Public Republic

An Interview with Artist Jan Kaláb by Elena Kapitanova

How does it feel to leave a mark in so many different places where you work?

I like that feeling of leaving somewhere and knowing that a little part of me stays there. Because as soon as I return, I go to see if my mark stood the test of time.

Do you think that people appreciate graffiti or do you think that they sometimes feel offended by it?

It depends on the spot where people see the graffiti and of course how the graffiti looks. People usually like characters and they don’t understand graffiti letters. Only writers appreciate tags.

Where did you get the idea about the coloured cobbles and pavements?

In Prague.

What is the story behind the names of your abstract works? Do the names have a deeper meaning or do you just put it there without rhyme or reason because you like it, like you said about one of your works, “Abstraction in Shanghai”?

Lately I try to give names with meaning of what is being captured. But sometimes it is difficult to find the right term. So it can be just a nice phrase without any deep meaning.

Is there a particular project of yours which is most important to you?

No. I cannot prefer one piece.

Is there a particular place where you would like to work some day?

I would like to see Tokyo.

What stands behind the names “Point” and “Cakes”?

Jan Kalab and a lot of work.

In many places there’s a problem with the legality of graffiti. What do you think is the solution to the problem, and what is your overall opinion about painting in places which are part of the urban landscape?

There is not any solution. If somebody paints on somebody else’s property it is always a crime. Illegal painting is a component of graffiti and it also what makes it so free.

You seem to be perfectly satisfied with what you do in your life. Is this sort of “a dream come true” for you and do you want to keep it that way, or you want to continue trying new things and always evolve?

I am a happy person. I want to stay this way. Of course I want to evolve in what I’m doing. Have new ideas, use new materials, create bigger projects and so on. If you don’t grow, you lose.