P1000394

Writing on the wall

by
Graffiti has been around in some form or another since the days of the ancient Greeks.  From rough scratchings on historical ruins, the advent of permanent markers and spray paint in the 1970’s took the art form a whole other level.  Yet it remains a contentious issue for many cities.  Is it some form of urban art and modern expression, or simply just unwanted vandalism of public spaces?
 
Certainly there are varying levels of skill involved and there’s arguably a difference between a simple skater’s ‘tag’ and some of the more ornate, creative and often large-scale examples.  Some graffiti can appear to spoil a clean urban landscape, while others can provide a much-needed splash of colour and excitement to otherwise dull architecture or dilapidated buildings.  A city might even commission a work, or just receive it unexpectedly. In the age of the Internet and social media, some artists and their works have become hugely famous, often remaining mysteriously anonymous, while secretly revealing their latest works whenever and wherever they choose.   And if your building or city happens to get hit by a big name in street art, look out, because it could become the next big tourist attraction or even a highly valuable piece of modern day art.  This month, Closer Look checks out some prominent street artists around the region and speaks to a local graffiti crew about their mission to brighten up the city.
 
 
 

Macau Crew

Macau-based graffiti crew Gantz5 have gone from dodging police to painting community centres and teaching troubled youths
 
Established a decade ago, Gantz5 is comprised of three young, local artists – Pat, Thomas and Kelvin. At the time the crew was formed, they were under 18 and started painting simply out of curiosity without any real meaningful purpose. They just created their art on the spur of the moment. 
 
“It was purely about being destructive,” says Pat. “We had no idea of what we were doing until we got caught by the police. Then we started to rethink why we do graffiti.”
 
Their inspiration mostly comes from how they feel on the day, and their skills have become more refined and sophisticated over the years.  Gantz5 is now one of the exhibitors in the Animamix Biennale 2013-2014 currently on display at the Macau Museum of Art.
 
Looking back, each of them has made significant progress since the beginning of their artistic journey. Their recent works express a solid sense of team spirit, while still maintaining their own individual style and different preferences.
 
“We do our work in the street and it connects with whoever passes by, irrespective of whether you like it or not. Street art is not something rebellious but enhances the aesthetics of our city,” Pat says. 
 
Gantz5 aims to make an impression on every passer by, with surreal and innovative ideas in their works. 
 
“Our city is overwhelmed by advertisements or posters that don’t make you think, but just expect you to take what you are given,” Thomas says. “So what we strive to do is to shock you in an informative and creative way.”  
 
“When people look at our work, they might be confused at first, but when you look at it carefully, you’ll get a sense of what we’re doing,” Kelvin explains. “Our work is meant to interrupt you on your way and make you stand still for a few minutes, listening to our art.”
 
Gantz5 also strives to touch people with their art and hopes that audiences will gain a positive and encouraging message out of their works. 
 
“Most of us are not living to work but working to live. We lose all our passions to just earn a living,” Kelvin says. “We feel too tired to move on in pursuit of our dreams.”
 
Their work aims to take audiences back to a point in life when they were still young and not troubled by anything.
 
“We have to be determined and persistent in what we’re doing.  For us, doing graffiti is just like breathing and eating. It’s so natural that we need to find ways to express ourselves,” says Kelvin.
 
Pat is also an art teacher for an educational institute and he observes that many students are encouraged to learn fine arts and music when they are young. 
 
“But then their parents change their minds when their children enter high school.  They think that art and music can’t guarantee a promising future,” he says.
 
Thanks to the support of his family, Pat has been able to follow his dreams and do street art.  And he his not bothered by the prospect of being caught for breaking the law. 
 
“We’ve been caught by the police and detained in jail before, but graffiti is our life. I don’t want to give up. My parents have faith in me and respect what I do. They just tell me to be careful. That kind of support is more than enough,” he says.
 
The team argues for more public resources for street art. 
 
“Most land is used for residential or commercial purposes. The authorities seldom consider what street artists need,” says Thomas. “In Taiwan, a hundred yards of public space near the riverside has been reserved as a graffiti zone. You can even paint with chalk.”
 
By creating these types of street art zones, teenagers are able to express their emotions and that can even help to reduce juvenile crimes to a certain degree, Thomas suggests.
 
According to Thomas, there are only a few legal places where they can do street art in Macau, but most walls are in bad condition after being left unattended for years. 
 
“You can’t imagine how thickly the paint is applied. Cracks appear in the walls and I’m afraid they may collapse if I push them with a bit strength,” he says. 
 
Gantz5 is just like a team of guerrillas, exploring every corner of the city in search of a place for their next creation. They wish to incorporate colourful and intriguing elements into boring walls, bringing them to life and making them more appealing.
 
“We’re adventurers in the city. We love Macau as much as other people do. The way we see Macau is different from anybody else. We risk our lives to go to dangerous places for art’s sake,” Pat says. “We are pirates in the sense that we look for treasure, and the walls are our treasure.”
 
Exposed to dirt, rainwater, high levels of air pollution and humidity without any proper protection in open spaces, their street art works are more prone to deterioration than if on display in a museum. 
 
“Never mind,” Kelvin says. “We know very well from day one when we do graffiti, it will be easily destroyed, but it becomes part of our memory through photographs and filming. After all, nothing can last forever. We all just look forward to the next one, a better one with even greater visual impact.”
 
“Unlike artwork in museums for those who love high art and make an effort to go to see it, our works are for all people. We compel all passers-by to view it in the street and just take it as it is,” concludes Patt.
 
 

Recently Gantz5 was commissioned to paint a mural in the entranceway for a new youth centre in Ilha Verde run by the Macao Christian New Life Fellowship Smart Youth Association. The crew also gives painting classes to troubled youths at the centre. According to the artists, the work aims to encourage local teenagers to be determined to pursue their goals in life. While the figure is obviously Jesus, they downplay the religious significance. “For us it is not about religion. It shows a man who is suffering and being tortured for his beliefs and dreams,” says Thomas. The artwork was completed in two days.

 
Camp-Street Graffiti Zone

 
Located just next to Senado Square, the 1,200m2 zone is the only legal place for the street art in Macau. Once an abandoned construction site, it is now a vibrant art incubator area thanks to a community art project in 2008 organisd by the Macau Art Museum to promote an exhibition of ancient Greek Art.

 

Facebook
WhatsApp
Threads
X
Email

More from the author

More of this category

Featured

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Older Issues

Living and Arts Magazine

現已發售 NOW ON SALE

KNOW MORE LiVE BETTER