By Vincent Morgan | Published on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Interview of the Italian street artist Sea. Let's talk about Basquiat, Shocking Blue, brush style and pyramids.

Italian street art.

FC: Where are you from Sea?

I’m Italian, actually i live and work in Milano.

FC: Tell us about your beginnings and your discovery of graffiti...

During my childhood my family used to take me on the seaside in a special place in Italy full of graffiti. I started to be curious about that incredible world with strong colors and powerful shapes, at that time everything was so mysterious for me.   I started copying famous artists and then step by step i created my personal style on lettering.

FC: What's the meaning of your name?

Sea has always been with me. I used it as my personal tag because i really love these 3 letters.

FC: Tell us more about the Spruzzers...

Here’s the complete Spruzzer team: Sea, ReFreshInk, IlBorse, Vine and Catù form Barcelone! Spruzzer have been working together since 2007... All of us belong to the graffiti world though we got different backgrounds. We are just friends who enjoy painting together! We think the best thing is putting different styles in a unique combination. We always prefer painting on old farms walls, we look for them because we love to give them a new life through our works. If you want to check it, you can visit our blog, we are looking forward to reading your comments!

Culture:

FC: Best movie?

Basquiat is my favourite movie: it’s directed by Julian Schnabe (1996)

Basquiat

FC: Best book?

"Katmandu, the great trip" by Charles Duchaussois.

FC: Best album?

I’ve got many favourite albums, at this time I really love Shocking Blue.

FC: Favourite color?

Black   .

FC: Name an artist (or many) whose work you respect and admire.

I got inspiration from many different artists, I always try to learn something from all of them. The most important have been Phil Frost, his style is really magic and powerful, and of course Dare who influenced an entire writers generation!

Phil frost

Style and Flow:

FC: You seems to appreciate contextual street art. Sometimes your characters interact with the reality or they look like they are looking to our world...

I really like to get inspiration from special places, it's important for my creativity to feel good and be always motivated by the places, so my characters can be more realistic, interactive and full of good vibrations.

FC: What's about the pyramids and the eye in your painting?

My representation of third eye is very ironic, it's just my way to look at the world... open your minds to the essential!

FC: You don't use spray cans don't you? It seems that you prefer use brush.

No, no... i used sprays for many years when i was a graffiti artist, then i switched to brush style.

FC: Do you need something particular to be creative?

I don't believe you need something particular to be creative, but there are some simple things that help you to express yourself.

FC: What was your best graffiti/street art experience?

Each experience is unique... the best part of my street art experience is about moving and meeting different people around the world.

FC: Do you practice other forms of art? I saw some wheatpastes of you, and you are well known for your designs. But you also do sneaker and toy custom, painting on wood...etc. What do you prefer, and what do you want to try in the future?

I don' t stop trying new stuff on my works: i constantly test new materials and techniques. For example, recently i made some tests with incision technique, etching and xylography. It's a really interesting world!

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

Just fashion, no culture development. Anyway i guess some people could learn by the time to appreciate street artists and give value to the whole movement.

FC: What kind of reaction do you want your art to evoke?

I don't put a message on my paintings, i just want to give a new life to old and abandoned walls .

FC: Word Association, I’ll give you a word and you give me the first thought that comes to mind.

Graffiti: Mode 2

Milan: too much grey

Japanese meal: ramen.

Tits: dure

Paris: elegance

1993: car trips with my family

Family: They are my first fans! -

God: God whoi?

Salvador Dali: visionary

Police: boring

AC DC: Thunderstruck

FC: What would be the perfect day ?

A sunny day with a perfect temperature (about 22°).

FC: What are your plans for the future?

Painting, painting, painting walls.

FC: What's your real goal?

I like imagining people looking my painting and start asking questions: what that it means? And that? It make me smile because they always need rational explanations.