my name is safe and my parents are here in the audience today they’re happy for
in the audience today they’re happy for
in the audience today they’re happy for two reasons first of all that I’m on
two reasons first of all that I’m on
two reasons first of all that I’m on stage and second of all they don’t have
stage and second of all they don’t have
stage and second of all they don’t have to pay tuition again okay so my journey
to pay tuition again okay so my journey
to pay tuition again okay so my journey started with graffiti and graffiti is a
started with graffiti and graffiti is a
started with graffiti and graffiti is a rejected form a rejected art form that
rejected form a rejected art form that
rejected form a rejected art form that society did not accept and this is I’m
society did not accept and this is I’m
society did not accept and this is I’m talking about 15 years ago
talking about 15 years ago
talking about 15 years ago I’m not old I’m 27 but I started 15
I’m not old I’m 27 but I started 15
I’m not old I’m 27 but I started 15 years ago I listen to punk and metal
years ago I listen to punk and metal
years ago I listen to punk and metal music and we were social outcasts me and
music and we were social outcasts me and
music and we were social outcasts me and this group of people and we wanted to be
this group of people and we wanted to be
this group of people and we wanted to be heard and nobody was giving us that that
heard and nobody was giving us that that
heard and nobody was giving us that that platform so we decided we’d do it
platform so we decided we’d do it
platform so we decided we’d do it ourselves we’re gonna go onto the
ourselves we’re gonna go onto the
ourselves we’re gonna go onto the streets and we’re gonna spray paint our
streets and we’re gonna spray paint our
streets and we’re gonna spray paint our names and big just like advertisements
names and big just like advertisements
names and big just like advertisements do it for five years that’s what we did
do it for five years that’s what we did
do it for five years that’s what we did and it worked great these companies
and it worked great these companies
and it worked great these companies started to recognize who we are people
started to recognize who we are people
started to recognize who we are people started knowing who’s safe is he’s a
started knowing who’s safe is he’s a
started knowing who’s safe is he’s a capable artist some thought it’s
capable artist some thought it’s
capable artist some thought it’s vandalism some thought it’s a form of
vandalism some thought it’s a form of
vandalism some thought it’s a form of art the media – of course the media is
art the media – of course the media is
art the media – of course the media is never accurate we captured in an
never accurate we captured in an
never accurate we captured in an audience there they know who we are and
audience there they know who we are and
audience there they know who we are and we had to tell them something before I
we had to tell them something before I
we had to tell them something before I jump into that the importance of
jump into that the importance of
jump into that the importance of questioning and questions is what took
questioning and questions is what took
questioning and questions is what took my graffiti 15 years ago from doing
my graffiti 15 years ago from doing
my graffiti 15 years ago from doing illegal to a.m. we’re feeding on the
illegal to a.m. we’re feeding on the
illegal to a.m. we’re feeding on the streets all the way to right now TEDx
streets all the way to right now TEDx
streets all the way to right now TEDx and other successful events the driver
and other successful events the driver
and other successful events the driver of all the key engine driver of this
of all the key engine driver of this
of all the key engine driver of this progression was I raised questions and
progression was I raised questions and
progression was I raised questions and that’s what this discussion is going to
that’s what this discussion is going to
that’s what this discussion is going to be about and I’m hoping that this
be about and I’m hoping that this
be about and I’m hoping that this presentation will be a live illustration
presentation will be a live illustration
presentation will be a live illustration to you on how you can use questioning to
to you on how you can use questioning to
to you on how you can use questioning to improve your lives and you can improve
improve your lives and you can improve
improve your lives and you can improve the surrounding environment and the
the surrounding environment and the
the surrounding environment and the world we live in how can they know about
world we live in how can they know about
world we live in how can they know about me that’s the graffiti we just went out
me that’s the graffiti we just went out
me that’s the graffiti we just went out wrote our names night after night after
wrote our names night after night after
wrote our names night after night after night just what advertisements do all
night just what advertisements do all
night just what advertisements do all these deodorants and all these cars and
these deodorants and all these cars and
these deodorants and all these cars and all these banks you keep seeing them
all these banks you keep seeing them
all these banks you keep seeing them over and over and over and that’s how
over and over and over and that’s how
over and over and over and that’s how advertisement works we’re 13 14 15 at
advertisement works we’re 13 14 15 at
advertisement works we’re 13 14 15 at this foot at this age and we just kept
