhancing something to the already visual spectrum? Or do you want to steer away from the photorealism?
I: I tried painting more like a painter instead of a muralist, which is something I’ve always done, but mostly in the studio. Now, I’m trying to combine the two and explore a little bit more what can be done on a wall. I’m evolving, and my essence is changing. So the work is also changing. When I first started, obviously, I tried to paint everything in a very sharp way to be realistic and to basically work on my skills, and now I’m going back and trying to find more of my strokes. I don’t know if that makes sense, but I am in the process of trying to keep everything sharp but, at the same time, to have more flow.
MC: So, how would you describe your style? Or if you had any description of your work, how would it be? Or do you let the work speak for itself?
I: I let the work speak for itself. But the main word is duality. So that’s how I describe my work. Obviously, red and blue are the main components.
MC: By the way, did you ever paint letters in the past, or did you start with characters right away?
I: I’m very happy that you asked this because I actually started off with letters for the first 3 years. All I did was tags, throw-ups, and wild styles, when I was 14 years old. My tag was Rayden, which was inspired by the game Mortal Combat. The characters came much later in the form of cartoons in order to enhance the letters. My very first character was Crash Bandicoot from the game ‘Crash Twinsanity’. I had no idea I’d be a ‘character’ guy or even a muralist one day; all I did was play video games and paint graffiti.
MC: What a source of inspiration! How would you describe your painting process? Is it rather technical, or is it intuitive?
I: I think it’s technical. I’m very technical and organized. When I’m painting, I’m trying to express myself without thinking because I do that in my business. Everything is organized and in boxes, with timelines and deadlines. So when I’m painting, this is when I have fun! So, I try to be more creative and less technical if it makes sense.
MC: So the planning and scheduling of the action- that’s the technical part- is the painting itself the intuitive part?
I: When you are planning a mural, that’s all technical and organized. And when installing a mural, you don’t have to think that much. Everything is already approved, so I can just have fun.
MC: And what about your choice of motives? I saw that a lot of works contain pop cultural references taken from movies or comics. Are you choosing those references because you like them, or are you also factoring in the perception from a broader audience? When you say you came from graffiti, which is very often a secluded scene that’s very self-referential, to me, does the work you do seem appealing to a broader audience? What do you think about that?
I: I used a lot of references to pop culture and movies because I love movies! Now, I do my own portraits and my own stories without having pre-existing references. Now, I’m trying to do something unique without thinking about the audience at all! It’s way more important to do something that is completely yours, and then the audience will follow you. If you’re painting for the audience, that’s a big trap because you guide the audience. So whatever you do, if it’s very personal, then they’re gonna follow it, and they’re gonna like it because they care more about the personality of the artist and not so much about the single artwork. So if they know more about you, what you do, your background, your interest, then they’re gonna see the work, and from my personal experience, they’re gonna like it more.
MC: Do you think of social media accounts as part of the communication as well, or do you strictly limited to the to the to the artworks?
I: Social media nowadays are part of the process, maybe even bigger than the artwork itself. People have always loved watching streamers and YouTubers and following their personal lives. So I think this is a big part of your job as an artist, you know, to show them what’s behind the scenes. Basically, they want to follow your path, and you have to show them the insights, and you have to show them yourself. You have to reveal your character. You have to tell them about your ideas, and that is how you connect more with your audience. If it’s just artwork, that’s fine, but nice pictures are not gonna do the job. You have to put yourself out there.
MC: Interesting! Speaking about putting yourself out there – do you prefer working by yourself or collaborating with other artists?
I: Collaborating with other artists, even though I do not do it that much! I also like collaborating in general, on a spray can, for example. Every time you collaborate with someone, you learn new things and discover other perspectives. When collaborating with someone in a medium that you’re not used to, you get to discover a different world, work in a different way, and the outcome is always better than what you would do by yourself.
MC: True. I agree. So, do you ever get tired of your color scheme, or do you do free stuff on the site that you maybe don’t show?
I: No, I never get tired. This is a common question. I really love those colors. Sometimes I try different things just for fun, if I go to a Hall of Fame with my friends, for example, I will paint something more simple, but I don’t get tired. I think the options are unlimited. So I can keep exploring this style for the next 5 to 10 years, and I will not run out of ideas.
MC: Okay, so it’s more like a part of your CI I than a limitation?
I: Yeah, pretty much! I think having unlimited options is worse than having something that you have to stick to, you know, because if you have unlimited options, then let’s say that you have all the colors from Montana, for example. You know, black, gold, everything, and you have to use them all. That’s way harder for me. You know, you can do 1000s of combinations and 1000s of different ideas and artworks just with 20 colors, and that puts you in a state of mind where you have to make up things and find ways to use them. You have to invent new things instead of just having everything!
MC: Do you have any idols, like people you look up to, or do you take inspiration from artists?
I: I do have a lot. One of the main inspirations is that I think I have a lot of inspiration in, you know, different art forms. I get a lot of inspiration from mangas from Japan. So I watch a lot of anime, like One Piece, for example. Miyazaki is one of the biggest creators of Japanese animations with Studio Ghibli. Of course, I’ve got mural artists like Shepard Fairey, who also uses red and blue, which I love. I get inspiration from everything, basically, you know, even from action movies.
MC: Okay, cool! What’s your favorite aspect of paint? Are you very specific about the tools that you are using?
I: Yeah, I love Montana Black because of the pressure, the quality, and the coverage. I don’t prefer transparent paint. I want the paint to cover and to have the pressure to paint faster and bigger. Also, I don’t like matte colors because they’re used when you’re painting a wall. I like the colors to be more vibrant. So, yeah, Black is my favorite by far! I’m really bad at naming caps. I like the gray one with the black dots and the banana cap. It has different names depending on the country. That’s that’s my number one cap. But for the collaboration, I chose the red cap, which is really good for covering. And obviously, it’s red, so that makes sense. So, for the looks, I would pick the red cap, and for the technique, I would choose the outline cap!
MC: So, do you have any tips for beginners?
I: Paint as much as you can! Especially if you are young, push until you are 30 years old. Paint as much as you can, travel as much as you can, you have plenty of time to do other things later, you know, like exhibitions or making money. You’re probably gonna enjoy it more. And when you start working more on commissions in the future, you’re gonna think back over the days that you were traveling and painting graffiti or at festivals. You will think of that as the best time.
MC: So you look back with a sense of nostalgia?
I: I’m very nostalgic as a person. I think my life now is way better than it used to be when I was painting and traveling so much. I’m still doing it, but it’s a different era now. However, I don’t think of it as a time when everything was better. It was different from now. It’s gone, and it’s in the past. But, of course, I often look at it through rose-colored glasses.
MC: Okay, thanks for all your insights, and thanks for your time! Is there something that you want to talk about? Is there something you want to add or something that’s super important for you as a message to get out there?
I: Thanks so much! I guess if I had to give another piece of advice to anyone who’s painting, it would basically be to work as much as you can. You know, work is just a word. For me, work is basically my whole lifestyle, and painting is work. For me, it’s fun. Therefore, I like to work many hours. Your work ethic, even if it comes to painting, is number one. And the more you paint, the better you become: even if you try to do, let’s say, one wall that’s gonna be the best. Try to do 50 walls instead! By the time you’ve done 10 of them, they’re already gonna be better than trying to do one. Just try to go for it, do as much as possible, and you’re gonna have more fun. You’re gonna gain more experience!
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Montana BLACK Artist Edition #28 TR5000 True Cyan by Insane51