Featured Artist – Porno
Firstly who are you and where & how did you grow up?
My pseudonym has been Porno for 21 years and i’m from Melbourne. I grew up in the Eastern suburbs and went to a nice school and was always interested in drawing and art from a young age. I met some life long friends that were into hip hop and i was instantly hooked on all elements of the culture. Older brothers, friends from school, etc i started to recognise what writing was actually about and was fascinated by the scene. Through hanging with one of my best friends and his brother (DJ Jumps and DJ Fai) i met his neighbour Sadam/Madas whom had already been writing for quite some time taught me a lot about the culture, letter structure and a further introduction to the immediate Melbourne scene, the Belgrave/Liydale train lines in particular.
How do you think this affected you on your journey towards being an artist?
I grew up in the era and generation of 90s hip hop and graffiti culture in Melbourne, this influenced my outlook of the culture detrimentally and definitely has made up a big part of who i am today.
When/How did you know you wanted to be a graffiti artist?
When i first saw tags and pieces i was mystified by it all and that made me want to figure it out and to try it myself… it was overcoming a fear and gaining/feeling a strong sensation of fulfilment that made me keep going back for more.
How did you learn to do what you do?
Through practice, repetition, misspent child hood and a great support network of friends and fellow artists/writers.
What is your dream project?
To do a gigantic 3D graffiti mural with lighting and animation.
Your favourite or most inspirational place/spot you have painted at?
This would have to be a couple of different things for different contexts of painting… biggest graff jam would be Roskilde festival, another experience would be painting an old German Military Bunker and the next would be painting fun stuff in Italy.
What/Who are some of the inspirations for you and your art?
There are too many amazing graffiti artists out there to list, however i would have to say people wise it would be mainly friends whom i paint with and original artists that i have looked up too… and when i have finally met them they have shown me humbleness in their personality and that resonates through their artwork. Im also very interested in design, technology and signage fabrication that very much influences my artwork.
Did this help guide you to where you are today?
Definitely, i have been working in design, signage and murals now for the past 20 years and it is all off the backbone from amazing and influential people i have met and of course graffiti art itself.
What are your personal goals now and in the future as a professional graffiti artist?
I am trying to build up a number of artworks based around sculpture, signage and graffiti and also try to incorporate my design work within these works.. I plan to have an exhibition based on these works later this year. I’m also shifting my professional work from mainly signage to mainly murals and to push more creative projects as such.
Tell us a little about how you like to work. (Alone, with others, in phases, details, etc…)
This is very dependant on what the project at hand is, or if i’m just looking to blow off some steam. For large scale projects i like to be well organised and on the same page as clients and the other artists i’m working with to ensure that the project is not just chopped together but a well pre meditated formula… i definitely get more fulfilment from painting with other people and accomplishing a shared idea or a mural/artwork that all of our input is obvious and felt. There is definitely something about creating and making an artwork with other people that shares fulfilment from the project.
What direction do you feel your art is going?
Exploring more sculpture based works and also different techniques of painting and visual applications. I’m trying to paint less letter based murals that focus more on landscapes, people, animals, shapes and patterns.
What’s the biggest misconception other people have of graffiti artists?
That tagging is not an art form and a simple uninformed and uneducated view of what graffiti actually is.
What are your thoughts on the whole graffiti vs street art battle?
They are totally different things so they are not very comparable.. graffiti is generally letter based whereas street art is not, the only thing they share is ego.
If you could share a message with the next generation of graffiti/street artists, what would it be?
Learn the roots of the culture, respect the people before you and don’t be judgemental and too critical.. don’t let your ego get in the way.
There any up and coming artists that we should keep an eye out for?
So many nowadays, its crazy! In terms of younger Aussie cats who are really making moves i would say Resio, Miles and Kid Aero.
Any shouts out you you would like to give?
Much love to my crews.. CDF, ISO, LED, 321, INN, WS4, UP, MIA
Thank you very much for your time and we look forward to seeing more of your amazing work.
You can find more of Porno’s work at:
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