Interview: FUKT

Posted on August 17, 2012 by LiteMoteef

After writing FUKT IN SYDNEY, we were lucky enough to be contacted by the man himself. I took the opportunity to hit the Newtown-based artist with Qs I’ve had, passing his concrete canvases. 

PRIMO! magazine: What kind of artist are you? 

FUKT: I wouldn’t label myself an artist, I have to make a clear dinstinction from that label, or any other type of label (street artist, vandal, culture jammer).

I don’t have much artistic skills at all, my technique comes from years of working in the advertising industry, which is (at least as far as I can tell) why I started doing what I do. Ten years of looking at the same banal crap would have that effect on anyone.

It’s my way of atoning for my sins (or offsetting them) after years of creating mind-numbing shit.

A stenciling newb stands before you – what 3 tools should he roll you for? Any street etiquette to which s/he should abide?

I hate stencil artists, most probably tell them to fuck off back to the gallery. The reason stencils became popular is that they were very fast to put up, nowadays it’s about slaving away for hours on end, trying to recreate a piece of art that looks like a photo (why not just buy a photo).

It’s like going to Kmart to get some photos developed and it takes 2 months and then you get charged 2 or 3 grand for the work which is basically shit. Stencil art today is the worst kind of art for art’s sake.

So some of your pieces are pretty playful and just take the piss, but others seem to function as social commentary – was wondering if you could tell us a bit about ‘Best We Forget’ and the ‘IKEA’ pieces?

I’m not the most subtle person in the world, the work I create is for the average person… easy to understand, simple and to the point. I usually don’t create an artist spiel about my work, I just put it up and anyone can interpret it any way they may feel.

One thing I’ve noticed with people in general is that if you give a person freedom to interpret then reception to a piece is a lot better, tell a person what to think and they will resist. The IKEA was the first stencil that is hand drawn, everything before that was computer editing etc. so it was a big leap in terms of a committed style.

The Chicken and the Egg: do you think of a work and then find a wall, or vice versa?

Both, sometimes I’ll see a spot and decide something might work there, but usually most of my work is site specific ie. A piece of advertising or signage. Considering that most of the stuff I do is stencils or paste ups is kind of hard to be spontaneous.

Any close shaves with disapproving citizens or higher authorities?

Yeah a few, it’s getting harder nowadays to evade since I’m getting older and a little slower. I’m very careful not to get caught, especially with this latest crackdown on graffiti etc.

Once got stuck behind a billboard 10m up in the air for a couple of hours while a few guys were drinking.

I eventually went ‘fuck it’ and politley asked them if they minded if I sprayed something on the face of the billboard, they were cool about and we had a laugh about it in the end when I told them how long I was up there.

D’you have a playlist you listen to whilst working? Any tune suggestions?

Don’t really get an opportunity to listen to music painting, the noise gets on my nerves and plus I like to listen to the flow of the can. If I were to play something usually 1980′s cock rock coupled with some Soulwax or a Fabric compilation.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnpHxrNbfOI]

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Who should we keep an eye out for on the Sydney scene? Anyone overseas who we should be googling?

Umm, I don’t really follow other people’s stuff, but I do like SMC3‘s work.

How do you think Sydney’s street art compares to Melbourne’s?

Melbourne kicks ass. Sydney catching up but its hard when the Sydney City Council and the surrounding councils are not geared toward freedom of expression on walls etc.

Any Sydney walls with a high turnover?

Hahaha, any wall in Sydney that is painted council grey is usually an indication of a high turnover.

Last off, drop us a hint on any wall targets?

Just moved back to Newtown, so I’m planning to saturate the area with a heap of my crap. Plenty of billboards been planned at the moment for a FUKT facelift.