Ren2 - Graffiti Artist Interview

February 2009

Interview with Ren2 (a.k.a. Dr. Ren), a graffiti artist originally from Greece but now living in Brighton who is part of the 101 Crew.

Graffiti piece by Ren2 and Farm

How old are you?

Far to old to still be painting on walls that's for sure.

Where are you based?

Brighton town and what a lovely place it is!

How long have you been painting / writing?

I have been an addict for 14 years.

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

I started with the marker, tagging while I was out skating but whatever vile viral narcotics they put in inks back then led to a disgusting and uncontrolable habit which just couldn't be stopped.

I don't know how I would describe my style but some people say it's not "real" graffiti, however these people tend to suck and have been doing the same shit letters since last century.
Ren2

Where did you paint your first piece?

My first piece was at a hall of fame in an Athens school.

How would you describe your style?

I don't know how I would describe my style but some people say it's not "real" graffiti, however these people tend to suck and have been doing the same shit letters since last century. The people I respect think it's cool and that's all that matters.

How did you choose the name Ren2?

I went through a faze of changing my tag every two days, then on the subway one day I just thought of letters I liked to paint and was re-arranging them in my head until i came up with Ren. I stuck the 2 in there because everyone was writing 1 after their tag like they where the number one writer so I thought it would be funny to be second best, just to take the piss out of them really, but it stuck. Now I write Dr. Ren because I have a PhD so I thought it would be funny to stick that in there… I don't know, it seems I have far too much time on my hands.

Graffiti piece by Ren2 - Black Rock, Brighton (2008)

Do you write under any other names?

Never have, never will… but I would like to add that my pieces haven't said Ren for a couple of years now so I write 101 in one way or another. At the moment I'm doing alot of ENA pieces, which means one in Greek. There's only so many times you can write Ren on a wall before you want to puke.

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

101 Crew untill the day I die.

How did you come to be involved with the 101 Crew?

I was the new recruit back in the day, then when all my betters stopped writing I became the quasyleader type and built it back up to the graffiti power house it is today! Read the testimonial on the website www.101crew.co.uk, it makes much more sense on there.

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?

Mostly I have painted in Greece and England and I have painted with loads of amazing people, but by far the most exciting and interesting place I've painted has been California where I spent a month on my own painting subways… those where the days!

What are you feelings on the graffiti scene in London and the UK at present?

I don't know much about the London scene but every time I go there to paint I get attacked by these massive egos where people think they that they are "oh-so-cool" because they can do a shit dub piece over and over again. I'm sure there are loads of good writers in London but I just can't see them through the haze created by all the shit toys. Thankfully the rest of the country has some kind of style filter initiative going on or something because cities like Brighton and Bristol, to name a few, are chucking out great eye-candy both legal and illegal.

Graffiti piece by Ren2

You are originally from Greece, how is the graffiti scene over there and how does it differ to the scene here in the UK?

Graffiti is graffiti… same shit different country.

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

The most well known piece I did was at the New England Quarter in Brighton (Summer '08) when I painted a huge GTA themed wall with a load of my friends, it took a week to paint and was amazing. Unfortunately some dickhead vigilante decided to emulsion the guns out of the mural because he thought we where promoting gun crime… the fact that I wrote in huge fucking letters "stop the madness" wasn't a big enough clue that we were infact painting an anti-gun crime mural! Anyway, it was in the local Sunday paper three weeks running with people dissing the emulsion man telling him that he was basicaly a prick and that what we had done was rad… that made me feel nice and gooey inside!

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

I always knew I would never be a pro writer. I used to run a paint shop here in Brighton for about a year and that was fun, but aside from that no. I take the work when I get it but I hold down a job and just leave the painting for the fun of it… keeps the stress levels down.

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

When I moved to Brighton, this city is a bottomless pit of inspiration!

Graffiti piece by Ren2 - Brighton (2009)

What do you see as your greatest achievement to date?

The fact that I'm still going strong, that I haven't gone stagnant and I'm pushing myself to progress with every piece I paint.

I am of the opinion that people should just do what they want and fuck everyone else… after all, isn't that what graff is all about?
Ren2

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

I don't really care to be honest, graff is free to be where it wants to be. If you want to paint a canvas then paint a canvas, if you want to paint a subway then do it. I am of the opinion that people should just do what they want and fuck everyone else… after all, isn't that what graff is all about?

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

I had a lot of fun at an exhibition we had last year to celebrate my 30th, it was all about painting with my crew and just doing an in-progress kind of thing where people could watch us actually paint the wall. Everyone had fun and the party was rad!

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

Who knows? Who cares? All I know is cash in boys and girls because it wont last forever.

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?

Why can't it be both? God knows its funnier when it is!

Do you prefer doing legal or illegal pieces?

I haven't done an illegal piece in years, but if I remember correctly it was very, very fun.

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

No, but I've felt the long arm of the law because I couldn't stop scribbling my friggin' name everywhere!

Do you try to keep your identity anonymous where possible?

Yeah, I guess it's just better that way.

Graffiti piece by Ren2

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

Just a writer.

Which other artists work do you admire?

Aside from the boys in my crew, at the moment I'm a fan of:

Revok
Aroe
Odisy
Gary
Jiroe
Mr. Wany

…and many more, but we'll cut it short there to not bore the readers.

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

Tell you what, painting with my crew members a bit more often would be nice! We all live in different cities and we don't get together half as often as we should… that would be enough for me.

What is your preferred medium for making marks with?

A nice full can of Shock Red with a New York fat cap on it always seems to hit the spot.

Do you have a favourite piece of all time?

Not really as I tend to hate what I've done almost as soon as I've finished it. I'm never really happy with anything that I do… issues.

What kind of music are you into?

Punk rock again and again.

What is the last album you bought?

"War On Errorism" - NOFX

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

I am currently working on painting more and am hoping the future brings more painting.

Anything else you would like to add?

Peace to my friends: