Contributors:

• IMAGERY: ROID

Graffiti is an art form that doesn’t play by anyone’s rules. And neither does ROID. A prolific artist in the graffiti space, ROID has spent the past twenty years making a name for himself as one of the scene’s key voices, establishing himself as a boundary pushing artists.

Known for his well-executed creations and instantly recognisable style, ROID cut his teeth in South London, where he grew up, surrounded by a realm of art and inspiration. Since then? He’s added a whole host of accolades to his roster, including becoming a member of the iconic American graffiti crew MSK.

His latest endeavour? Creating a bespoke design for DGVIB3, powered by Dolce&Gabbana, launch party at FLANNELS. Ahead of the launch at FLANNELS, ROID sat down with us to talk style, inspiration and creativity. From what graffiti means to him to how he began as an artist, this is everything you need to know. It's time to get to know ROID…

How did you get started as an artist?

I owe my interest in art to my parents. They were both at art college in the late ‘60s. I was introduced to art pretty early and encouraged to draw and be creative. I have early memories of being fascinated by typographic posters and design. Having grown up in South London, I was surrounded by graffiti, and have distinct memories of particular pieces. When I was about sixteen, I was put in places through skating where I was seeing it [graffiti] done first hand. Soon after, skating took a back seat, and everything became about graffiti.

As a London born-and-bred graffiti artist, how does the city influence the way you create?

Graffiti has influenced the way I’ve lived in and navigated a city. By nature, graffiti requires physical exploration and understanding about the environment you are working in. It provides you with a unique perspective of space and understanding of cities. Stylistically, I enjoy when my work fits into an environment; I don’t want it to look too out of place. If I have an idea of the place or surroundings I’m going to paint, I’ll try to play with elements like colour or form. I think it has an impact on the way I paint.

How would you describe your artistic style?

Progressive.

What influences you to create? Your work often has a retro, nostalgic feel, are there any specific eras or art styles that you draw inspiration from?

Having had that fascination with typography and graphic design from a young age, studying and exploring in that realm is what forms the foundation of my work, and gives it it’s general tone. Over the years, my areas of influence have broadened. I’ll find little things that trigger ideas and investigation in anything the world offers. Stylistically, graffiti can be quite linear. It comes from following tradition or wanting to stay true to an aesthetic. I get as much enjoyment seeing a classic piece of graffiti as I do something more avant-garde. I enjoy exploration and making an effort to push things as far from the conventions of graffiti as possible.

The art world can be filled with barriers, but graffiti, doesn’t have any. What does graffiti as an art form mean to you?

The barriers in the art world are attributed to tradition and elites in galleries and institutions and that trickling down. I think this is changing with a wider global audience and the people being given the tools and platforms to put their work out there for the world to see. Graffiti has always had that. The tools being people’s motivation to get work out there; the platforms being the city’s walls, trains, shutters or whatever else you want to paint. It’s that freedom and accessibility that has always made it so alluring and special. There are no limitations. Anyone from any walk of life who’s motivated to paint, can. That alone is one of the most positive things about it as a culture.

You’re a member of the iconic American graffiti crew MSK. Is community important to you when creating art? How does being part of a collective like this influence the way you create?

Being part of a wider group of friends with similar vision and trajectories is an incredible motivator. From personal experience, and watching over groups within the scene, it’s a special thing when you see the movements that occur when people have the same vision. I’m incredibly fortunate to find myself among friends that are some of the most progressive and talented artists in the graffiti world. Many of whom are now established contemporary artists. It’s inspiring to see where everyone is taking things. That in turn, pushes me and makes me think about the possibilities, making studio work and painting. There’s always been a healthy level of competition. An appreciation for how everyone is creating. At a base level, I create for myself and a close group of my friends and peers.

What do you see as the relationship between art and fashion?

There are so many parallels. The two are linked through expression. If you are making art and designing in the fashion industry, or are an enthusiast or consumer, they’re both incredibly important platforms to express yourself. Both worlds have such an important cultural impact, and it’s interesting to see each one feed the other in various ways.

Can you talk us through what you’re creating for the DGVIB3 project?

The piece I created for DGVIB3 is a dimensional typographic piece. It’s reflective of some of the more blocky, structural works I’ve created over the years. Generally, I’m used to painting larger surface areas, so it was a fun challenge to find a way to compose the letters in a way that maintains dynamism while still being legible. There’s a chaos, order juxtaposition going on.

What do you hope will be your legacy?

I’ve not thought much about legacy. I’m more just concentrating on enjoying my time. Experimenting, making, travelling and the good friends I’ve made over the years.

What’s next for you?

Hopefully, lot’s more travel and exploration.