Cap Interview
Where did the name Cap, come from? Is there any significant meaning behind it?
Cap: I wrote SARGE first. Then i wanted a getting up name with 3 letters that can be made into larger words. CAP is the perfect name.
How long have you been writing graffiti?
Cap: I started in the mid 70’s, I have been painting for 30 years now.
What influenced you to start writing graffiti?
Cap: Seeing trains and writers in my neighborhood like BILLY167, SHORTY5, HIPPIE44, JOHN150
When was the last time you painted something? What was it?
Cap: I paint for a living. I paint or do something art creative everyday. I am doing canvas for the SEEN’s project, BLKmarket.net, right now.
In the documentary Style Wars you’re portrayed as a bit of a villain. Do you feel being a graffiti bomber is some sort of a villain in the graffiti scene?
Cap: I was in a motorcycle club in the bronx at age 16. I am an outlaw, I have a bad reputation from punks who couldnt handle the real outlaw lifestyle taking over the trains.
Was there a particular reason for the war between you and a few of the other writers at the time of Style Wars?
Cap: People thought they could make rules for an outlaw world and I believed if there were any rules.The bronx rules
People look up to you as being a king of bombing. How do you feel about that?
Cap: I am an outlaw king in the art world
Who do you look up to?
Cap: Some biker friends and artists like Dali and Pollock.
What type of projects have you been working on lately?
Cap: I went to Europe in 97 for some show in zurig, then Germany in 2000, i then started out with an exhibit at alife in 2002 i did my first tee shirts and beer mugs with my trademark cap throwup on them. i did 2 snowboard conventions in Vegas working once for ride snow boards and then for dragon optical. i did some background for the warriors video game. i added some footage to copes new KD video, did some writing and contributing for some frank 151 projects, i added to mad c’s alphabet book and a book jayson is writing on the history of new york graffiti artists, while always painting new canvas and a wall here and there, i am writing my autobiography as a writer/artist. amping up my website www.artistcap1.com while keeping it completely real. I have some throwups on Seen’s black market website for sale. I am currently working on tee shirts and a new line of beer mugs,.creating more letter styles for future projects and painting with friends.
What gallery shows have you been involved with?
Cap: I got into a show done by fever/lady k at the bronx museum. cope got me a spot at Toy Tokyo’s gallery then I hooked up with 1hundred B and did Gallery 151 and Benrimon Contemporary gallery with many other artists.
What kind of work are you featuring in galleries?
Cap: Believe it or not people love my throwup so some canvas are built around it others are based on letter style caps keeping true to the culture. I have a few viking canvas with a cap style added in clouds. Also I have a line of caps on train canvas kinda historical, and I am creating some pop art that is almost ready for release.
How has graffiti changed from when you started to now?
Cap: Graffiti was a lot easier to get away with as far as cops go in the early days but was dangerous as far as getting into beef with other writers, crews took people off for their paint or just dogged some writers off train lines or forced them to quit writing. we learned by painting or sketching designs. nowadays there are computer generated graphic artist and artists in galleries some still do walls / murals others are street writers or train rockers the culture has expanded greatly.
What are some future projects you’re working on?
Cap: Getting this organized into a business as I am a painter by trade and can handle working in all aspects of painting. Designing projects for companies as well personal full finish work for indiividuals or working 70 feet in the air with brother painters in the construction business painting signs or just protecting buildings or reinhacing ornamentle work.
