ART NOT CRIME
Firstly, thank you for your time, what’s up?
No prob. Chilling in home,reading my emails.
For those who are unfamiliar with you and what you do, can you tell us a bit
About yourself?
I am from Copenhagen Denmark , Europe, been doing the do…I see myself as a creative person,trying to leave a mark behind!
How did you initially get into graffiti and how has your style progressed from when you began?
Through electric boogie, my eyes got interested in the pieces from the background!
Beginning it was simple humouristic and innocent.
How did you come up with your tag, why Bates?
I saw a tv series called V for victory, one of the characters was called Bates,i chose
It cause it sounded funky and had some letters i liked.
What inspires you to go out and paint?
Being creative,put my mind to something else
And just pure love for just painting…and you can always get better.
What’s in your pockets right now?
Keys and a card.
You began writing in ’84, so you’re no new comer, how have you seen graffiti evolve over the last quarter of a century?
Man…It’s crazy,you see graff in any corners of the world. Technique is getting faster and better.
In that time you must have been in some pretty crazy situations and have a few stories to tell, what has been a stand out moment for you?
Tonight ,i did a underpass of a bridge, seen by the trainline and a huge
Highway next to it, cops stopped on the other side,anyways i manage
to finish(looked shitty)and get away.
What’s been pumping through your head phones lately?
Latest Mos Def.
How does a typical day in the world of Bates unfold?
Doing a piece in the morning before going to work work work work, home chilling prepare for the next day.
Advice to up and coming artists?
Practice a lot on paper.
Anything coming up that we should know about?
Check out my website www.greatbates.com, every day in december a new update with flicks and click in on our new webshop and invest in some art.
Word association, you know the deal, say whatever comes to your mind when
you read the word.
Australia
Always wanted to go and rock some shit out there….Never been there yet!!!
Kevin Rudd
Who?
Denmark
Proud Dane
Lars løkke rasmussen
Who?
America
I need to go there again.
Obama
Just been in copenhagen today for the climate meeting
Religion
Is like graffiti for some.
Time
Time will tell.
Greed
Some are.
Humanity
Important
Peace
And love
Freedom
Going out to paint.
Art
When will you learn the art will never die?
Graffiti
Taking alot of a my time.
Life
Aint fun without being creative.
Happiness
You gotta do what makes you happy.
Where can people follow what you’re up to and view your work?
Website,webshop and my blog.
Last words, shout outs?
Peace and respect.
Early 90′s piece by Bates in the Bronx
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