MICO - Original School Writer Interview

December 2008

A lesson in history from MICO, an original school writer from the SALVAJES Crew who began in the 1970's, in which he explains his views on the difference between writing and graffiti!

How old are you?

It's now November of 2008. I am 53 years old.

Where are you based?

Metro NYC and Puerto Rico.

When did you begin practicing graffiti writing and for how long did you continue?

I started WRITING my name MICO in early 1970 with black magic marker inside of Erasmus Hall High School, 911 Flatbush Avenue in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY. I semi-retired from public surfaces in 1975.

I NEVER called my work "graffiti" and neither did the people I wrote with. We called it "writin'" or "hitting" and when things got more intense, we would refer to it as "bombing".

MICO

I NEVER called my work "graffiti" and neither did the people I wrote with. We called it "writin'" or "hitting" and when things got more intense, we would refer to it as "bombing".

Where did you paint your first piece?

My first ever single spray paint hit I did at the foot of a store side wall on Beverly Road at the corner with Flatbush Avenue. The bottom portion of the store wall was made of a black shiny material and I used silver color spray paint. It wasn't a "piece" per se, but at the time, anything larger than a marker hit was considered a "piece", especially if it was done with spray paint.

My first ever "masterpiece" (large letters) I did on a brick wall on the side of a supermarket in East Flatbush. The wall was painted white and I used a can of black Red Devil spray paint. At the time I had not yet added the two micostars to my name.

How did you get into graffiti writing and what made you begin painting?

Once again, I NEVER did "graffiti" or "scribbles" or "scratches", I always WROTE my name MICO. My friends and I started WRITING our names because we wanted to "become famous".

What do you see as being the start of the graffiti scene? Did it all start with the likes of TAKI 183 and Julio 204?

I think, from listening to your question, that the so called "graffiti scene" really began in the late 1970's - early 1980's during the so called "Old Skool". Before this, in the early 1970's, we did not have a "graffiti scene", instead we had a WRITIN' movement. Again, we did not refer to our work as "graffiti", we called it "WRITIN'". Also, it was a different situation when it came to respecting other people's work. The wave of toys that arrived in the mid to late 70s with the "throw-up" pieces did not exist yet in the "Original School".

TAKI and Julio were two writers who got up in their respective neighborhood of Washington Heights, Manhattan, just like Dino Nod and King Of Kools were two writers who got up in their respective neighborhood of Crown Heights / East Flatbush, Brooklyn during 1969-70. There were dozens of early writers who got up in their own neighborhoods but never received the recognition they deserve as pioneers because they have not been interviewed by anyone who wrote in magazines, newspapers or books about this culture. Therefore, no one outside the neighborhoods of those early pioneers knows about them. The people who resided in those neighborhoods in the early 70s, however, do know who those early writers were because they saw those name hits all over those neighborhoods.

Who did you see as being the pioneers of writing when you started?

In Brooklyn where I started there were several:

• Daddy Kool
• King Of Kools
• Dino Nod
• Undertaker Ash
• WG
• Scooter
• Deco

These pioneers were street writers.

On the subways that came from Manhattan and the Bronx, I remember seeing names like:

• Hondo
• Super Kool 223
• Lil Hawk
• Sweet Cruz
• Pollo 136
• CoCo 144
• Tan 144
• Ace 137
• Stay High "149"
• LEE 163rd
• Phase 2

How did you choose the name Mico?

The name is MICO.

"Mico" means "monkey" in Colombia. At the school that I attended in Barranquilla, Colombia in '67-'68 prior to being transplanted to Brooklyn by my mom in '69, there was a student who many of us thought looked like a monkey. He used to hate being called "Mico", so a friend of mine and I started writing "Mico" all over the school walls and bathrooms using white chalk in order to frustrate him even more. Then when I arrived in Brooklyn, I thought that if this guy ever visited NYC, he'd be shocked to see "MICO" even on NYC walls!

Did you write under any other names?

No.

Which crews have you written with?

I co-founded "SALVAJES", the first ever all Latino Writin' group in Brooklyn. WG, who also attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, offered me to join him, Dino Nod and others writin' "EX VANDALS", but I declined the offer because I was too busy getting "SALVAJES" up. I did not want to spend my paint and markers writin' something other than MICO and "SALVAJES". I did not want to dilute my time and resources too much.

Was there much trouble between rival crews of writers back in the day?

No. There was a whole lot of respect among the different writin' groups. The competition was intense, but with a lot of respect. By the way, we did not call them "crews" yet.

Which other writers have you painted alongside in your time?

