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Screen Shot: "Curvernica"
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"CURVERNICA" by MICO [9-11-89]
68" X 117" Acrylic on Canvas...
Photo Copyright: MICO
Full Interview Below.
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DEVIL'S PUNCHBOWL PRESENTS: AEROSOL ART PIONEER, MICO.
SOBER: So MICO, I'm glad you could be here today. Let me start off by asking you how does it feel to be one of the pioneers of this artform?
MICO: I'm glad also to be here today, 6/4/02.
Being a pioneer of NYC Writin' has never been a big deal to me, because as I have always maintained, it was just a matter of pure luck for me and the others to be at the right place at the right time.
Although at the time we did not fully realize the cultural phenomenon we were unleashing upon the world, we did with what we had then.
What did we have then? Nothing, we had 'nothing' to build or expand on because Writin' was a new thing, and we had to invent techniques, styles, strategies and those sort of things as we went along.
SOBER: When did you first start writing?
MICO: I started Writin' with MANI, PelUSA and MALO in the summer of 1970, at Erasmus Hall High School, 911 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. There, we founded SALVAJES, the first ever all-latino Writin' group in NYC.
SOBER: When did you stop, and why?
MICO: I retired from public surfaces in 1975. My reason for stopping was that the city was bent on buffing our works from the subway surfaces and I realized that I was wasting my paint, time and energy doing works on public surfaces, only to be buffed by the city.
I also became discouraged by the emerging trend then (in the mid 70s) of up and coming Writers painting over other people's pieces, dissing those of us who had risked our skin in order to lay legitimate claim to a surface.
Thus it was that I chose to continue painting on canvas, as a way at the very least, to be able to preserve the works and ideas. Canvas also became a way to earn some money.
SOBER: Who were some other writers of that time you hung out with?
MICO: MANI, PelUSA, MALO, HALF, DINO NOD (R.I.P.), WG, DECO INC., SLIM ONE, initiated SAVAGE (R.I.P.), CLUTCH 2, CLAW 2, and hung out with FLINT For Those Who Dare..., TRACY 168, PISTOL ONE, KILLER ONE, and of course experienced a most interesting and educational couple of years in U.G.A., with the likes of SJK 171, STITCH 1, SNAKE 1, C.A.T. 87, LEE 163D!, PHASE 2, T-REX 131 (R.I.P.), COCO-144, SUPER STUFF ONE, SPANKY 132, FLINT 707, KROME 100 and others.
SOBER: Any people you looked up to, any peers, or any particular favorites?
MICO: STAY HIGH "149", HONDO 1, SWEET CRUZ, LIL HAWK - These guys were the originators of the 'Top to Bs'.!!
PHASE 2 for his continued innovations.
SUPER KOOL 223 and SPIN for their energy.
EL MARKO 174, CLIFF 159, and FDT 56, because these niggaz killed Transit.
EL MACABRO for his macabre signature.
SOBER: Where did you catch that first tag of yours, and at what age?
MICO: My first ever spray paint hit was done at the foot of a store window on the corner of Beverly Rd. and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. The surface was sort of like a shiny formica black. My first ever can of spray was Red Devil silver. I was 15 in 1970.
SOBER: Where did you grow up?
MICO: I grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia, South America until age 14, then in 1969, my mom decided to change my address to 2144 Cortelyou Rd. in Brooklyn, NY.
SOBER: What train lines did you hit?
MICO: We started hitting the QJ (now the M) and D at the Neck Road/Sheepshead Bay/Ocean Parkway layups. We then hit the Myrtle Ave Shuttle, RR, N, F, B, LL, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and J Lines, as well as any money and work trains we could get our hands on. We never hit the 7 Line because every time we went to Flushing Meadow Park, it was to play soccer and we didn't have time left to go hitting trains. We were addicted to soccer as well.
SOBER: What kind of art do you do nowadays?
