FatCap interview with Sr.X (Senor X), a street artist from Gijon, Spain.
FC: What was your interest in art and what led you to create all those things?
Sr. X: I started drawing when I was a child, with DC, Marvel and Manga (like everybody, I think). Since then I liked art. I always liked walking in the street and see surprising things that make you smile, so I thought I also wanted to do something like that, and so I did.
FC: Tell us about the graffiti scene from your town. Who are the more productive crews?
Sr. X: Here in Gijón there is a lot of artistic movement, but only few people who make street art. Sometimes I feel somewhat lonely about it, but there are more spare walls for myself, hehe.
FC: How would you define your work and what inspires you?
Sr. X: I consider my work sometimes as a joke, and others as a cynic stuff. So it could be something like jokenic, or cynoke, I don´t know, ha ha ha. I like working from a starting idea, not only because of the aesthetics alone, and I think more in terms of street art than graffiti. I love stencils and street interventions, but I don´t like tags or bombing. The things that most inspire me are those I see during the day, and most of all those that come up to my mind in that strange moment between dream and wakefulness in which you think/dream the most weird and funny stuff.
FC: What are your tastes in movies and books?
Sr. X: I like reading a lot, mostly classics and Beats: Steinbeck, Camus, Cela, Miller, Bukowsky, Burroughs, Kennedy Toole, Umberto Eco… I hate bestsellers. Regarding cinema, I hate Hollywood and superproductions. Some examples of the movies I like are Taxidermia (Gyorgy Pálfi), Freaks (Tod Browning) and anyone by Monty Python.
FC: Favourite quote?
Sr. X: “If you don´t know what colour to use, use black. If you don´t know what typography to use, use Helvetica” (I don´t remember the author)
FC : Your favorite colour?
Sr. X: I can´t choose (they get jealous of each other), but using magenta I feel kind of admiration as well as disgust, then I never use it. What fucking weird it is…
FC: Name an artist (or many) whose work you respect and admire.
Sr. X: I respect almost everyone and admire many of them: Rothko, Turner, Mucha, Jasper Jones… and belonging to this world, I love Meggs, Dan23, Russ Mills, Noaz, Vhils… and many more.
FC: If your style was a music band or a song? Which one would it be?
Sr. X: Chemical Brothers or Propellerheads with something of Qbert and Happy Mondays. Everything mixed up with Los Chichos and Richard Cheese,ha ha ha
FC: What was your most adventurous and dangerous street artwork?
Sr. X: When I was attacked by a giant octopus in the Somalian coast trying to paint a UUEE aircraft carrier. It almost killed me! Well, seriously, to be honest, It never was dangerous, because my girlfriend watches very well, :). Maybe sometimes I went painting too much drunk or had to run away from someone, but luckily I never had any problem.
FC : What’s the characteristic of a Mr X piece?
Sr. X: Simple, direct, and I would like to think that is funny
FC: What kind of reaction do you want your art to evoke?
Sr. X: I would like just making people smile for a moment or think a little bit. I would also like that my art makes some people change their (wrong) opinion about street art and graffiti. It is not vandalism, it is art!, it´s cool! Let me paint your wall!
FC: Do you represent for a crew? What’s the style of your crew?
Sr. X: I´m not in any crew. As I said before, there aren´t here many people who paint, and those who do, I don´t very like their speech. I relate with artists with many different styles, but all of them paint off the street.
FC: What was your best street art experience?
Sr. X: Any day I go out painting is great, mostly if the piece is very big!
FC: Do you practice other forms of art? (graph-ism, canvas paintings, sculpture ?)
Sr. X: I work as a graphic designer. I also illustrate and make photo. When it´s not possible to go out to paint, I like painting canvases (soon in my blog).
FC: Describe a typical day of Sr. X
Sr. X: Working from 9 to 6 designing, then surfing, and afterwards cutting, spray, oil, beers and girlfriend. Perfect.
FC: What’s coming up in the next few months? Show, project? etc…
Sr. X: Some exhibition at a gallery, painting a pub, and I have been asked to make an object for a museum shop. All before may, ha ha. Afterwards, keep on doing what I like.
FC: What’s your real goal?
Sr. X: Living happily and be able to design and paint all the time whatever I want. Surf and partying!
FC: Any words of wisdom?
Sr. X: Beer, art and laughs! Don´t watch tv, go painting!
FC: What was your interest in art and what led you to create all those things?
