Fra Biancoshock

Fra Biancoshock is not your average Street Artist. He claims to create “experiences” and not showcases to promote his activities, that require some description. They are simply opportunities to communicate and provoke reactions from common people. We ve been talking to him on this interview and saw how he thinks people with little or any artistic education, still want to be surprised and moved by something that was left on the street for all to see. With pride we bring you this Interview with the one of the few truly unconventional urban interventionists!

(ISSA) – What you choose to drink? Coffee, Tea, Beer, Soda or something else?
(Fra) – Just an “espresso” coffee.

– Feel free to introduce yourself !
Fra is my name, Biancoshock is my obsessive project. I live in the grey Milan and I love to lose my time in a project without future but that give me everyday the goosebumps.
I’m happy only when I feel goosebumps.

-How do you define yourself? Artist? Street artist? Anything else?
I don’t define myself as a street artist. In my opinion the media, critics, galleries have attributed the name street artist to any artist that work in the street. My interventions are realized in the streets but i dont define myself as a street artist or my activities as street art. I prefer to define my works as ephemeral experiences.

– How did it all start for you, and what is it nowadays?

It began when I moved away from the world of graffiti: that was a world that has grown me, which made me discover the importance of the street. But that world no longer belonged to me, and I decided to extend my audience, trying to create unconventional and public art with messages aimed at the common people. Today, after almost 10 years, it’s still the same: always on the street, with a message, no restrictions, no sponsors, no sense…!
-What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
The same thing I do before to sleep: three little kisses to the ring on my right hand. This is a sort of personal ritual, it’s how to say “thanks” every day to have the possibility to continue to achieve my dream. We live in a time when everyone is full of problems, more or less serious, but we must always say thanks (not necessarily to a god) of being alive.

-Street art is mostly a visually stimulating form of art. To add one more sense to it, what music would you pick to accompany your art work?

Me and music have a difficult relationship. I only ever listen to rap music, especially italian rap music. Maybe I should enlarge my musical landscape, but it has been the music that has always accompanied me during my urban activities.

-In all forms of art, inspiration is crucial. What inspires you?

The unemployed, the homeless, the manager, the employee of the month, the student at the bus stop, the barman… all the ordinary people who live every day in the city as well as its sounds, colors and values.

-Before going to paint, what is on your check list to take along?

I have a backpack and a suitcase containing a sort of “first aid” with the basic tools that allow me to improvise something in the street. And then each time I use always different material, depending on the type of urban intervention. For sure cigarettes, water and Gopro are always with me.

-Do you have an artist you admire and why is it?

I admire all (and there are few) the artists, urban or contemporary, who have devoted their lives to “experimentation”. We are in a time that street art is at the top and it is intelligent and useful to try to take advantage of this moment, but one day this hype will finish. And then what will happen?
-Which cities do you think are the most inspirational in Street Art?

Sincerely, for me every city is inspirational. always depends on what see the eyes of an artist: this is the difference.
-Do you have other passions apart from art?
It makes me sad to say this but … no, I have only this.

–What is your wildest project that you dream of achieving some day?

To make a “four hand” project with Brad Downey. But it’s a secret, he doesn’t know this.
-Does your art include symbolisms, messages or repeated patterns?
Of course, my art contains all this and many images of popular culture. I love working with objects, images and messages that belong to the common people culture and I like to show that everyone can express themselves in this way: no gift from God, no talent, just motivation and perseverance and a little bit of madness.

–What is your reaction when you realise someone has vandalised your creation?
My works live in street only for few hours… they are conceived to live shortly in the physical space. For this it is not a problem when I see that someone has removed or damaged them: they will live forever through photography, video and virality.

-What do you think people first think or feel when they see one of your works on the street?
“what is this? Of course is made by a fool who has nothing better to do in his life”

– If you were a president what would you change in this world?
It’s a question too complicated. Probably I would change the word “selfishness” with “respect” and “money” with “meritocracy.” but I realize that my answer is very obvious.
– What kind of responsibility do you feel you have towards society as an artist?
The responsibility to explain to the common people through unconventional experiences that no one can force you to stay passive and silent.
Each of us must find his way to prove that he is alive and that has something to say to others.

-Do you have any interesting creative plans for the future?
I don’t know if they will be interesting, people will say if they will be, but yes: I have a crazy plan for next year to spread my ephemeral project in the world.

Thank you Fra, It’s been great to get to know more about the mind and person behind such inspiring works.

‘’I Support Street Art’’ team.

Check out Fra Biancoshock’s gallery

Or visit his website and page