MICO: Abstract Social Realism. You can learn all about it at: http://www.abstractsocialrealism.com
SOBER: Are there any artists who inspired you?
MICO: Besides the Writers that I mentioned above in question #5, I would have to say that my art has been influenced by Pablo Picasso. I just love his freedom for style and his not-worried-about-making-a-mistake approach to creating, be it a painting, sculpture or whatever.
I feel that I have also been influenced a lot by the art and culture of the original Peoples of the Americas such as the Incas, Mayas, Tainos, Aztecs, Toltecs, Chibchas and others.
SOBER: Where has some of your art been exhibited?
MICO: NYC, Puerto Rico, Jacksonville, Fl., Chicago, Basel, Amsterdam and of course, the www.
SOBER: How do you feel about the artform being so "mainstream" nowadays?
MICO: I think it's wonderful! It proves that what we invented had its reasons for being invented as well as artistic value. Even though 'the Powers That Be' have always tried to put down and denigrate our original artform, the 'Mother of Us All', as my brother PHASE 2 would call it, Writin' has survived the onslaught and all the dissing.
Youth all over the globe have embraced Writin' with open arms. Some Writers have gone on to establish legitimate art and commercial art careers for themselves. Writin' continues to fascinate people all over the world. There are professors and teachers who have classes on this Culture. (Unfortunately for their students, though, the professors have never set foot in a subway tunnel, nor can they get the name of the Culture straight...)
SOBER: What challenges do Writers of today face that ones of yesterday didn't?
MICO: Writers today need to look up the definition of the infamous 'G' word in the dictionary. They need to un a stand that the fact that the media and the art world continue to refer to our Culture by the same term that also means "to scrawl", does not make our artform to be 'scrawlings.' I've never done 'scrawlings.' I've always done 'pieces' and 'masterpieces.' I don't remember EVER any of us saying to another, "Let's go and do graffiti tonite..." No, we always would say: "Let's go Writin' tonite!" Thus, why call it what it never was or never will be?
Writers today also need to de-program themselves and re-program their minds in order for them to believe that the work they do is true art and expression and feelings, no different from what the Van Goghs and Picassos did. Hopefully, some folks will begin their own de-programming and re-programming process by reading interviews like this one.
Writers today need to create their own 'generation momentum.' What I mean by this is that, for example, 1972, was an explosive year in the history of our First Generation of NYC Writin'. The Writers involved then were very committed to 'rocking Transit' with massive quantity (bombing!) and a high degree of quality innovation of Writin', and we did that at any cost. Some of us got busted for it. Some even lost their lives in the process. But it took commitment in the part of those involved.
If there is no momentum within your Generation, then, it's going to be a dull, boring Generation or 'throwup' after 'throwup', or pieces with Disney and Warner Bros. cartoons (cartooning) and nothing else. Innovation is always in order for every Generation of Writers. Fresh, new ideas is what I believe, makes a Generation great.
Writers today also need to learn the difference between "Old School" and the 1980s. Some people who "tagged" in the 80s, call themselves "Old School." That's not historically accurate. If we are going to call the 80s "Old School", then what are we going to call the 1970s, "Old, Old School?"
Lastly, I guess that today's Writers face the same challenges that we faced at home, because obviously, our parents who wanted the best for us, and who were 'programmed' to believe "all the news that's fit to print" and that Writin' was to be perceived as a 'criminal act' and not as an artform, did not want us to become 'criminals' by doing this 'criminal thing.' So, those frictions and static at home will always be a challenge for any Writer of any Generation.
SOBER: If there were any, what challenges did YOU face?
MICO: The racist attitudes from the media and art world, 'the Powers That Be,' as a result of this Culture having been invented by youth of color. Consider the following, had this Culture been invented by white, middle and upper class youth, then those very same 'Powers That Be' would have attempted to publicly formalize that Culture with a name such as "avant-garde-pop-neo-something," instead of denigrating it with a name such as "graffiti," which the dictionary defines as "to scrawl", a term that the media has always associated with drugs, dirt, prostitution, crime and mayhem. In my guesstimation, this was always the biggest challenge for all of us and our Culture as a whole. Then there were other challenges such as the one I described in the previous answer, about the situation at home with our 'programmed' parents.
