MTN WORLD

The roads of graffiti took us to Toulouse some time ago. Here we had the opportunity to meet and get to know Katre from Paris. He spoke to us about himself and his recently released book ‘Hors du Temps 2‘.

Presentation.

Hello, i’m Katre from Paris, France, I am 35 years old !

Tell us a resume of your 20 years in painting graff.

Whaaou! Hard to resume all that !!!
So I started painting in 1993, and my first piece was on the old abandoned train line around Paris in the 14 eme district.
I started out with the STS crew making tags and throwups mainly in south of Paris city! With my partners Again we tried to focus on painting big walls!
After making lot’s of connections with other crews I entered the SWC crew (with Cispeo, Fan77, Mery, Soaf, Olce, Deks …) and painted in many events in France and did concept walls like Cocawall or Heinken wall).
And also with OMT crew (Bore, Nexty, Siche, Polux, Sindé, Tank and many others!!) and then TER crew from Bayonne (south France) with Metro and Taroe!
Then i met Reso from Toulouse and he take me in his crew LCF! After that I painted lots of massive walls in many cities in France and Europe!
All these crew are not only for painting, they also serve as a big family!
So during all those years: lot of meeting, making conectionsions, traveling all around the world (Chile, Spain, Italy, Australia, China, Thailand etc) with graffiti introducing you to nice people in each place you came to!!

Can you describe your style?

I paint mainly letters wildstyle ! And I try to search for new things all the time! Sometimes I found an effect or concept and thats how try to develop it for (around) 1 year, after a year I need something new!
So it’s hard to answer!
Between 2009 and the end of 2010 my style was about dissolving letters and disintegrating!I tried to focus on a fast effect on my letters! And lot’s of people really appreciate this effect and discovered me through that!!
Now I work more on simplifying the letters, and don’t paint classic way, with fill-in and outlines and 3d and lights etc!! I try to find the good gesture and use astro fat cap to make my outlines ! I love playing with these caps to paint very fat lines and in the same time mix it with skinny lines! And i focus only on the outline! No classic 3d! Only elements how to creat a contrast! I enjoy painting more this way, for the moment!

How do you see the french graff right now, and what aspects are you
interested in?

I always found good styles in the french graffiti! Even if it’s not what I paint, I can appreciate the research of writers as Horfe or Ikon, of the classic but crasy letters of my man Reso, or Metro , Monster … Or the concept style of the FrenchKiss LEK, SWIZ etc!!!

You seems an atypical writer, or may i say, a writer with an open
perspective… Tell us about.

Yes I have an open view!
may be it is because I come from an artist family and I was able to be myself in a university of art!
And also because I have different approach in my work!
I paint graffiti letters with friend, or in jam etc!
But i work also on canvas and I try to not paint classic style on it! But to create something different on canvas! I mix picture and paint! And I try to cut the letters, decompose it!
Or i paint commission walls for a company, a city, or make some projects with kids!

Hors du temps 2 is already released. Can you explain us, which is the spirit
of the book?

In 2005 I did the first book about graffiti in abandoned places!
Because i want to buy a book like that and since I could not any, I decided to do it myself!
And it was the first book about this kind of Graffiti!
In France, there are some writers how only paint in abandoned factories, destroyed houses etc!
They need to find dirty walls to paint and improvise on it! Often with black cans, or 1or 3 colors!

So in this new book! I try to show the work of these writers from all europe but also to show the place where they paint!
Because these places are incredible! So strange and in the same time really quite! A unique atmosphere! Discover an abandoned house or big old factory with all the machines inside, papers etc!!!

I love this subject since i’m young!
I love walking on street and discover a broken window and find a new world inside of a building!
I like taking pictures of these place! When i was in university i made my Master of art about Abandoned places, and particulary about an old abandoned swimming pool in Paris 75016 district!!
So it’s an important subject for me! And made a book with that it’s a really pleasure!! And also meet news people painting on this place like the Greec QBRICk, or the work of Dal from South africa!!

What do you think of the art/ graff situation right now?

In France there are a lot of “Street art” exhibitions, a lot of auctions around Graffiti and street art!!!
You can find a very good show of different writers who has real work on canvas!! Or you can find exhibitions of writers who try to paint graffiti on canvas but you feel that they don’t really find something interesting in the gait.
And it’s the same for the people how organizes it! You have some galleries how have a good idea of what graffiti is, and know its history!! Or you have people how try to surf on the wave and make a lot of money!!! But what I find good it’s that something happen!! And it’s good for the graffiti!
I paint canvas since long time! Since 7 years I really began to make exhibitions and paint in this way! Aleays looking for real styles on canvas, as i said, I try to not paint a classic wildstyle on it! Because I prefer a wall for that!
There are some writers who now work more on canvas than on walls ! It’s an evolution ! You can respect this choice! As i can respect the choice of painting only trains!
There are so many direction in graffiti and it’s so hard to say: this is real, or this is not the real spirit!!!!
So at this time in paris, lot’s of gallery open and propose big show! And some sale a lot and win a lot!! But it’s the game! When you want play whit that you have to know the rules!

Your top ten favorite writers?

At this time

Rime – Dems – Reso – Smash – Jurne – Askew – Monster – Lek – Aryz – Inti

And many more !!!

Next step for you?plans?

I m working on a new canvas for group show in december (Deck’on show in Paris with Cope2, Flying Fortress, Fafi, Nasty, Quick etc)
for the launch of the new limited print on skate board !

And after that i have a lot of events to paint !!!!

Thanks for everything..

Peace