Coming up in London on May 15th, Mobstr will be opening a show at The Old Truman Brewery entitled Sex, Drugs & Painting Walls featuring his text-based minimalistic street messages in a gallery setting. Along with the originals on display, the UK-based artist will also be working on some installations for the space that will also no doubt mirror the witty and clever plays on words that he has come to be known for. AM had the chance to interview him in the days leading up to the show on various subjects. Take a look at the questions and answers below, and RSVP for the opening if you are interested in attending.
Arrested Motion (AM): Can you tell us a little about your work and the reasons behind it?
Mobstr: The work is very simple. I never planned or expected it to become so minimalist but somehow it did. The reasons behind it? I’m just having a little bit of fun and I get great satisfaction out of it. Life doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. I mean, I understand our immediate history and biological origins but the larger picture of existence is mind blowing. Painting on walls seems to preoccupy myself from thinking about this daunting complexity too much.
AM: How did you come up the name you use?
Mobstr: I’ve worked under several names. At one point I was like “fuck all this alias shit” and started signing my work with my first name. But I soon realised the danger of that. MOBSTR came about for a few reasons and I liked how there were different levels to the name so it stuck. Here are some of the reasons behind it:
- It is homage to a pet lobster called mobster I used to have.
- Like real mobsters, I partake in organised illegal activity except that mine involves painting on walls without permission and not being part of an organised crime gang. ORGANISED ARTISTIC CRIME
- STR could be seen as an abbreviation of the word STREET which is where most my work happens.
- The other reasons are personal and I shan’t go into them.