Wow! Too many to mention them all. I'll just mention a few and a couple that I got started because they came to me for mentoring:

• MANI
• PelUSA
• Claw II
• MALO
• SAVAGE
• Slim One
• SPIN
• Deco
• LAVA
• Krome 100
• OZ 109

…and of course, the various masters at U.G.A. and others at a professional level.

Do you still keep in touch with any of the people you used to write with back in the day?

Yes.

You were the king of the D Line and the QJ Line in New York from 1970 - 1973, how did a writer become the king of a line and for how long did the "fame" last?

"King" means that you "own" that line or neighborhood. It means that you have the most hits and/or innovative pieces on it. Your "reign" lasts, of course, until you slow down or stop hitting and then along comes someone else who overtakes you in quantity and quality.

The idea behind graffiti artists "getting up" and putting their mark everywhere, becoming well known, going out for fame or in the old days in New York trying to be the "king of the line" is an interesting one. I wanted to ask you if infamy within the scene was a frustrating thing sometimes because of the need to keep your identity secret due to the illegal aspect? At what point did you feel it was safe to stand up and say "I did that"?

I'll say it again: WE DID NOT CALL OURSELVES OR CONSIDER OURSELVES "GRAFFITI ARTISTS" IN THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL.

The "secrecy" of things was somewhat frustrating, but most people knew who we were anyway. People on our block, our school, etc. knew who we were. It's the way we wanted it. It was the Transit Authority and the NYPD who did not know who we were. This was an important part of the guerrilla war that we had going on against NYC Transit. This is why meeting with other writers at the bench at 149th Street in the Bronx, Writer's Corner at 188th Street in Manhattan and later at the Atlantic Avenue bench was risky.

Detective Schwartz and his partner busted myself and Slim One at the underground City Hall yard in 1971. The charges brought against us were only for a "violation" and not a crime so they were eventually dropped.

MICO

Did you ever have a run in with the law because of your graffiti writing?

I never wrote "graffiti", I wrote my name.

Yes, Detective Schwartz and his partner busted myself and Slim One at the underground City Hall yard in 1971. The charges brought against us were only for a "violation" and not a crime so they were eventually dropped. Today, getting caught writin' your name on public property in NYC can be considered a "felony".

When you were busy hitting the train lines did you ever have any idea how much the artwork you and your fellow writers were creating would catch on and how much of an impact it would have generations to come?

No, we really did not have an idea of the cultural phenomenon that we were creating, we simply wanted to get up and "be famous".

You have been involved in some very polictical graffiti writing campaigns during your time (Free Mandela, Hang Nixon and Free Puerto Rico), how did you decide on a campaign to take up? Were you politically minded yourself or was it just a case of wanting to get your voice heard?

I never did political "graffiti". You and many others have been programmed to actually refer to our culture as "scawlings" and "scribblings" which is what "graffiti" really means. This denigrating software is of course, racist. It is racist because our culture was invented by us, the children of the working class, the people of color in NYC and not by the children of the very individuals who baptized our culture with such a denigrating term. (See Writin' vs. Graffiti)

You and others need to de-program your computer between your ears, by removing the "graffiti" diskette and changing it for a new diskette that refers to "writing your name" as "writing".

In addition to my name, I "WROTE" slogans and cries for social justice.

You describe yourself as being from the "Original School" of graffiti writers, could you explain what you see as the difference between an "Original School" writer, an "Old School" writer and a graffiti artist of today?

Incorrect, I am from the "ORIGINAL SCHOOL OF WRITIN'". Myself and others from the time did not "write graffiti", we "WROTE" our names. It is not just I who "sees" a difference between the two Schools, many of us do.

The "difference" between the two Schools? "ORIGINAL SCHOOL" means early 1970s, "OLD SCHOOL" means late 1970s and beyond.

On your website you argue the correct term for the artform is not "graffiti" but "writing", could you just explain a little about that?

Very simple: We WROTE our names, we did masterpieces. We DID NOT do "scribblings" of our names. (See the definition of graffiti)

What did you think of some of the early films made about the scene, such as Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant's "Style Wars" in 1982 or Charlie Ahearn's "Wildstyle" in 1983?

I think they are very important. They document the cultural movement for what it was at the time the films were made.

What are your feelings about the graffiti scene at present and the transitions in styles you must have seen since you began writing?

The whole thing is phenomenal! Millions of people throughout our planet, young and old, have confirmed that we were way ahead of our times, our parents and politicians back in 1969-70.

