Artist Profile: IVORY

Ivory hails from the Bronx.New York and has always been active with the Graf scene in the U.S. He paid a visit recently to Notre Dame Estate so we caught up with him and asked a few questions.

1) What motivates you to paint?
It's in my bones I guess. I've been painting since i'm a kid you know so its just inside me trying to get out.

2) What do you like about graffiti?
  I like that it's a generational thing like the older cats used to show me stuff and now I'm the one showing these new cats how it's done. Thats the continuity of graffiti has that some so called STREET ART guys just ain't got and never will baby.

 3) What inspires you?

Really the old NYC Subway stuff from the 1970's guys like Phase 2, Riff, Pel, Billy167, Nic 707, The Death Squad you know Kool 131, Peso 131, Part, Noc 167, Chain3, all that stuff is what I draw from plus my apprenticeship with guys like Seen TKid 170 And my mentor Roler TM7 with a little Dondi and Tack FBA sprinkled on top. Thats the stuff thats just mind blowing to me these guys devoloped the whole language that we still employ in Style Master type piecing. Basically they got it right on the first shot!

 

4) What are you working on now?

.I'm still out there doing pieces I just finished a tour of Londons Hall of Fames where I would just show up unannounced and just blow kids minds like look it's IVORY from The Bronx kind of thing. i Just want to shout out to all my blokes from the UK.

 

 5) What shows have you recently done?

  I've had my first NYC solo show this past June to great satisfaction and i'm just in the studio grinding on my paintings.

 

6) What is your next project?

I am planning on doing some large scale Museum type paintings with spray paint on linen for an upcoming european show.