OKOK x Smutskatt 01 | Video and Interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mxiRvmcSXY

This is the first in a series of collaborations between OKOK and music artist Smutskatt. OKOK drawing a pattern that Smutskatt composes music to. After the jump we also have prepared a interview with the swedish artist, enjoy:

OKOK might be known to most people as the man behind TagsAndThrows, where he’s showcasing some of the best tags and throw-ups from all over the world. With more than 48 000 followers – TagsAndThrows is one of the leading sources for graffiti in the world right now.

Outside his work with TagsAndThrows he’s an artist himself. His passion is patterns, spreading good vibes and perfecting his handstyle. And his working with film and photography as well as painting on walls, drawing on paper and painting on canvas. We sat down with OKOK to ask him a few questions about his art.

When did you start working as OKOK?

I’ve been a music manager for some of the biggest names on the Swedish hiphop scene for the last 8 years, but did split up with my partner in September 2013 to focus 100% on TagsAndThrows and my own art. Working as a music manager made me learn a lot about branding, marketing and promotion and gave me a chance to travel all around the world with our artists to see new things and build a huge network of contacts, but it did also put me in a depression. I’ve been a creative soul all my life and, but I stopped painting when I worked in the music industry. When I got back into painting I slowly reached the surface again and decided to never again stop painting.

How has your background in graffiti influenced the art you create today?

It surely has. Not only my art, but my life as a whole. Some of my best friends are graffiti writers and my love for tags and throw-ups is bigger than anything else. Like most people interested in graffiti, I got some kind of radar that takes in all tags around me as aI walk around different cities. The repetition in tagging is probably what influence me most though – I can’t stop. Repetition is the mother of all learning and it shows in my art. I’m also trying to develop the most beautiful handstyle I can, and a lot of my art includes words.

What are your 3 main sources of inspiration?

I get inspired by everything. It can be a dirty back alley, an exhibition at the modern museum of art, a sticker on a telephone pole, a novel or a conversation with a friend. At times I do almost feel too inspired. When I’m going to an art exhibition I usually need to leave before I even seen half of it, because I get too inspired to see more and need to get home to my pen and pad to create myself. Usually I get more inspired by the life of artists than the art of artists.