April’s issue of Juxtapoz is a special edition to celebrate the Art in the Streets exhibition at MOCA, Los Angeles. My small contribution to it was a piece about Belgian artist Roa who was featured in the exhibition and my last book Street Sketchbook: Journeys.

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Roa is one of the artist’s who appears in my latest book and one who I enjoy following – so I’ve been looking forward to seeing photos from his Mexican Adventures. There is a nice book connection too, as Roa was keen to paint with some of the Mexican artists who he first got to know through Street Sketchbook: Journeys… So although I can’t take credit at all, it is greatly satisfying to see him collaborating with fellow featured artists Sego & Saner.

Sego & Roa

Saner & Roa

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Here is a little info about the book, but in the simplest terms this book is about how artists develop their voice…

Art is a journey. Every artist forges their own path of discovery that gradually leads to the formation of their own unique style, and creative outlook. This book follows the journeys of 26 extraordinary artists from around the world through stories, projects undertaken and key moments that have shaped their artistic eye. Some of these artists have been on travels that have inspired them while for others ‘the journey’ is what links the people and things they’re passionate about, which makes them want to create art.

Street Sketchbook: Journeys explores how artists develop ideas and in particular looking at the work of some of the most exciting talent emerging from today’s street art culture and independent art and design practise. On the street these artists express themselves with graffiti art and murals while they also produce art in countless other ways such as on canvas, sculptures, animations, comics and even performance art. The aim of this book is to share in the artist’s passions and uncover their processes and obsessions. Through in-depth interviews, unseen sketchbooks and photographs we gain a unique insight into their creative lives.

In all their different endeavours their spirit remains the same, one of experimentation, originality and free expression. Their passion for art is also often necessarily combined with a Do-it-yourself attitude and ingenuity that is equally inspiring. Many of these artists initiate their own commercial or community based projects, create their own outlets and markets for their art often bypassing conventional routes. As today’s markets for art and design fluctuate, being able to self-initiate and author projects is becoming increasingly important. Which makes the work of these independent artists all the more relevant and inspiring to all artists endeavouring to unlock their own ideas. From Colombia to Chile, Ukraine to Mexico, these artists come from different backgrounds and have arrived at different creative conclusions. Talent is rising from small creative hubs in sometimes-overlooked places, producing fresh outlooks and approaches.

Street Sketchbook: Journeys explores the interesting and varied backgrounds of each artist, observing how different experiences can shape an artist, while common humanity and urban life can lead to similar themes being interpreted in different ways. With the generous collaboration of all involved, this book looks at the extraordinary stories of young artists and how they engage with the world.

The above pages are some spreads from the Bastadilla and Stinkfish chapter – I’ll post some things from other contributors over the coming months

Many thanks to all the artists who made it happen. Keep the date of the 1st October free for the London book launch at Pictures on Walls gallery space.

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I was greatly looking forward to seeing new work by Belgian artist Roa this week and his show at Pure Evil gallery did not disappoint. I love his use of found objects in these pieces – something that he began developing at his last show at Galerie Iterance in Paris.

Roa is one of the artists I have featured in my new book Street Sketchbook Journeys due out this September. The book design and text was completed last year but the production time always takes a while until we have a finished book. I really enjoyed writing about Roa’s work for the book and it was a pleasure to devote a large chapter to his sketches and finished work.

I don’t want to wear out the book before its published but here is a snippet of the chapter text…

“For Roa animals represent so many things; some animals are honored or execrated by cultural meanings, some are metaphorical for sin or for hope, humans consider some as dirt, others as beautiful. “It’s an open theme,” he explains “you can make your own story with them. I was more attracted by the everyday animals that live next to us; like these little rodents, domesticated rabbits, bred pigs, cows. They are integrated in our western culture in many ways, but it feels estranged when you see them painted on the street. To show them totally out of proportion or out of real life scale it gives them something surreal, sometimes a bit dubious too… I really like the ambiguity of images and of implicit meanings, and I can’t deny I am fascinated by the circle of life, sometimes in a peaceful morbid manner.”

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