this foot at this age and we just kept
this foot at this age and we just kept writing our names around
writing our names around
writing our names around with without permission and it raised
with without permission and it raised
with without permission and it raised hype it was on it was on newspapers and
hype it was on it was on newspapers and
hype it was on it was on newspapers and people started asking questions who was
people started asking questions who was
people started asking questions who was safe so now it’s time to show them who’s
safe so now it’s time to show them who’s
safe so now it’s time to show them who’s safe and his gang is not gang sorry it’s
safe and his gang is not gang sorry it’s
safe and his gang is not gang sorry it’s crew we grew up right so we started
crew we grew up right so we started
crew we grew up right so we started doing something called street art street
doing something called street art street
doing something called street art street art is the natural evolutionary from
art is the natural evolutionary from
art is the natural evolutionary from graffiti now as I said earlier we have
graffiti now as I said earlier we have
graffiti now as I said earlier we have an audience and I have to tell them
an audience and I have to tell them
an audience and I have to tell them something but what do I tell them you
something but what do I tell them you
something but what do I tell them you know graffiti is illegal so when you
know graffiti is illegal so when you
know graffiti is illegal so when you have to play on these border lines you
have to play on these border lines you
have to play on these border lines you become aware of the system you become
become aware of the system you become
become aware of the system you become aware of what laws are and what
aware of what laws are and what
aware of what laws are and what regulates things so I I had to research
regulates things so I I had to research
regulates things so I I had to research and I had to look into topics that I can
and I had to look into topics that I can
and I had to look into topics that I can portray in my street art and it happened
portray in my street art and it happened
portray in my street art and it happened to be socio-political discussions so
to be socio-political discussions so
to be socio-political discussions so this is one of my first artworks
this is one of my first artworks
this is one of my first artworks it’s called Mickey and poor man Minnie
it’s called Mickey and poor man Minnie
it’s called Mickey and poor man Minnie and poor man sorry this was exhibited at
and poor man sorry this was exhibited at
and poor man sorry this was exhibited at Gallery and what I was trying to say
Gallery and what I was trying to say
Gallery and what I was trying to say here now I’m communicating rather than
here now I’m communicating rather than
here now I’m communicating rather than advertising myself I’m communicating to
advertising myself I’m communicating to
advertising myself I’m communicating to them look there’s an issue in the world
them look there’s an issue in the world
them look there’s an issue in the world we’re not taking good care of off of the
we’re not taking good care of off of the
we’re not taking good care of off of the people living in poverty we just keep
people living in poverty we just keep
people living in poverty we just keep sending wrong hives and wrong media
sending wrong hives and wrong media
sending wrong hives and wrong media towards on how to address these things
towards on how to address these things
towards on how to address these things so I made an artwork about it but then I
so I made an artwork about it but then I
so I made an artwork about it but then I wanted to define these hard beliefs
wanted to define these hard beliefs
wanted to define these hard beliefs people had people had beliefs and
people had people had beliefs and
people had people had beliefs and institutions but I started to question
institutions but I started to question
institutions but I started to question myself are these authentic institutions
myself are these authentic institutions
myself are these authentic institutions or not now keep in mind a question is as
or not now keep in mind a question is as
or not now keep in mind a question is as important as the answer and a question
important as the answer and a question
important as the answer and a question is not just a set of words put in to
is not just a set of words put in to
is not just a set of words put in to derive information a question is a
derive information a question is a
derive information a question is a journey a question will take you from
journey a question will take you from
journey a question will take you from point A to point B you’re gonna
point A to point B you’re gonna
point A to point B you’re gonna experiment you’re going to educate
experiment you’re going to educate
experiment you’re going to educate yourself you’re going to research you’re
yourself you’re going to research you’re
yourself you’re going to research you’re gonna think and you’re gonna come to a
gonna think and you’re gonna come to a
gonna think and you’re gonna come to a conclusion I turn trash i define trash
conclusion I turn trash i define trash
conclusion I turn trash i define trash to become something valuable and
to become something valuable and
to become something valuable and something creative and something pretty
something creative and something pretty
something creative and something pretty to look at now what is trash it’s trash
to look at now what is trash it’s trash
