I recently had the opportunity to sit down with budding graffiti artist, Bones, and converse about becoming a jedi, Taylor Swift, and entitlement in regards to art. Hailing from nowhere in particular, at no particular age, no said gender, or association to anything except for the Gap clothes on this individual's back, Bones' images live less vaguely on carefully chosen walls.
So how'd you adopt the name Bones?
People say I'm skinny, they say 'your skin and bones'. But 'skin and bones' would be way too long [to write].
What is your definition of graffiti?
It comes from the Latin word 'graffito' which means 'little scratching'. Graffiti, in a sense, is any kind of mark on a medium.
'Graffito' sounds Italian.
Oh ya, I forgot, it's Italian.
What kind of medium do you make these marks?
Any kind of medium. I like to work on walls. But not brick walls, I despise brick walls. Ones that are gray or white. Light colored walls work so I can use any color I want.
What range of colors, or palettes do you enjoy using?
I like using the colors of the rainbow and black. I don't like mixing.
Any particular reason you don't mix colors?
It can get very complicated and very messy.
What piece of art has been most exposed from you?
Probably a piece I did that most of my campus has been able to see. I was very proud of it until somebody ruined it.
What was it of?
A crow. But someone drew a fox jumping on top of it.
Did you retaliate?
Yes, I did. I drew another crow snatching it away. Then some random kid came and drew a word bubble that said 'Nevermore' and everyone was like 'what the hell?'. Everything was erased. Weeks of planning, gone!
Have you created anything else on this campus?
No, I haven't had any time.
Where was the last place you painted something?
In a warehouse, it was a tag and a piece.
Does your work have any sort of theme or message?
No, [its] whatever's on my mind.
What's been on your mind?
Crows and Taylor Swift. She should have her own page here.
What are your thoughts on Taylor Swift?
She's cool, but she has nothing to do with graffiti.
How'd you come up with crows?
That's a personal question.
Is there anything else you like to paint?
Ya, tags: my name in either some kind of cryptic writing or a regular graffiti.
How did you learn to graffiti?
I taught myself. You don't really learn graffiti, you just improve. It's like becoming a Jedi.
Where do you go for your inspiration? Do you have an Obe One Kanobi?
I take hallucinogenic drugs and write down what I think about. No, just kidding, the internet. I type in graffiti and see what I see.
How is it being anonymous?
It doesn't bind you to any political, national, or racial bias.
What about sexism?
Ya, I guess everything. It's like working with a blank slate.
Is your goal then to approach every wall with this blank- slate- state of mind?
No because sometimes there's something already there [someone else's art]. It depends on the audience, what's already there, what my meaning is, if it even has a meaning.
Is this a problem - running into other people's art?
It's not a problem, it's just something I have to think about.
Would you ever write over someone else's art?
Yes. If it's not worthy or useless. It depends on my mood.
It sounds like your giving yourself some authority here.
I do what I want. That's the whole point. You give yourself entitlement. The only law is there is no law. And plus if it's not pretty, [the artist] should know. If it has no significance, it'll be written over. Especially if it's a good spot.
So what about the 'Nevermore' written on your wall and this kid's reference to Edgar Allan Poe? That's significant in the literary world.
It wasn't a Raven, it was a crow. He should've checked the wings.
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