Five questions for five flicks 

Featured artist - DMOTE

DMOTE is a graffiti writer from Sydney. He has been painting since 1985 perfecting all aspects of graff from tags, throwups and burners. Since then he has gone on to live in NYC and make a living off his graffiti and design skills. There's so much more to say but we'll get into the interview and let him do the talking.

Instagram@dmoterola

1. How would you describe your style?

My style is versatile but deeply rooted in New York. I focus on moving and manipulating traditional letters from the eighties, I get bored so I tried to do something new every time. My job now is to take the tradition and repackage it to make a new present version.

2. What is it like living and painting in the US compared to back home?

Humbling and fresh, it's good now to be a small fish in a large pond, it's given me a chance to really look at the art and study the history and tradition and reinvent myself, and do that without much attention, if you're not from New York it doesn't really matter what you do, nobody gives a fuck, I like that.

At the same time its hard to paint here, definitely not the ideal city. It's hard to get permission walls, and when one comes up everyone wants to be on it. It's funny to see New York legends play themselves just to get on a legal wall.

3. How did you end up writing TATS Crew and what is it like being a member?

Well, I been hanging out with the TATS crew since 2000 through How and Nosm. The first and only place I came in New York for years was Hunts Point to the TATS office. I didn't get to Brooklyn until about my third trip.

TATS cru is a huge family that extends from train writing OG'S of the 80's to neighbourhood friends and family. For the most part in graffiti, a crew is usually three letters at the end of your name which really means nothing. TATS is the first real crew/family that I had ever experienced.

4. What does a typical day in NYC look like for you?

I get up early and start working on something wether it's my job or a painting or a side project, I try to paint as much graff as possible, but this past few months I've been chillin'.

5. What motivates you to keep painting?

At the moment not much, but when I'm feeling good and in a flow, it's just to have good people around. I used to get motivated when I saw my peers do something dope, but now I'm in a different space, that competition isn't as motivating.

Thank you DMOTE for taking the time to talk to us and sharing your flicks.

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