You were the first writer in the history of New York City aerosol art to sell a spray-painted canvas in an art gallery (The Razor Gallery in 1973), how much of an achievement did you see this to be at the time and did it have any impact on your writing career?

At the time it didn't mean much to me and neither does it today, it was just one of those chronological accidents that can happen to anyone who happens to be at the right place at the right time. It did have an impact on my outlook on things at the time, it proved to me and others that it was possible to find people who appreciated our work enough to pay us money for it and the appreciation factor meant much, much more than the money factor.

Writin' was the beginning of hip-hop. Rapping was adopted from Jamaica in the late 1970's. Writin' IS NOT one of "the four elements of hip-hop" as some "historians and entrepeneurs" would like the world to believe, don't forget, "the chicken did not come before the egg".

MICO

What are your thoughts on graffiti being commonly found in both galleries and on the streets these days?

WRITIN' your name on cold steel illegally is a completely different feeling to WRITIN' your name legally on canvas or a wall. Many gallery owners and other vultures have taken advantage of young writers when it comes to making the money. WRITIN' definitely has earned its place in world history and art history.

WRITIN' was the beginning of hip-hop. Rapping was adopted from Jamaica in the late 1970's. WRITIN' IS NOT one of "the four elements of hip-hop" as some "historians and entrepeneurs" would like the world to believe, don't forget, "the chicken did not come before the egg". WRITIN' illegally on public surfaces is necessary for the young person who wants to become a WRITER and as the person matures, he or she can use WRITIN' as a vehicle to develop a legit career as an artist.

In 1988 you came up with the name "Abstract Social Realism" for your style of painting, can you explain a little about it and the ideas behind it?

Abstract Social Realism is an extension of the work I did on the sides of NYC subways and other public surfaces. It is a "dialogue" between the artist who practices it and the rest of the world. It tries to expose one to oneself, like looking at yourself in the mirror. Many people don't look inward enough and this is one of the elements or reasons of our social experience in this small community called Planet Earth, for which there is so much misunderstanding and bullshit among us.

Are there other artists involved in your "Abstract Social Realism" movement?

I don't know, Google "Abstract Social Realism" and you'll find out.

Have you had your work displayed in many galleries across the world and if so is there any one exhibition that stands out from the rest?

Yes, the Razor Gallery Show in 1973 in NYC and the 9th Havana Biennial in 2006.

There seems to be a very fine line between those who see graffiti as art and those who see it as vandalism, what are your views on this?

"Graffiti" to me is "scribbling" and "scribbling" will be deemed "vandalism" depending on which surface you scribble on.

Do you see yourself as an artist or a graffiti writer?

I am a painter and a writer.

Do you still practice graffiti writing today and if not do you ever feel the need to?

I never did and never will.

I do still write my name on both legal and illegal settings.

What is your preferred medium for making marks with now and what was it back in the 70's?

Now:

• the World Wide Web
• Magic markers
• spray paint
• acrylic paint

1970's:

• Red Devil spray paint
• UniWide and MiniWide markers
• Pilot markers

Do you have a favorite piece of all time?

Yes, ALL of them, but my most favorite piece is my next piece.

What's your favorite quote?

My favorite quote which I coined: "Graffiti is to Writin', What Rape is to Sex".

Which other artists work do you admire?

• CoCo 144
• Flint 707
• Picasso
• Chuck Close
• Frida Khalo
• Diego Rivera
• Orozco
• Phase 2
• Stay High "149"
• Georgia O'Keefe
• Vincent Van Gogh
• Tamayo
• Warhol

Which other artists would you most like to work with if given the chance?

All of the above.

What do you see as your greatest achievement to date?

The fact that after 53 years, I'm still alive and kicking in this sick society.

What kind of music are you into?

• Mambo (aka Salsa)
• Boleros
• The New Song
• Cumbia
• Vallenato
• Reggae
• Classic Rock

What is the last album you bought?

"Salsa of the 1980s" - A compilation of number 1 Salsa hits of the 1980s.

What are you working on currently and what plans do you have for the future?

Currently working on "The Anniversary" series to conmemorate the election of Barack.

Anything else you would like to add?

I want to thank you for taking your time to read my story and formulate this questionnaire… but even more I wish to thank all of your readers who will take their valuable time to read this interview.

I also want to encourage the young ones to follow their dreams and give their dreams their best effort, whatever those dreams may be.

Don't believe the hype. Do your own research and then reach your own conclusions on any issue.

For further information about MICO please visit:

MICO Profile

MICO Website

MICO Flickr Photostream

MICO YouTube Channel

• Bebo
• Del.ic.ious
• Digg
• Diigo
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon
• Twitter