3 STORIES BEHIND FUZI’S REVUE TAG 3. TROPHY

The Parisian writer and artist FUZI UV TPK has dedicated the third installment of Revue Tag to a very specific typology of graffiti photos: trophy shots. Traditionally, these photos represent the successful completion of a graffiti or a train mission, portraying the team in the cab of the convoy. We asked Fuzi about the idea of putting all these images together, and we also bring you, exclusively, the stories behind three of the photos featured in the publication.



For those who don’t know, explain a little bit the idea of the REVUE TAGs.
REVUE TAG aims to develop reflections related to the practice of graffiti because it is more than just an activity for many of us; it is a way of life, a rich and complex culture in which we are fully immersed. It’s not just about painting our names outside. Spotting locations, shoplifting, waiting, adrenaline rushes, benching, and even the athletic aspect are integral parts of the game but are rarely explored in publications, much less on the Internet. It is this richness that I want to highlight in my books and magazines. Through text, with great attention to graphic design and high-quality contributors, each issue explores a specific subject from a unique angle, revealing a different facet of graffiti.
The first issue was about digging for old graffitis, the second, an essay on the necessity of spray can shoplifting, the third on trophies (featuring crew photos in front of train pieces and the fourth, which will be released on September 1st, will be dedicated to amateur graffiti photographs in Paris between 1991 and 2015, showcasing exclusively unpublished photos of bombed subway stations, ” ghost tags”, trucks covered with tags and more…

How did you come up with the idea of dedicating the third edition only to trophy photos?
What reflections can we draw from this collection of photos?
The third issue Trophy was dedicated to photos of crews in front of trains or subways. We are all familiar with this type of photo, and some of us have instinctively practiced it. To me, it symbolizes the quest of the train collector. Faced with the ephemeral aspect of this quest and like an athlete celebrating his achievement, he takes a photo in front of the model he just painted – it becomes his trophy. Apart from the sense of achievement, what I love to find in these photos is the enthusiasm on their faces, the joy of being together, and the sheer fun of painting! I believe these photos represent a part of the values of graffiti, and I wanted to gather them in a volume featuring crews from all over the world, all sharing the same mission and the same sense of accomplishment on their faces.

“It’s not just about painting our names outside. Spotting locations, shoplifting, waiting, adrenaline rushes, benching, and even the athletic aspect are integral parts of the game but are rarely explored in publications, much less on the Internet.”

Which is your favorite photo from this publication and why?
I particularly admire those of Zoe and his crew around Barcelona; they depict a particular way of painting and a certain bygone era. The one in Bucharest with about thirty guys in a tunnel is incredible. Mank‘s photo in a Parisian yard, posing on a bicycle next to his graffiti… There are so many memorable ones; everyone will find elements that remind them of their own experiences.

“To me, it symbolizes the quest of the train collector…it becomes his trophy.”

“The RASCALS contacted me back in 2011-2012. They told me they were coming to Sao Paulo. We painted a couple of things, a tunnel, a yard… but we didn’t manage to do the subway. They were already on their way to Rio, and I was also headed to that city because I had a place to paint. I arrived in Rio and met up with Stile. Communication was very difficult: we had to talk on Facebook, and these guys weren’t answering me.
Stile didn’t want to paint because he had had problems, but he helped me to prepare everything. We changed the lock on the vent.
The last day of my stay in Rio arrived and I decided that if the guys didn’t show, I would paint alone.
Since I also wanted to do something in the street, during the day I went out in the neighborhood near the center and started painting shutters. When I was on the third or fourth shutter I passed the guys on the street by pure chance. I told them, “Fuck, you guys are so lucky because we’re going to paint this shit right now”.
We went at night, everything was ready, prepared, my friend watched our backs. We painted for about 15-20 minutes and came out clean. We had to go all the way back to headquarters to take a picture since the subway would go straight for cleaning.
We stayed on a bridge between a favela and a highway… we got some good photos and footage.
I have to point out that my colleague Stile didn’t want to paint because when he got caught in Sao Paulo, Os Gemeos bailed him out. So he had a lot on his conscience and didn’t want to paint while he owed them money.”

Sonia L163

“It turns out that one of my friends from Lisbon always gets the urge to take a shit before painting, and he went straight to the workers’ washroom…”

“It was the “First Hit” at the hangar in downtown Porto.
It turns out that one of my friends from Lisbon always gets the urge to take a shit before painting, and he went straight to the workers’ washroom. Apparently the toilet paper had run out and he had nothing to wipe his ass with.
He couldn’t think of a better idea than to take a uniform that was hung up, wipe himself with it, and leave it hanging there. Imagine the worker arriving later and putting on the uniform to clean up!
We had tried this plan out unsuccessfully twice before, and the third time was the charm. Perhaps, in a way, this mess-up brought us luck.”

Runis REIS

“I tell him it shouldn’t be dangerous since it didn’t look too ghetto…Three seconds later we started to hear gunshots. We were a bit far away, but you could hear the gunshots perfectly, a gunfight that must have lasted about 7 minutes…”

“The day before we went to that place, Daos and I were going to check things out. We get there and Daos asks me, “Shit, what’s with this neighborhood?”Since it was like a new favela. I tell him it shouldn’t be dangerous since it didn’t look too ghetto…Three seconds later we started to hear gunshots. We were a bit far away, but you could hear the gunshots perfectly, a gunfight that must have lasted about 7 minutes. So we decided to get the hell out of there. The next day Daos sends me the information: 6 people were killed; probably criminals settling scores.
We went to see the spot again and it looked relatively good, and I say relatively because it is a very tense place. Arriving there in the early hours of the morning -and in that area- the situation was quite dangerous because you had the double risk of being assaulted by criminals or even by the police.
When we entered the yard I was impressed by how clean the place was; there was not a single tag, and the different models that were there: the old one, where I appear, and 5 more mythical models. There was not a single tag.
I went in with Daos, Oit, and Rose, who took the picture. It was like a dream. Most of the spots where you paint in Caracas there is always some favela or something dangerous and it is ironic that once inside the yard you feel safer than outside.”

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