Introducing artist KinMx.

KinMX is a young female street artist originally from Mexico. In time she has found creativity to be her compass in life and working with stencils and other means she decorates quiet side streets with colorful creations. She may not be widely known yet but she sure has fascinated us, so we asked to find out more about what hides behind this creative personality! Lets see what she has to tell us…

Sitting, assumably, at some stinking hot bar in the south this the conversation that went down!

-What would you like to drink? Coffee, Tea, Beer, Soda or something else?
MintTea, please, no milk 2 sugar =)

Where does your tag name come from?
KinMx, have a double meaning, English way I’ll say I’m Kin from Mexico! =), and the Mexican version is about The Maya year, has a basic unit called Kin, a word that means day, In almost all my work I put the Maya number of my kin, 13.

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

I think it depends on where I’m painting, I shouldn’t call street art if it is on canvas, but anyway the name defines the style, and I love painting everywhere, so living at the big city in Mexico, I will say Urban Artist, but right now living in Ireland, it doesn’t feel too much Urban, it gives me different feeling, so I’ll keep just artist.

-Most street artists have an interesting back ground. How did it all start for you?
Well I’m from Mexico City, but I grew up in Monterrey, so everyyear I was visiting the rest of my family on Mexico city, I’m a really visual person, and I loved to see all this streets cover by stickers, and walls and walls of amazing graffiti on the highway at the entrance of the city, so when I was 13 I start to go out with some people around my neighbourhood, I must say that is not the best area in Mty. So I start with some really basic paint, like shoes paint, is really cheap, and it works great for tags, but to be honest more than artistic, was a sign to say I was here, to the rest of the crews, so you read all that tags and it say which neighbourhood they belong, witch crew, and the first letter of girlfriend or boyfriend, so off course where wars between crews, and slowly I change my mind, so I stop for a while, I dedicate more time to photography and illustration.
Then When I started the university, I had enough tools to cover the city with stickers, so I was staying after classes using the machines and tools to make thousand stickers, so I back again in different way, sticker movement wasn’t so strong in Mty, but Mexico city, was already cover, so I was happy to see, so many places where I put the first sticker and months even years later was all cover with the most creative, colourful stickers, from different people reaction. Stickers for me where easy to display a good job in seconds, whit out to many consequences, I must say the police in north Mexico, are so corrupted, that I could say that they will take everything you have just to give you a hand out of troubles, if you know what I mean, money, mobile, mp3, glasses, jackets, wherever they want; Anyway we always find the way to do it.

-What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

I go to the kitchen for something to drink, just to wake up. Something sweet, just not coffee, I know is not so healthy but I prefer a cold energy drink before a working-painting day.

-Street art is mostly a visually stimulating form of art.

To add another sense, what music or song would best accompany your art work?
To be honest, if you see my playlist is a crazy mix of different emotion waves, I can be listening to Nina Simone or Sister Nancy, and next song is Oteph and next one maybe Ganja white nigh or skrillex, finishing with lamb or Pantera, and my artwork I think is like that as well hehehe.

-In all forms of art, inspiration is crucial. What has inspired you to create so far?
Music and a pile of material ready to be used.

-Before going to paint, what is on your check list to have with you? –Sketch, Plan, Colours, Mp3, headphones, mask, fat, skinny, and universal caps, always forgetting gloves, but not lipstick, mask is always making my lips dry!

-Name 3 other artists you admire and why.
Miss van, I admire how she established her art, her skill, I think is one of the first ones to make this kind of girly illustration became more recognise, and as street art keep painting by brushes, gives a touch.
Frida Kahlo, yes, being Mexican I will lie if I say I don’t admire Frida, I know she became an icon, more for herself that for her paintings, but I must say that I admire her life, been a strong Mexican woman, painting with her heart, for her, not thinking about galleries or recognition, she described her life in every one of her paintings, and that in my opinion is have balls.
Saner, I like his way to represent Mexico, he is a very skilled guy, so I admire his work.

-Which city would you name as capital of Street Art and why?
Hard question I think of 2 cities, Lodz in Poland & Barcelona.

-What other passions do you have?
I love to travel, but at the moment I’m concentrated on painting, my work is my passion and I really enjoy it, I spend hours and hours every day, painting or sketching, indoor or outdoor, is always something going on, festivals, jams, exhibitions, etc.

-Which is your dream project – ignore costs, realistic thinking and all means.
I would like to combine this 2 passions, I want travel more and keep painting all around.

-Does your art include symbolisms, messages or repeated patterns?
Yes I like to share the idea of unity, and respect, a big solidarity with the indigenous people from Mexico, and all migrants like me, so this is what I write on my backgrounds, even that sometimes is all most impossible to read.

-If someone vandalises your artwork what is your reaction?
Just disappointment, I know is nothing personal, so I let it go, I know is an ephemeral art, same way like all of us, one day will die, but if will be something personal then I’ll face it hehehe.

-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?
I love street art, but I think that unfortunately as all other underground movements, will come the moment when another movement will kill it, probably the commercialisation like, looking to McDonalds and see interior design really , street art style, will kill the real feeling of it. But I also think that maybe it will retake old art movements and translate it into street art, like cubism, futurism, art nouveau, etc. and this is already happen, so let see. At the moment let’s enjoy this time.

– If you were a world leader what would be the first 5 things you would change?
–Legalise it!
-Less money for army and weapons, more money to education and health care.
-No borders!
-Equal and human rights!
-Empty places, like houses or building, re-used to improve society, like art centres, houses, studios etc. (specially here in Dublin are huge amount of empty houses, warehouses, full buildings, really high rents, and homeless)

– Do you have a message you would like to express to the world or a certain community?
Peace, love, unity and respect, (it may sound a bit hippie but, is good philosophy)

Thank you so very much Katrinafor sharing your thoughts with us1

To see more of her works click here.

Check out her page :www.kathrrina.blogspot.com / www.facebook.com/kinmxart