to look at now what is trash it’s trash just the end of a cycle of an object
just the end of a cycle of an object
just the end of a cycle of an object I don’t know but what I did know is I
I don’t know but what I did know is I
I don’t know but what I did know is I can
can
can I took trash and I broke the definition
I took trash and I broke the definition
I took trash and I broke the definition of it and created this artwork which
of it and created this artwork which
of it and created this artwork which gave it a meaning a purpose and a value
gave it a meaning a purpose and a value
gave it a meaning a purpose and a value and shall show people how you can
and shall show people how you can
and shall show people how you can recycle outside the box you can recycle
recycle outside the box you can recycle
recycle outside the box you can recycle in many ways so we started doing more
in many ways so we started doing more
in many ways so we started doing more these are a couple of more installations
these are a couple of more installations
these are a couple of more installations I started turning the trash into
I started turning the trash into
I started turning the trash into bouquets of flower and just you know
bouquets of flower and just you know
bouquets of flower and just you know trash is something we put on the side
trash is something we put on the side
trash is something we put on the side and we don’t want people to see it and
and we don’t want people to see it and
and we don’t want people to see it and what I wanted to do with this series is
what I wanted to do with this series is
what I wanted to do with this series is I want it to bring that trash and put it
I want it to bring that trash and put it
I want it to bring that trash and put it on people’s walls and how can I do that
on people’s walls and how can I do that
on people’s walls and how can I do that who would want to pay trash on their
who would want to pay trash on their
who would want to pay trash on their walls one guest has come surprisingly a
walls one guest has come surprisingly a
walls one guest has come surprisingly a lot of people do so we started doing the
lot of people do so we started doing the
lot of people do so we started doing the series and it kicked well it went well
series and it kicked well it went well
series and it kicked well it went well yet again it’s not enough so we’ll take
yet again it’s not enough so we’ll take
yet again it’s not enough so we’ll take a couple steps back first with graffiti
a couple steps back first with graffiti
a couple steps back first with graffiti I wanted to tell them Who I am
I wanted to tell them Who I am
I wanted to tell them Who I am then I asked myself what can I tell them
then I asked myself what can I tell them
then I asked myself what can I tell them so I started looking into politics and
so I started looking into politics and
so I started looking into politics and socio social conditions and discussing
socio social conditions and discussing
socio social conditions and discussing that and then I asked myself the
that and then I asked myself the
that and then I asked myself the question how can I contribute back to
question how can I contribute back to
question how can I contribute back to society the tribution doesn’t only have
society the tribution doesn’t only have
society the tribution doesn’t only have to be donation it could be in for
to be donation it could be in for
to be donation it could be in for informative it can be raising awareness
informative it can be raising awareness
informative it can be raising awareness it could be recycling so we did that now
it could be recycling so we did that now
it could be recycling so we did that now what’s next now we started I started
what’s next now we started I started
what’s next now we started I started driving into the conceptual form of Arts
driving into the conceptual form of Arts
driving into the conceptual form of Arts now I’m gonna raise the questions in the
now I’m gonna raise the questions in the
now I’m gonna raise the questions in the viewers mind rather than me giving them
viewers mind rather than me giving them
viewers mind rather than me giving them a statement or an answer so conceptual
a statement or an answer so conceptual
a statement or an answer so conceptual arts with conceptual arts I use the
arts with conceptual arts I use the
arts with conceptual arts I use the three-dimensional perspective because it
three-dimensional perspective because it
three-dimensional perspective because it enables me to express more and enables
enables me to express more and enables
enables me to express more and enables me to give out more rather than a
me to give out more rather than a
me to give out more rather than a two-dimensional you can do a lot more
two-dimensional you can do a lot more
two-dimensional you can do a lot more with the three-dimensional this is a
with the three-dimensional this is a
with the three-dimensional this is a piece and with my conceptual art pieces
piece and with my conceptual art pieces
piece and with my conceptual art pieces I don’t give any interpretation of what
I don’t give any interpretation of what
I don’t give any interpretation of what my artwork is supposed to be about this
my artwork is supposed to be about this
my artwork is supposed to be about this is up for the audience to look at and
is up for the audience to look at and
is up for the audience to look at and they will formulate their own questions
they will formulate their own questions
they will formulate their own questions now why did I want to pursue that path I
