Puppet - Graffiti Artist Interview

May 2009

Interview with Puppet, a graffiti artist based in Sweden, who over the years has been developing and perfecting his "Grid Style" of working.

Graffiti piece by Puppet (2009)

How old are you?

38, but I'm getting younger!

Where are you based?

Stockholm, Sweden.

How long have you been painting / writing?

I was painting and made drawings since I was a toddler. In 1983 I started writing my name, DanneB, in busses and then in 1984 I did my first spraypainted Puppet graffiti on walls.

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

When I saw some fresh graffiti backgrounds in some videos, it was always there as the decour of streetstyle.

Where did you paint your first piece?

Hmmmm… on a parking spot, in the center of my town.

How would you describe your style?

BURNER WALLS: Focus on whole walls, burners, background, caracters and all that shit… but always always touch the base of real graf!!!
GRIDSTYLES: New fresh idees with strange styles, effects and trix!!
CLASSIX: Pure classix with no new trix! Just for the love of it because that's the reason why I started!!

How did you choose the name Puppet?

I was a street dancer and that name suited my dance style back then.

Do you write under any other names?

Yeah, a lot of names passed my hands! In 1984 I was writing Znake, then Dee, Yes and some other names that are for those who know!

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

I've been in a few crews… WSR Crew, WS Crew, HH Crew and a few more but I don't care about crews anymore. I see graffiti as a philosophy now! I want a crew that thinks and has the essence. I only focus on NOW.

Graffiti piece by Puppet - Los Angeles (2007)

Graffiti piece by Puppet - San Francisco (2007)

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?

NY
LA
San Diego
San Francisco
Mexico City
Switzerland
Holland
Germany
Finland
Norway
Poland
Italy
Spain
England
Paris
Greece

I've been around and painted with some artists! All artists I paint with are special ;) A nice one was with Seen in the Bronx, 1990.

What are you feelings on the graffiti scene in Sweden at present?

It's boring, too trendy and too much art sucking! No walls… but I can see the light and some stylers are still doing it fresh, the hardcore scene is still rocking!!

Graffiti piece by Puppet - Copenhagen (2008)

Have you ever done any commercial work and if so what would you say was your most well known piece?

I have done many many comercial jobs. Well known? Hmmmm… I did a big thing in 2001 at the National Theatre in Sweden with Sender from Holland and lately I've done some work for Nike and that was fresh! My most famous wall, which was not legal, is still "THE DRAGON" and it's in the Swedish national encyclopedia representing graffiti.

It was a full-time career for me in the ninetees, but I don't like it as a job!! You have to suck too much dick for the cost of your art!
Puppet

Has graffiti become a full-time career for you now and if so was it a long journey to get to this stage?

It was a full-time career for me in the ninetees, but I don't like it as a job!! You have to suck too much dick for the cost of your art! I've seen so many writer doing that and then after a few years I hear them say "Eh? I'm moving on. I don't like the simple lettering and I want to grow with my art now". What? Where are they going? Graffiti is the shit! I just say "See ya!" and focus on my next wild style making it even wilder this time and to be free from that I'd rather work as someting else. For that reason when working full-time I'm an illustrator and a graphic designer or art director, my last fresh job was to be a fashion illustrator for a fancy store in Stockholm.

Graffiti has always been on my side but when I made my only living from it then I realised that you have to do so much work that really sucks and I can see that desperation in some artists who only make a living from it too. Artists end up having to step on others just because it is their food on the table, after a while you just kill your art vibe and therefore I decided to live with my art not on it.

Right now, as you read this, ironicly I'm only depending on my art. I split myself in two and one side of me is just thinking graphic jobs and illustrations that have nothing to do with my graf. I'm just lucky that I managed to have more skills than just graf… but number 1 in my life is always graf and the rest is just playing! I'm hoping that the day will come when 'they' only order work that of my choice, only work I find intresting!!

Is there any one point in your career you would class as 'your big break'?

Hmmm… yeah, maybe after the "Dragon Wall" in 1989 because it's still a door opener for me. People still know me from that and some even still say to me today that the "Dragon Wall" was one reason why they started to paint which is so cool! Fresh!

What do you see as your greatest achievement to date?

