Featured Artist – Kade
Recently we caught up with the Kade who is a graffiti artist out of Sydney, Australia.
Firstly who are you and where are you from?
Allow me to introduce myself, I am Simon aka K.A.D.E. and I am originally from the inner city Sydney suburb of Redfern.
How do you think this affected you on your journey towards being a graffiti artist?
Growing up in Redfern allowed me to be in the heart of activity in terms of graffiti as it was so close to the city and pretty much all train lines go through there. As a result I saw first hand all the earliest hits and misses of graffiti, from the breakdancing early 80’s to more of the Subway Art style graff from 1984 on.
When did you know you wanted to be a graffiti writer?
I knew pretty much instantly from my first exposure to graffiti on the trainlines in 1984 that I wanted to be a part of the whole scene.
The only problem was, I only knew a couple of guys in my neighbourhood who were tagging. I kept seeing epic pieces around but wasn’t sure how these colossal pieces were being done. I had already been drawing since I was a kid, and it felt natural for me to pick up a spray can. From the first time I tried painting with spray paint, the adrenaline rush and the colour was a sensory overload for a 14 year old kid and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Your favourite or most inspirational place/spot you have painted at?
There have many memorable spots over the years, but my favourite place to paint trains in the 1980’s was at the old Central Yard which is now long gone. It was in my neighbourhood so I knew the area very well. knew how to get in and out without being seen so it was the perfect spot.
What/Who are some of the inspirations that drive you to paint?
Lee from the Fab 5 has to be my favourite inspiration from the graffiti world. each piece he did told a story and was social commentary of the day. other than that I draw a lot of inspiration from the music that I listen to. For me, music and drawing/painting goes hand in hand, especially when its guitars turned up to 11…!!! Play it loud!!!
Did this help guide you to where you are today?
It helped light the creative fuse. to see those works of art, under the conditions they were executed in, really drove me to achieve that level of quality.
Tell us a do you have any memorable moments/stories/chases you could share from a painting mission?
in 1993 I just got back from NYC and I was hitting the city hard, with even more opportunity as I was working night shift in the city. I had the whole city for the taking as it was deserted at night. it was the early days of cameras and I was seen bombing a Government building in my work uniform! I was tailed over the next few weeks as GTF we’re trying to catch me in the act of bombing…. which they did in the end!
What direction do you feel graffiti is going these days with style?
To be honest, I think letter style has gone backwards (apart from a handful of writers.)
Not many current guys seem to grasp the concept of letter style and design. It seems to be quantity over quality which is a shame.
What’s the biggest misconception the general public have of graffiti artists?
Back in my time, we were just vandals, criminals, thugs and junkies. Not many people had a glowing opinion of graffiti writers.
The reality is some were like that. the ones that have stood the test of time are obviously all about the dedication to the art – I think people see that today.
What are your thoughts on the whole graffiti vs street art?
There’s a place for graffiti, there’s also a place for street art. It doesn’t matter if you like it or not, nothing stays the same forever.
What direction do you see graffiti heading in the future?
Graffiti as it once was, done by creative teenagers, racking paint, riding the train system for free is totally ancient history now. I see the future being more towards the street art angle. Graffiti has come from a alternative/punk ethos, and over time it has become more mainstream.
If you could share a message with the next generation of graffiti artists, what would it be?
Learn what you can by painting with lots of different people. If you really have a passion for graffiti then draw, refine, practice and keep repeating this over again until you get to master your art.
Are there any up and coming artists that we should keep an eye out for?
The internet is throwing up so much stuff in our face everyday – there’s too many too list!!!
Any shouts out you would like to give?
My wife Melissa for being my greatest inspiration.
And, my daughter Alexys for making me a proud dad.
