“My performance is a commentary on the proliferation of images on social media in particular with relation to the graffiti scene. Few people born today will relate to the days when people restricted the number of photographs they took on film and shared them with a limited audience. If the armchair traveller used the book as his medium of transport, the desktop traveller stays behind the safety of a screen. Less than three years ago, we used to sit at the train stations to wait for passing trains and photograph graffiti. Whether they were mine or not, I was always excited to wait and finally hold the developed image in my hand, recognizing the tensions between the ephemeral nature of graffiti and the tangible photograph. In the journey from surface to screen, through smartphone to cyberspace, something is big lost and the energy of graffiti is undermined. This piece challenges the ideology of fame: the reason why people upload and want their work uploaded. It is an absurd comment to the existential crisis of graffiti, simultaneously deconstructing the various elements, abandoning any logical surface or rational approach. Before I paint another piece that will be lost inside the web, I want to defend and reassert the fundamental ephemerality of this form of expression.”
INDIE Magazine had a conversation with the young artist who left his hometown Munich to study performance art in London and to focus more on his two biggest passions: tattoos and graffiti.
LAVIE
Life. My life. Somehow I figured that these words had a ring to them, when i thought of this name a couple of years ago in Berlin. I never stick to a name. I hate the idea of routine, but it just stuck with me, despite the fact that I hate the letter L and V.
GRAFFITI
Instagram, in my opinion, is the worst thing that could have happened to graffiti. Of course, you have the possibility to connect with others, see what your guys from all over the world burn, but it takes away so much excitement. You arrive in a new city, but due to social platforms, you already know all the crazy pieces and spots. That’s kind of boring, everything gets uploaded (right after it’s painted). But why? I believe that most of the writer’s are not necessarily doing that to get commissioned work. Anyway, they should do what they want. I don’t want my stuff to be uploaded there. The photo will be lost in the abyss of the web. This performance is a comment on this proliferation of images in the internet. The endless proliferation. I was not sure if I want to publish this video, for this exact reason, I did not want to contribute to this happening. But then I came to the conclusion that it has to be put out there, internet users are the targeted audience.
PERFORMANCE ART
Performance Art – one does not really get it. You can’t hang it up in a gallery. The chances of becoming rich with it are very low. Of course there are exceptions, I don’t want to deny that. However performance, for me, is the most human, independent and impulsive form of expression: you need nothing and no one but yourself (blablabla art deep talk).
BRIXTON
Guns of Brixton is the ‘soundtrack of my life’ when i have one of these fuck the system/ fuck the world/fuck the fuck moments. I can picture them knocking at my door, it makes me smile that they would not understand why you do the things you got to do.
INK
I happily and proudly admit: my mum can get rid of any ink stains and paint drops from my clothing. This is quite beneficial, as I never have to turn my jacket when I paint, and thus always look fresh to death.
VERSACE
“She’s asking me what’s on my body – Versace Versace Versace”: I always sing along when someone put on this track by Krept & Konan. No, I do not own any piece of clothing from this brand.
TOMORROW
Mañana forever – forever tomorrow – the best life motto (and recipe for self-destruction)
RELIEF
Relief is when you come out of the park, disguised as a jogger (in underwear), where prior you’ve spent the last three hours under bushes because you thought it was a clever idea to apply some chrome paint onto a station (in Munich) at a busy junction, and coincidentally (as it is very common for Munich) undercovers drive by.
WEISSWURST
Even though there are no “Spätis” (late night shops) in Munich, we have the Weißwurst. Basically the same. Almost. At least we have the best hangover ritual. Fuck you all.
NIGHTMARE
I honestly do not know what I would consider more of a nightmare: the introduction of CCTV in my street or one of those wild style pieces using photorealistic bubbles and fat cap effects. If I was forced to choose one or the other, I’d probably choose the first option. At least this way I know that I could walk outside my house, not worrying about stopping dead in my tracks. And after the shock, having to make the effort to chrome the piece out in order to re-establish piece in my environment.
AUTO TUNE
Googled the definition straight away. Straight toy when it comes to creating music. I would love to be more musically talented, always wanted to play an instrument – and i fall in love with every girl that can stroke a bit the strings of a guitar and sing nostalgic songs alongside. It was not easy for me to accept the fact I was not born to play the piano. Now I know: my real strength is in applied vandalism.
CHIHUAHUA
One of our guys always takes photos. Of everything. Every little cloud and also of every dog. When he sees one, he approaches and says “hello dog”, laughs a little bit devilish and captures the moment. Chihuahuas and pugs are his favourite.
POPEYE
Even though, unlike most other kids, I never complained when spinach was put on my plate, I never grew to be like popeye. Knowing I won’t be able to look down on the security guards, I decided to (successfully) focus on my running abilities.
Watch LAVIE here:
By Marieke Fischer