Achievement? I don't see it like that anymore, my circle is now on the second or third round! I guess the fact that I still keep the love in my art, keep the curiosity and that I still want to find that line that flows.

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

It's all good, it's just two different things. Too bad sometimes that they, "the art crowd", still think that if you are in the galleries then your art is more important, but then that's the art world!

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

I've had maybe 15 exhibitions, none really stand out but it was fun to show my work abroad, like the show I had in LA and the one in Paris. I'm now working on several projects that will soon be ready for exhibition… grids, grids, grids.

Graffiti piece by Puppet - Part of a "Grid" exhibition (2008)

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

We keep taking space, we don't wait on the art world to let us in! We are doing it anyway and we are serious! The street artist might have a role in this because it's more 'cute' than graffiti ;) and sometimes they call themselves graffiti artists. For me, these days I think they understand more that I am an artist and also a writer, I am selling more canvas to collectors who want a Puppet… and not only just graffiti. I think the next step is to sort out just graffiti and show that we are different artists.

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?

I don't get that question!?! It's a MEDIA thing… yes it's art and yes it's vandalism! When something becomes art it dosen't mean it's always good art! It only becomes art when it's presented as art… it's easy. I think it's boring to play on that.

Do you prefer doing legal or illegal pieces?

I prefer to paint.

Have you ever 'felt the long arm of the law' because of your art?

We all have I guess… if you have been a writer.

Do you try to keep your identity anonymous where possible?

This has happend, yes! Not anymore though… Puppet, Puppet, Puppet! ;)

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

I see myself as what I'm doing for the moment… when I'm writing then I'm a writer, when I'm painting then I'm a painter and when I'm doing illustrations I pretend sometimes that I'm a gay that loves rabbits and listening to 60's cocktail music living outside Barcelona! ;)

Graffiti grids by Puppet - Greece

Puppet painting graffiti grids (2006)

Graffiti grids by Puppet - Greece

Which other artists work do you admire?

Admire is maybe not the word here but I can get inspiration from, oh shit, many artists I like for diffrent reasons. Of course all artists from the NY Subway era, yeah, what would I've been without you? I also like different artists like special fashion illustrators, graphic designers and classic painters. Special thanks to Vaughn Bodé.

Here is give you a quick list of some graffiti freaks that pops up in my mind right now, ones that for sure I've been seeing more than once or twice:

Seen
Dare
Can Two
S.U.K.
Dome
CmpSpin
Smash
Bates
Swet
Sabe
Mode2
Shoe
Bando
Delta
Saber
Toys Crew
Love Letters
MSK Crew
Top Dogz
Cas Gang
Heavy Artillery

…and why not BST, they are the kings in my hood now!

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

I don't think that way, I'd work with anyone that inspires me back.

What is your preferred medium for making marks with?

A pen.

What is your colour of choice?

All.

What is your favourite surface to paint on?

Whatever makes my painting look good.

Do you have a favourite piece of all time?

No, it's a moment thing for me.

"Da Illustation Is Still Alive" - graffiti piece by Puppet (2008)

What kind of music are you into?

I'm a moody person so I like music that makes my mood. Breakbeats are always welcome, Italian, French 60's cocktail music, roots reaggae, 80's electrovibes, Brazuka Matraka, funk spectrum… when I'm drawing I like music that I feel is not just for listening… stuff that makes my mind just float, but I can't get around the fact that if you put Schooly D on then it's still kickin'! Sometimes I can listen to olschool raw scratching for hours… that's so hip-hop for me, DJ Cheese 1986… yeah!!

What is the last album you bought?

Don't know! I think the last time was when I bought 150 old vinyls at the same time a few years back… they were all all breakbeats, electro, funk and soul.

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

Hmmm, lots of projects around me all the time… one black book with wildstyles, one with only caracters, one with only GRID styles. Lots of canvas ongoing and planning some exhibitions!! Today I'm going to show my fashion drawing for a fancy store that I'm working for. I'm also doing my "Puppet book" at the moment, i got a lot of fresh pictures from the 80's.

Anything else you would like to add?

Yeah… that all anwers are just for now and so if you ask me again then all answers will be different!

Peace! Mr. Puppet