Artist WD talks to ISSA!

We speak with legendary street artist Wild Drawing, (WD). All the way from, the ‘’crisis capital’’, Athens. This natural born talent is dedicated to his art skills and his works have raised many eyebrows globally. We are very proud to present this interview of WD, a person who supported ISSA since the early days and we hope you enjoy it.

Let’s get to know WD:

-What would you like to drink WD? Coffee, Tea, Beer, Soda or something else?
Anything, it depends on the time and the mood!

-Introduce yourself :

I’m Wild Drawing aka WD a (street) artist originally from Bali – Indonesia, who currently based in Athens – Greece.

– Where does your tag name come from?
WD actually stands for “wild drawing”, which means the images that grew and
blossomed among the cement jungles and in the middle of the urban jungle.

-How do you define yourself? Artist? Street artist? Anything else?
Maybe visual artist.

-Most street artists have an interesting back ground. How did it all start for you?
When I was a kid, I was always amazed seeing public art such as sculptures
or great movie billboards, and I was all the time wondering how they made
these kind of stuff. I started off as street artist in 2000 with paste ups, billboards
or stencils and as the time was passing I moved to murals and big scale murals,
till now.

-What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
Hahaha… nothing special that not everybody does!

-In all forms of art, inspiration is crucial. What has inspired you to create so far?

Source of inspiration for my work could be anything among social
phenomenon, consumerism, lifestyle, nature or art, such as comics
and graphic novels, music, movies etc.

-Before going to paint, what is on your check list to have with you?

The first and most important is the idea and then the tools that I need to execute
this it. So, paints, rolls, stick, cans, and a ladder.
Can you imagine? All this stuff transported just by a scooter, hahaha!!!

-Name 3 other artists you admire and why.
Giraud aka Moebius for his amazing science fiction and his fantasy comics, with
his unique highly imaginative and surreal way.
Sergio Toppi with his incredible illustrations which are an evocative mix of
beautiful drawing, texture, shape, negative space, and design. He is simply the
master of draftsmanship.
Norman Rockwell, I like his style. Especially the expressions and gestures
of people, in his work.

-Which city would you name as capital of Street Art and why?
I can’t really tell…there are cities full of spontaneous illegal street art
and other full of huge legal or commissioned murals, for example.
So, which one can named as the capital of street art?

-What other passions do you have?
I love reading and creating comics!

–Which is your dream project – ignore costs, realistic thinking and all means.

Paint all over the world!

-Does your art include symbolisms, messages or repeated patterns?
Yeah, usually there is a message in my work, because I like to communicate
with the people through my art.
As for a repeated pattern, I often use a doll with its eye and mouth sewn.
This doll, for me, symbolizes the innocence and the violence in the same time.

-If someone vandalises your artwork what is your reaction?
When you paint in the street, you already know the ephemeral nature
of your work. In this way, I’m prepared for this.

-Here is the big punch question… We believe, that street art is the biggest and most widespread art movement in the history of mankind. How does it feel being part of it and in what direction do you think it will go in the future?
Everyone would be proud to be part of this history, but I do street art before I knew that street art would be a huge movement in the art world, art market etc.
I work in the street because I love it, it’s my passion!
If now is the golden age of street art, it means we are expecting its collapse, too…hahaha!! The only certainty is that till that time, we will see much more incredible stuff from this scene.

– If you were a world leader what would be the first 5 things you would change?
Wow man, this is a big question!! I don’t know… too much trouble in this world
and everything is urgent! War? Poverty? Destruction of environment? Racism?
Injustice?

– Is there a question you think is important but no one ever asked you?
I have no idea man, hahaha!