Vyal - Graffiti Artist Interview

June 2009

Interview with Vyal, a graffiti artist from L.A. with mad style and crazy characters who represents C.O.I. Crew, L.O.D. Crew, 90DBC and VT Crew.

How old are you?

Too old to be doing this shit… HA-HA!!!!

Where are you based?

Los Angeles.

How long have you been painting / writing?

On and off since 1990.

One day I noticed that he was doing these crazy letters with all kinds of colors, I was like "What's that?" and he said "It's graffiti art, it's from New York…".

Vyal

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

I got into graff through a friend of mine named Greg Rojas, who's now an amazing tattoo artist up in San Francisco, he would chill out and draw during lunch in elementary school. One day I noticed that he was doing these crazy letters with all kinds of colors, I was like "What's that?" and he said "It's graffiti art, it's from New York…".

Where did you paint your first piece?

A little yard that we found, I remember doing a green skull with my homie Greg. I also did an illegal Wen piece with my good friend Wen at the time … that was a SILVER and BLUE block buster, that must of been around '88.

How would you describe your style?

Dark Psychadelic.

What are the influences behind your work?

• Folklore
• Ghouls and goblins
• History
• Indigenous cultures

How did you choose the name Vyal?

I actually used to write VYLE and that was a play off of VILE, but I got tired of the letter combination very quickly. I liked the name VILE because of its meaning (wicked), but I decided that I shouldn't let my name do all the talking and so I let my work define me instead…

Do you write under any other names?

No.

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

• C.O.I. Crew (Cause Of Insanity) which includes Manone, Werc, Crol, Jeyd, Sherm, Huit, Hozoi, Adeo, Bears - this is the crew that I'm currently acting president of.
• L.O.D. Crew (Legacy Of Destruction) which is a legendary crew here in L.A. and boasts members like Sleeze, Chaka, Colt 45, Healer… Sick Bombers! I was honored to be put down with the crew because they put me in based on my legal work.
• 90DBC from Paris France!
• A smaller crew from L.A. called VT Crew, with Kofie, Axis and Craola.

You have done many collaborations with artists overseas and often travelled abroad for your art, where is the most exciting or interesting place you have painted?

Hard to say, I think that every place I've painted has been interesting and exciting… although going out bombing in Mexico City was CRAZY!

How often do you travel abroad for your art?

Not often enough, I'd like to be traveling more this year. I really need to do a sweep of Europe! Oh, and of course Brasil!

What are your thoughts about the current graffiti scene in the U.S.A. and Los Angeles?

I can't speak for the entire U.S. but as far as L.A., it's been pretty chill. As far as bombing is concerned there's a lot of young kids coming up and then they get busted. The usual suspects right now are a crew call AT LARGE who are crushing shit! Healer, Ruets, Slayer, Adze, etc. Also EE Crew and NCT Crew. Fuct and Soup are handling shit too, I just saw a sick spot that read "SO FUCT UP", which is Soup and Fuct combo. Argon, Este and Dahm… on and on!

Here is a quote from a comment I read recently about you on the net… "Vyal has helped shape the L.A. graffiti landscape", what are your views on that statement?

Wow, somebody was being REALLY NICE! That's rare! That's an honor if more than one person feels that way. People are cautious about giving props.

Can you also tell us about the "Graffiti Saved My Life" project you are a part of and why you became involved?

"Graffiti Saved My Life" was a really simple idea at the beginning and I didn't expect it to snowball like it has, or to become the headache that it has become as well! At this point I am still doing it and my ideas for it continue grow far beyond what I can handle on my own. For now I will continue to print shirts, stickers and look into other merchandise options… but as for long term goals? I'm gonna keep that under wraps! Hopefully people stop ripping me off (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE)!

How did you come to be featured in the graffiti movie "Bomb It"?

Luck of the draw. I met first heard of the project from Man One and he put me in touch with Jon and Tracy. I hooked up with them at an opening and did an interview and I then hooked them up with lots of other writers in and out of L.A., people they had been wanting to interview but were unable to get a hold of… I was able to hook them up and get them to other spots out in Cali. I'm REALLY glad to have been part of it, I think the video is amazing and it's the next "Style Wars". Thanks JON!