The cops and other idiots (Lindsay, Beame, Koch, etc.) who opposed us were not really "challenges" because that shit was to be expected, their reaction to our action. This is why we planned things accordingly and executed our plans in such a way so as to fuck with their minds while getting up as much as possible.
We also faced the challenge that anyone who introduces something new to society faces. The fact that Writin' is now so popular worldwide proves that we were ahead of our time in 1970 in NYC. As I've said time after time, we were just lucky to be at the right place at the right time.
SOBER: Is there a message you would like to give to the Graffiti Artists of the 21st Century?
MICO: To the Writers of this millennium:
-Be true to yourself. You are the most important person in YOUR life.
-Pursue your dreams. If 'school' is not for you, get the fuck out! But always pursue something that you enjoy doing, and remember that whatever field you choose to get involved in, you are going to need KNOWLEDGE. You can acquire this knowledge through different venues besides 'school.' Knowledge is Power. Plan for it. Take action!
-Respect your peers. You are not the only one who lives on this planet. Be sensitive to the aspirations and needs of others. If you bring children to this world, be sure and help them grow up by teaching them to not make the same mistakes that you have made.
-'Listening' is twice as important as 'talking.' This is why most of us have two ears and one mouth, and not the other way around.
-ALWAYS question authority. Find out WHY things are the way the establishment says they are.
-DON'T follow the crowds. Be a free thinker. Make up your own mind.
Respect Nature and the artwork created by others. DO NOT vandalize rocks, trees as well as other works of art such as statues.
SOBER: In your opinion, what is the difference between just plain Graffiti and Aerosol Art?
MICO: See question #14 above. 'Graffiti' means "scrawling." 'Aerosol Art' means an "artform" and a "Culture."
Ya dig?
SOBER: Where do you see graffiti in 20 years from now?
MICO: I believe that this Culture will remain forever universal. This is due to certain specific reasons, i.e.:
-There will always be new generations of youth worldwide, who love to design and decorate things.
-When we are young, humans are thrilled by the prospect of competing with our peers, being "the baddest", for example. We are also thrilled by the adventurous and risky behavior that one must engage in, in order to 'get up'. Also, we are thrilled by the opportunity to defy authority.
-A chance to become "famous."
Twenty years from now, the innovative Writers will introduce new techniques and tools to write with. Who knows, the day may come when instead of a can of spray paint, Writers will enter the train tunnels with Laser UniWides!
SOBER: Before I go any further, I would just like to say that the concept of Laser UniWides is PHAT. Getting on, What were some of your favorite paint brands and colors you used?
MICO: Red Devil and Rust-O-Leum. My favorite colors were yellow, blue and red.
SOBER: On a final note, MICO, I see you are very much into your heritage. Do you have a positive message for the Latino community?
MICO: Whatever it is you want to do: Do It! Never forget, however, that there are other people around you. Always be sensitive to the needs and aspirations of others. En la Union Esta la Fuerza.
SOBER: I would like to thank you for being here MICO for this June 2002 Interview. Do you have any shout-outs before you go?
MICO: Hey, the honor was mine. A big shout-out to ALL those who wrote and to those who still write.
A BIG shout-out to the Peoples of Vieques, Puerto Rico and Palestine, who in one way or another, continue to struggle and die in order to achieve the type of life of their choosing, without outside intervention or intimidation.
MICO//SALVAJES//U.G.A.
"Salsa & Control"
END OF MICO INTERVIEW.
visit MICO's site for aerosol pics, canvases, exhibitions, and more, at:
HTTP://WWW.ABSTRACTSOCIALREALISM.COM
Copy and Paste link above; also check out MICO's other site on the Favorite Links page.
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