About Vitostreet

Interview given to Samantha longhi for Stencil History X Book

Since when have you taken pictures in the street? How many do you have today?

I have been interested in urban art since the 1980’s. Thanks to the arrival of everything numerical and photoblog, i was able to start rigorously and constitute a data base of my actual photographs ( thousands an thousands)

Photoblogs contribute a lot to the circulation of street art (fotolog, flickr, myspace, blogspots etc…) what do you think about this?

Photoblog can permit young artists to become known, but the interest must be to favor the emulation and exchange between artist.

Sten & Lex C215

On Flickr, for exemple, there are more then 100 000 results for word stencil. How do you handle this when you’re a photographer? How do you differentiate yourself ?

I chose flickr for its classing system (pool,tags…) its research engine and its notoriety.What differentiates meis the specific thematic (Parisian urban art), the frequency of publication and the famous “As soon as it’s up, it’s photographed”

Karcher stencil by Vitostreet	Vito contribution to the Jef Aérosol book : V.I.P

Indeed, it’s the Vito legend. Do you have a stencil GPS or do clones work with you?

My passion guides my steps.

There is often conflict between photographers and artists when artists aren’t named, for example. What do you think about this?

There is only conflict when, intentionally, the photographer doesn’t name an artist or, for personal or business means, uses his work without his consent. Thant’s the reason i “tag” all my photos.

How do you see stencils today?

I have three major ideas: the emerging of a new stencil generation, more collaboration between stencil and graffiti artists and work and techniques that evolve (the life span of a stencil is shorter, stencils on posters and no longer directly on walls etc…)

Stencil History book [Cover by Sadhu]	Stencil History book [photos by Vito]

Who are you favorite stencil artists?

My choises are related to esthetic shocks which can be linked to a theme, an anexpected composition… So i like the work of The Dark (Canada), M-city (Poland), Sten&lex (Italy), Bansky, WCA (Isbach, Artiste-ouvrier-6lex/France), Fremantle (France), DoctorH(Belgium) and many others.

Sten & Lex / M.City

Vito for Paris Street Art Book

My interest in street art was born when the hip-hop movement landed in France in 1984. I discovered street culture as imported from the US, which meant graffiti as well, thanks to the cult programs hosted by Sydney, H.I.P.-H.O.P.

I was 15 then.

By the mid-1990s, my interest had turned into an obsession. I became aware of it the day I realized I was regularly standing in the metro with my face glued to the window to see a particular piece as we sped past.

Shaka & Nosbé

Ever since, I’ve kept an eye out for transfers, graffiti, collages, silk-screens, and stickers in Paris, and have several thousand photos of them. I found them in places ranging from disused factories to wasteland and ordinary streets.

Vitostreet – Photo by Ekosystem	Vitostreet – Photo by Ekosystem

So every Sunday morning while the city’s still asleep, I leave my suburb heading for Paris. These morning pilgrimages see me covering miles and miles of pavement—from the Butte aux Cailles to the Bastille, from the Bastille to République, and from République to Belleville. I peer at walls, the tops of buildings and inconspicuous nooks and crannies, in the hope of finding something original……

Annotations Next to New York and London, Paris has always been a major destination for street artists and aficionados. This work features 150 images [By Vitostreet]. Description Next to New York and London, Paris has always been a major destination for street artists and aficionados. Multicultural and sophisticated, it is a city made for art of all kinds. Nowhere is the pulse of creativity more apparent than in its street art. Charged with colour, humour and social commentary, the 150 images captured in this book represent an open-air museum whose canvases are perpetually transformed. From the city centre to the outer banlieues, from stencil and spray paint to stickers, this collection reveals the creative energy fueling the Paris underground art scene.

Paris street art book Cover

Author Biography

Artistic masterpieces, if you just know how and where to find ROMAULD STIVINE is an art director and owner of the Lazy Dog bookshop and gallery in Paris. VITO DEL FORTE [Vitostreet] is a photographer based in Paris.

Release on 08/2008- 09/2008 in france

Publisher : Prestel

Jonone & André

	Nekotwo

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