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

Hmmmm… hard to say, I have a terrible memory when it comes to those jobs. I think MTV has provided me with most of my commercial work actually! HA-HA!

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

Yeah it is, because I teach graffiti classes out here in L.A. and that's a few hours a day, which fits nicely into my schedule but still allows me to have a good chunk of time to work on my other projects. It's been a long hard road and I go without a lot sometimes but that happens a lot less nowadays… THANKFULLY!

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

I guess when Chaz Bojorquez himself came to my home to get me into a show he was putting together at a gallery in Hollywood. The show was called "The Next Step", I think I was like 19 years old or something. I was really honored that he came out of his way to see me and ask me to be in his show. Chaz was always a legend and and inspiration to me, although my work doesn't show it he's always been a huge influence on me. He's a great influence and was an early positive role model for me, I get excited whenever I hear of him doing shows and being so successful because he was there for me at the beginning of it all.

Graffiti saved my life

Vyal

What do you see as your greatest achievement to date?

Still being creative and sticking with the art, fighting and overcoming drug addiction, staying alive… "GRAFFITI SAVED MY LIFE"!

You have had your work displayed in galleries many times, is there any one exhibition that stands out from all the rest?

My first one man show at Crewest, can't remember the exact date though. I just remember working really hard and pushing myself to produce. It was nerve racking for sure.

People think that graffiti shouldn't be in galleries but I believe that the work that people are producing out there should be preserved somehow.

Vyal

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

I have mixed emotions about it. People think that graffiti shouldn't be in galleries but I believe that the work that people are producing out there should be preserved somehow. I think a gallery is just as good as anywhere else because graffiti is supposed to be where it's not supposed to be, get it???? I'd love for my grandkids to be able to see a Chaz piece up close and personal or an Os Gemeos piece.

I love trading and owning artwork from different artists, I have a signed Cope2 print that is put away nice and safe… that's the homie! To my grandkids or my great great grandkids he might be a god, or at least help them get through college!!! HA-HA!!!!! You can't take a wall home with you but I'd love to have a canvas from so many writers out there, that shit is dope.

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

'Cause it manages to stay fresh…

Even though graffiti seems to have been more widely accepted there still appears 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?

It's those two defining words that make it what it is… ART or VANDALISM.

Do you prefer doing legal or illegal pieces?

Legal, I'm too old to get busted for graffiti… plus it's the last thing you want to get locked up for here in L.A.. I dont want a FELONY… plus I have to live with the end result not anyone else. I prefer to take my time and do what I wanna do.

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

NEXT!

Do you try to keep your identity anonymous where possible?

Not really, I'm pretty ugly so I hide my face because of that… HA-HA!

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

At this point more of an artist, I do love tagging though…

Which other artists work do you admire?

• OS Gemeos
• Belin
• MaClaim
• Daim
• Seak
• Kofie
• Chaz
• Jeyd
• Werc
• Crol
• Manone
• Marka
• Sherm
• Axis
• Crayola
• Make
• Ruets
• Aero (U.K.)

…So on and so on…

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

Seen would be cool, although I am in a crew with Old School Duster which is the shit… he was one of my favorites from back in the day.

Dondi (R.I.P.)… Dondi's my main lettering influence.

What is your preferred medium for making marks with?

SPRAY FUCKING PAINT!

Do you have a favourite piece of all time?

My 12 foot tall pentagram star… still running 12 years strong!

What kind of music are you into?

• Black metal
• Death metal
• Old school punk
• Grindcore
• Trip hop
• Reggae
• Jazz
• Old School ska
• Weird shit
• Radiohead
• Portishead

What is the last album you brought?

Gorjira.

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

Hooked up with a huge company who doesnt normally do graffiti related work but well see what happens. Planning to do a few shows overseas… become a zombie… shape shift…

Anything else you would like to add?

Thanks to Canned Goods thanks for waiting sooooooo long…

For further information about Vyal please visit:

Vyal Profile

Vyal Website

http://graffitisaves.com

Vyal MySpace Page

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