Pesa - Graffiti Artist Interview

August 2009

Interview with Pesa, a graffiti artist from Albuquerque, New Mexico who is a member of the TNB Crew, WST Crew and KD Crew.

Graffiti piece by Pesa

Where are you based?

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

When did you begin painting graffiti?

I was taught how to tag my real name in 83-84. I began street bombing in 1988 and didn't start getting serious with piecing until 1998.

How did you get into graffiti and what made you start painting?

As a little kid I was always checking out the cholo / gang graffiti to and from family members houses. The tags on my particular route were from the gangs San Jose, Barelas (aka B-13) and South Side. In the early eighties in the San Jose barrio there was this graffiti/gang mural done and I would be glued to the back window of our family car at the time (a 1973 Monte Carlo, which I still have!) as we drove by just staring at it… from those early days on I was hooked.

Where did you paint your first piece?

It was painted right off the train tracks in an area called Brew Town, my first train was painted in the main yard in the San Jose / Barelas area.

How would you describe your style?

My style definitely has the Old School New York foundation with a little bit of Albuquerque flavor thrown in.

How did you choose the name Pesa?

Out here in Albuquerque all the O.G.'s know me as DASH. As far as I knew, back in the day, I was the only Dash out there writing graffiti, or at least I was the only Dash out here. As soon as the internet came along and I started traveling I found out there were a million Dash's so to separate myself I chose the name PESA which means "weight" in Spanish and since I enjoy working out it fits perfect. Big ups to big MONE RIS who keeps getting bigger and bigger everytime I see him.

Do you write under any other names?

Nope just PESA.

Do you write with any crews and if so which ones?

I am down with:

TNB Crew
WST Crew
KD Crew
KTC Crew
ATK Crew
OS Crew

Graffiti piece by Pesa - Bronx, New York

Graffiti piece by Pesa - Burque 505

Have you done many collaborations with artists overseas or travelled abroad for your art and if so then where is the most exciting or interesting place you have painted?

I haven't been oversea's but I would love too! If anyone want's to hook me up with some walls and a place to stay I will come ready to burn, ha-ha!

The Mayor acts like graffiti is the root of all evil so the buff is really strong and they paint over permission walls, it's fucked up.
Pesa

What are your feelings on the graffiti and street art scenes in New Mexico and the USA at present?

The Golden era (early 90's) for graff out here in Albuquerque is long gone but there is still a shit load of talent here. The Mayor acts like graffiti is the root of all evil so the buff is really strong and they paint over permission walls, it's fucked up. If someone is dedicated though then they can still go all city and have shit run if they hit the right spots.

As far as the rest of the USA goes it's just like anywhere else in the world, you got your down ass writers and you got your suckers that just get in the way.

I believe you have designed a couple of t-shirts for Wild Style Technicians, how have they been selling?

They are always top sellers!! Wild Style Technicians consistently puts out real graff tee's while the other companies put out what's cool at the time. All of us in WST are real writers and still put in work. Big ups to IZZE WST for making sure everything comes correct before the tee's go to print!

Have you ever had any of your work published in any books or magazines?

I've had pieces in a few graffiti magazines and I did an interview in the graff mag Volume One (issue 12). Big up's to Kuaze ATT!

Graffiti piece by Pesa

Life is all about choices and I've chosen to write my name on something for over 20 years now.
Pesa

What is the biggest risk you have ever taken for your art?

None. I knew what I was doing when I was skipping school, doing drugs and bombing. I knew the repercussions and still do.

Life is all about choices and I've chosen to write my name on something for over 20 years now

What are your thoughts on graffiti being just a likely to be found in a gallery as on the streets these days?

If the writer is an O.G. and has gone all city then I think he can do whatever he wants… now if the "artist" is some geek that's in it for the moment with no history then it's junk. I give more respect and props to an O.G. who maybe hasn't picked up a can in 15 years than some toy that has great artistic skill that is selling shit in the galleries.

There seems to have been a sudden surge of interest in graffiti and street art recently, why do you think this is?

Graffiti is kinda starting to become like B-Boying was back in day, every kid now wants to be a "tagger" or a "grappler" and it's just the in thing to do right now. Once something else comes along the fake heads will jump ship and it will leave us real writers still lovin it and doing our thing.

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

The most important thing to me in graffiti is that you have to start off with bombing, like I said before, if you kill the city over and over and then you want to kick back and rock legals, or not even paint anymore, then you can because you already put in the work… there is nothing more to prove.

…if you kill the city over and over and then you want to kick back and rock legals, or not even paint anymore, then you can because you already put in the work… there is nothing more to prove.
Pesa

Do you prefer doing legal or illegal pieces?

Out here they both get buffed…

Do you try to keep your identity anonymous where possible?

I don't put it on blast that I'm a writer but outside of work I prefer to be called by my nickname, that's how it should be. Back in the day we called each other strictly by our nicknames… everybody… from my homies parents, to the guy working the drive through at the liquor store called me Dash.

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

A graffiti writer!!! I'm not a natural born artist, I learned how to write graffiti and build pieces. People always ask me to paint shit other than letters but they don't understand that I'm a graffiti writer and all I care about is letters! Go ask someone else to paint a dancing pony or a dove coming out of the sky… ha-ha-ha!

Which other artists work do you admire?

My brothers in OS, WST, TNB and I also dig what HSA is doing, I like the fact that they know how to build pieces and rock sick backgrounds, I hate it when I see sick characters / backgrounds and shitty letters! Remember this isn't grappling so it's about style over technique!

Graffiti piece by Pesa

What is your preferred medium for making marks with?

Any kind of paint that sprays well and covers… and a nice juicy Pilot marker.

What is your colour of choice?

Wal-Mart silver (R.I.P.).

What is your favourite surface to paint on?

Out here, cinder block with no pilasters.

Do you have a favourite piece of all time?

Not really a particular piece but I enjoy checking out anything painted by my homie Agree ATK (R.I.P.) and old school photo's of graff from out here in Albuquerque and NYC.

What kind of music are you into?

All kinds, but if I could only hear music from three artist's it would be DJ Krush, Thievery Corporation and Tommy Guerrero.

What is the last album you bought?

I usually search for the best songs off a particular album, get 'em and move on. A recent song I got was "Guitars and Cigars", best believe if your going to go painting or cruising with me your going to be listening to some good music!

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

I'm working on my classic cars and my plans are to keep cruising and writing on something.