Interview with RIPO !

I did not have the chance to interview RIPO personally when he was at the Difusor event in Barcelona last summer but he gave me answers to my questions after I got in touch with him by e-mail. He is currently travelling in South America, check out his blog about the tour ! (You find the link at the end of the interview)

1. What is the meaning of your name ? / Why did you choose this name ?

Ripo comes from repo, short for repossess in English. Repossess - take something back that "belongs" to you, with or without permission.

2. Since when have you been doing stencils ?

Stencils are just one part of a lot of things i get my hands dirty with. But I started getting into that about 2003

3. What led you to do stencils ? Have you been doing graffiti before or other type of art ?

Lots of things led me to stencils, mostly my eyes checking out walls and seeing a great and versatile way to repeat a graphic image anywhere. Graffiti I've always loved but as a kid I usually stuck to being a fan and just constantly drawing and painting on my own and such, something I've done since about 5 years old.

4. What are the materials and techniques you use for your stencils ?

It's changed over time, and depending on where i want to paint it, size, detail, etc. I guess for anybody wondering what to use thin cardboard (cereal box weight) and acetate are a good place to start.

5. What is / are your preferred spots to put your stencils ?

Where you can see them

6. Is there a place where you would love to put a stencil but you never dared ?

I try to dare myself to do a lot of things...

7. In which cities have you so far been doing stencils ? Do you have a preferred city ?

Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw, Krakow, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, Istanbul, Athens, Sofia, Belgrade, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Milan, New York City, and I'm currently traveling across another 16 or so countries in South and Central America painting, although not with stencils, so the list is far from finished...

8. Is there a message you want to transmit with your stencil art ?

There's a message I want to transmit with everything I do, but that message can change daily.

9. Are there other artists you admire or influenced your work ?

Lots of them...

10. What do you think makes your style different from other stencil artists ?

I tend to focus a lot on typography, in my stencils and in my other works. Does that make me different?

11. How do you get inspired or where do you get your ideas from ?

I get inspired by drawing, traveling, meeting other artists, current situations in my life and in the world, it can really come from anywhere as long as i keep my mind and eyes open.

12. Have you ever been in trouble because of your stencils ?

Knock on wood...

13. Which of your stencils do you consider the best one you have done so far ?

The next one I haven't made yet...

14. What do you think about the commercial side of stencils ?

The commercial world is sticking its hands in everywhere, and has been for years. It's up to every artist to decide to work with it (or not) on their own terms. I just think if you're going to work with a company don't sacrifice yourself or your ideals and make it a mutually interesting project for both yourself and the company.

15. In your opinion: a good stencil should be: funny, political, controversial, artistic, poetic, multi-coloured, black and white or ?

a good stencil should be made...

16. Anything else you want to tell us ???

Stencils were how I really started becoming serious about putting my art in the streets, but I want to keep developing however possible. Check out the blog that Above and I are keeping of our South Central Tour to see some of my newest works. http://southcentraltour.wordpress.com Thanks!