Sr. X: I started drawing when I was a child, with DC, Marvel and Manga (like everybody, I think). Since then I liked art. I always liked walking in the street and see surprising things that make you smile, so I thought I also wanted to do something like that, and so I did.
FC: Tell us about the graffiti scene from your town. Who are the more productive crews?
Sr. X: Here in Gijón there is a lot of artistic movement, but only few people who make street art. Sometimes I feel somewhat lonely about it, but there are more spare walls for myself, hehe.
FC: How would you define your work and what inspires you?
Sr. X: I consider my work sometimes as a joke, and others as a cynic stuff. So it could be something like jokenic, or cynoke, I don´t know, ha ha ha. I like working from a starting idea, not only because of the aesthetics alone, and I think more in terms of street art than graffiti. I love stencils and street interventions, but I don´t like tags or bombing. The things that most inspire me are those I see during the day, and most of all those that come up to my mind in that strange moment between dream and wakefulness in which you think/dream the most weird and funny stuff.
FC: What are your tastes in movies and books?
Sr. X: I like reading a lot, mostly classics and Beats: Steinbeck, Camus, Cela, Miller, Bukowsky, Burroughs, Kennedy Toole, Umberto Eco… I hate bestsellers. Regarding cinema, I hate Hollywood and superproductions. Some examples of the movies I like are Taxidermia (Gyorgy Pálfi), Freaks (Tod Browning) and anyone by Monty Python.
FC: Favourite quote?
Sr. X: “If you don´t know what colour to use, use black. If you don´t know what typography to use, use Helvetica” (I don´t remember the author)
FC : Your favorite colour?
Sr. X: I can´t choose (they get jealous of each other), but using magenta I feel kind of admiration as well as disgust, then I never use it. What fucking weird it is…
FC: Name an artist (or many) whose work you respect and admire.
Sr. X: I respect almost everyone and admire many of them: Rothko, Turner, Mucha, Jasper Jones… and belonging to this world, I love Meggs, Dan23, Russ Mills, Noaz, Vhils… and many more.
FC: If your style was a music band or a song? Which one would it be?
Sr. X: Chemical Brothers or Propellerheads with something of Qbert and Happy Mondays. Everything mixed up with Los Chichos and Richard Cheese,ha ha ha
FC: What was your most adventurous and dangerous street artwork?
Sr. X: When I was attacked by a giant octopus in the Somalian coast trying to paint a UUEE aircraft carrier. It almost killed me! Well, seriously, to be honest, It never was dangerous, because my girlfriend watches very well, :). Maybe sometimes I went painting too much drunk or had to run away from someone, but luckily I never had any problem.
FC : What’s the characteristic of a Mr X piece?
Sr. X: Simple, direct, and I would like to think that is funny
FC: What kind of reaction do you want your art to evoke?
Sr. X: I would like just making people smile for a moment or think a little bit. I would also like that my art makes some people change their (wrong) opinion about street art and graffiti. It is not vandalism, it is art!, it´s cool! Let me paint your wall!
FC: Do you represent for a crew? What’s the style of your crew?
Sr. X: I´m not in any crew. As I said before, there aren´t here many people who paint, and those who do, I don´t very like their speech. I relate with artists with many different styles, but all of them paint off the street.
FC: What was your best street art experience?
Sr. X: Any day I go out painting is great, mostly if the piece is very big!
FC: Do you practice other forms of art? (graph-ism, canvas paintings, sculpture ?)
Sr. X: I work as a graphic designer. I also illustrate and make photo. When it´s not possible to go out to paint, I like painting canvases (soon in my blog).
FC: Describe a typical day of Sr. X
Sr. X: Working from 9 to 6 designing, then surfing, and afterwards cutting, spray, oil, beers and girlfriend. Perfect.
FC: What’s coming up in the next few months? Show, project? etc…
Sr. X: Some exhibition at a gallery, painting a pub, and I have been asked to make an object for a museum shop. All before may, ha ha. Afterwards, keep on doing what I like.
FC: What’s your real goal?
Sr. X: Living happily and be able to design and paint all the time whatever I want. Surf and partying!
FC: Any words of wisdom?
Sr. X: Beer, art and laughs! Don´t watch tv, go painting!
My Vinyl Toyz from Sr. X on Vimeo.
Summertime from Sr. X on Vimeo.
Follow the Leader from Sr. X on Vimeo.
Believe in me from Sr. X on Vimeo.
Whales in Love from Sr. X on Vimeo.