now why did I want to pursue that path I
now why did I want to pursue that path I wanted people to raise the question
wanted people to raise the question
wanted people to raise the question while looking at the artwork because
while looking at the artwork because
while looking at the artwork because when they raise the question and they go
when they raise the question and they go
when they raise the question and they go seek the answer it’s gonna stick for
seek the answer it’s gonna stick for
seek the answer it’s gonna stick for much longer rather than rather than just
much longer rather than rather than just
much longer rather than rather than just a shock value or a beauty value of
a shock value or a beauty value of
a shock value or a beauty value of decorative space of course you know you
decorative space of course you know you
decorative space of course you know you turn on the news it’s it’s it’s some
turn on the news it’s it’s it’s some
turn on the news it’s it’s it’s some good news but it’s a lot of bad news and
good news but it’s a lot of bad news and
good news but it’s a lot of bad news and I grew up in a household where news news
I grew up in a household where news news
I grew up in a household where news news channels were always on so I always like
channels were always on so I always like
channels were always on so I always like to tackle things I listen to on the news
to tackle things I listen to on the news
to tackle things I listen to on the news this next piece
this next piece
this next piece it’s called children of rubble and again
it’s called children of rubble and again
it’s called children of rubble and again I’ll leave it for interpretation on how
I’ll leave it for interpretation on how
I’ll leave it for interpretation on how you perceive it and raise questions and
you perceive it and raise questions and
you perceive it and raise questions and have it as a discussion points a lot of
have it as a discussion points a lot of
have it as a discussion points a lot of my collectors they like to buy my
my collectors they like to buy my
my collectors they like to buy my artwork not because they want to
artwork not because they want to
artwork not because they want to decorate a space on their wall it’s
decorate a space on their wall it’s
decorate a space on their wall it’s because they want to put something that
because they want to put something that
because they want to put something that instigates discussions and discussions
instigates discussions and discussions
instigates discussions and discussions gets people further collectively as a
gets people further collectively as a
gets people further collectively as a species if we ask questions we can get
species if we ask questions we can get
species if we ask questions we can get but we can progress better now remember
but we can progress better now remember
but we can progress better now remember there’s good questions and there’s bad
there’s good questions and there’s bad
there’s good questions and there’s bad questions bad questions for the for the
questions bad questions for the for the
questions bad questions for the for the example the people who invented the
example the people who invented the
example the people who invented the flamethrower they asked themselves how
flamethrower they asked themselves how
flamethrower they asked themselves how can we burn a bunch of people from a
can we burn a bunch of people from a
can we burn a bunch of people from a distance that’s a bad question a good
distance that’s a bad question a good
distance that’s a bad question a good question could be anything for how can I
question could be anything for how can I
question could be anything for how can I improve the environments how can I help
improve the environments how can I help
improve the environments how can I help myself and how can I help others I hope
myself and how can I help others I hope
myself and how can I help others I hope that this little story it’s not little
that this little story it’s not little
that this little story it’s not little it’s 15 years but it will summarize in
it’s 15 years but it will summarize in
it’s 15 years but it will summarize in to 15 minutes can show you how you can
to 15 minutes can show you how you can
to 15 minutes can show you how you can take questioning and make your life
take questioning and make your life
take questioning and make your life better you can make society better and
better you can make society better and
better you can make society better and you can make the planet better
you can make the planet better
you can make the planet better I request you before I finish this
I request you before I finish this
I request you before I finish this discussion to go out and always have the
discussion to go out and always have the
discussion to go out and always have the questions in mind that how can I make
questions in mind that how can I make
questions in mind that how can I make things better and by asking the question
things better and by asking the question
things better and by asking the question you’re going to become more educated and
you’re going to become more educated and
you’re going to become more educated and you’re going to become a more well more
you’re going to become a more well more
you’re going to become a more well more informed person and you’re going to be
informed person and you’re going to be
informed person and you’re going to be able to improve your life and the ones
able to improve your life and the ones
able to improve your life and the ones around you thank you
”
Be First to Comment