Five questions for five flicks 

Featured artist - SET ONE

Instagram@Set1st

SET is a graffiti writer from Sydney. He paints fresh public styles, wild pieces and has dope throwups. He always seems to find a cool and different spot to paint (check his Instagram) and his pieces fit into their surroundings like they were meant to be there. We caught up with him for a quick chat and asked for his favourite five flicks.

1. What got you into graffiti?

Typical story really. Graff piqued my curiosity when I was younger, I didn’t really understand who was doing It or why, but for some reason It spoke to me. I was always drawing and was a competitive kid who welcomed a challenge. Over time I met a few guys with a similar interest, and then managed to catch the ‘bug’ so to say.

2. How would you describe your style?

I’m not too sure if my pieces conform to a particular style or what to label it, I just like to mix it up with different styles and be versatile. I just paint the kind of graffiti I like to look at I suppose. Doesn’t everyone do that? I mean, if you aren’t getting much personal satisfaction out of what you are doing then you should probably question why the fuck you bother to do it.. 

3. Do you have a good chase story?

I’ve had a few- this was by far the worst of the worst:
One wet and miserable evening I decided to go and paint a spot I had my eye on. It was about midnight and the streets were dead. The spot was a sheltered overpass along the tram lines, close to the Powerhouse museum(before those ugly skyscrapers were built).

I quietly made my way down to the spot when I noticed a little swag/camp right near the wall I wanted to paint. In the darkness I turned to see an angry arabic looking guy with a big dirty beard staring back at me. I told him to chill and that I just wanted do a quick painting. He just stared and started saying ‘You Fuckin…You Fuckin…’ Then all of a sudden he ripped his shirt off and screamed ‘You Fuckin!’. His body was ripped and I thought ‘Oh great, I’m going to have to fight this crazy homeless terminator fuck..’ Before I could do anything he lunged towards me and grabbed me around the leg and bit into my ankle.

I wrestled him off my leg and ran onto the tracks , I turned to see him chasing me (on the trackrocks, with bare feet). The dude was in hot pursuit and he was fast(and he had bare fucking feet.. On the trackrocks!?!). Thats when I thought Ok this crazy terminator Fuck wants to kill me and its pouring with rain and there is nobody around to witness anything. I jumped off the tracks and onto the street and the guy was still chasing, yelling 'You Fucken...YOU FUCKEN!’.

After a few blocks, I grew tired of running and ducked behind a corner and put both hands on my paint bag to get ready to swing it at him and to my surprise(and relief) the guy ran straight past and didn’t see me. I went home, took my bloody sock off, slept terribly, and went to get a blood test the next morning (all clear).  I used to walk past him on the street now and then and would say ‘Whats up Youfucken?’ to which he would reply with a stare and a nod. Youfucken (see pic below) and I shared a mutual hatred for each other for a few years.

4. You find some cool and different places to paint, how do you go about adapting the piece to the surface?

I don’t usually put much planning into painting particular spots or pieces, Its usually a matter of working with what I’ve got(paint wise) and improvising once at the spot. I will sometimes take a scribble on paper but painting is usually much more fun when you loosen up and avoid sticking to a plan/formula.

5. What motivates you to keep painting?

I still enjoy painting (most of the time). I have a bunch of reasons why I shouldn’t paint and the day I stop enjoying it I‘ll stop.
But, There is a LOT of great stuff being produced at the moment and there are so many talented writers and artists (both locally and abroad) that its hard not to feel motivated and inspired by what others are doing. 
Also, Finding a balance between painting and handling day to day life is important. As I get older, the more the idea of being a respectable adult takes precedence over being a respectable Graff writer.
Shout out to all my crews, family and friends!

 

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