The stories about Madvictor
We Are Madvictor!
S : There are graffiti artists like Xeba, Jeba, Semi, and Mapa in Madvictor. Ji-hoon who is a painter is also our team.
M : Also, there is a 1jm.1jm who rides a skateboard and performs rap is in Madvictor. Photographers are also in our team.
S : Madvictor is not only for Graffiti artists. Our purpose is to just have fun together. We are a team composed of artists from different field. That’s why a skater or a rapper is in our team. Due to synergy effect, we can make a good performance.
S : Xeba began to draw graffiti earlier than I did. It was not serious. I did graffiti as a hobby. Meanwhile, I found that I get along well with Xeba. So, we worked together. This was the beginning of madvictor. Madvictor means conquering wall, madly. This name sounds very energetic. We were just looking for a special name not an ordinary one like “blah blah” crew.
S : Graffiti was first introduced to Koreans through Hip-Hop album jackets when hip-hop was popular. The elders started graffiti in mid-nineties. I drew comics first. But, since i saw graffiti in music videos. I have been interested in it. So, I visited the places of graffiti works. I realized that Graffiti is not just scribble, which is motivated me.
X : I went to a high school for arts and studied fine art. However, I wanted to get out arts for entrance examination.
M : I’m interested in hip-hop. I encounterrd Graffiti in the process of learning about Hip-Hop.
S : I was not fully prepared when I visited the Asia graffiti wall-lords Korean selection in In-cheon. It was very hard to adapt to Shanghai, where the final took place. It was so humid, and food also did not suit my taste. Although the scale of competition was big, working environment was bad. I was so worried that there are many powerful people in Asia. I already knew about artists in Europe and America. It was the first time for me to meet artists from other Asian nations. The fact that we were Korean representatives was a burden. Because it is not an international competition, if I can’t get first prize, it would be a shame. I worked so much-I didn’t use the restroom. At last, we became champions. When I heard our name as champions, suddenly my mind went blank.
S : I was proud of an exhibition held in the Sungkok Gallery. The exhibition had been prepared for one year. I’m very happy to display Graffiti to many people. I think it is a good opportunity to let people know that “Graffiti is not a bad thing anymore.”
M : The first work, after leaving the army, struck me the most. To be honest, I was incapable of drawing Graffiti on a big wall. I were very proud that I made a work of that scale.
S : The graffiti festival is also a meaningful experience. It is unusual for a Graffiti artist to get along well citizens. I really enjoyed the festival when people drew Graffiti themselves.
S : I was surprised to see many students attending Sangsangmadang’s lecture. There are many girls or older people who have few experiences with graffiti, directly. I was happy to see people enjoy doing graffiti, students in particular.
X : That experience enabled me to learn many things from students. I let students do materials research. Students want to draw works with light atmosphere. If we, graffiti artists, want to be familiar with public, we get out the original dark graffiti.
M : I like to use lines. So, I decided to major in comics in university. Also I often use lines in my Graffiti works, too.
S : I loved to draw letter designs in graffiti. These days I agonizing over making the works that the public can understand easily. However, it is really hard to strike a balance between my style and public’s taste.
X : Many of my works are not practical, but pure in the sense they present my value or my belief. Some of them have a social message.
Grafitti is no more a Nak-soe
X : Nak-soe is different from Graffiti. Graffiti has a though and it is variety. Graffiti has envolved from Nak-soe.
S : Graffiti is no more a just writing a name on a dangerous place. Whereas Nak-soe is unplanned, Graffiti takes for 4 to 5 hours having a clear purpose.
S : We need to bring Graffiti into public culture. It must cover a story of sympathy. It artists create only abstract works, then they will be isolated from the public.
X : Graffiti is taking place in the street. The working place is exposed to everyone. Artists must think of it, so always think of publics think when they look the work. Graffiti isn’t in private place like fine arts. Also, a good planning is essential.
S : Above all, graffiti artists need to make people think Graffiti art is funny and witty.
Try it
S : It is really hard to do graffiti in succession. First, you must learn enough about materials like spray. Then you need to practice many times.
X : Understanding graffiti’s past, present and future through books, in particular foreign ones, will guide to you to create good graffiti art.
Graffiti is all about writing, drawing, or spraying on walls or public spaces. Graffiti artists use marker pens, spray paint, or paint. Modern graffiti was led by Afro-Americans or the rebellious young in early days. Graffiti was evolved from hip-hop culture. However, now, graffiti adopts the style of modern arts.
Graffiti takes little time and it can create a big picture. But, the spray is not cheap to buy, and the proper wall is hard to find.
First, you must be accustomed to using painting tools like a spray. For beginners, spray painting is never an easy job. Second, you must find a wall. The condition of the wall is important. So you may paint on the wall before you do graffiti. Usually spray doesn’t work well on the cement wall. Now the last thing is doing! Keep practicing graffiti get some inspiration from other foreign artists.
chole7@cnu.ac.kr