Graffiti can spark joy and ignite a conversation depending on the context. We asked SHOCK, a member of MSK, about his motivation to still paint after more than 20 years and highlights of his graffiti journey. We received a response bursting with positivity and possibly universal graffiti truths. From being mistaken for a thief to meeting fans offering him a public art show, his anecdotes illustrate what can happen when unbiased bystanders discover their love for art. Wholesome!
SHOCK wants to eventually create pieces that don’t even have letters but still convey a message. By skipping over language and using just colors, lines, and shapes, he aims to create art that can be read and understood, conveying a clear message.
I think the perfect Graff spot for me is like a nice set back/up high street spot, where you can flex and take your time, but the street sees it in the day.
Drugs and sobriety play a big part in SHOCK’s style. SHOCK paints no matter what he’s going through, and many of his really out-there styles come from being in extreme states or from making it back safely and reflecting on the journey. SHOCK wants his art to reach a level where the people who painted over it in his hometown are kicking themselves because their once ugly building could have been worth millions. The abandoned grain elevators around the Midwest are probably SHOCK’s favorite things to paint. They have it all: highly visible rooftops, chill piecing walls, and lots of space to mess around.
…I’ve tried to build my life in a way that allows me to keep being out here and painting graffiti
It was these two pieces that made the people of Springfield see SHOCK and STATIC as artists they wanted to get to know, rather than have them arrested. With its dynamic shapes and bold lines, this SHOCK piece stands out against a stark white brick wall,
breathing life into a once desolate space.
All images by graffiti artist SHOCK ISM