![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")
« Spraygraphic Pic(k) of the Day: Constable | Main | Food One inks a Four Pack of Colt 45 »
Spraygraphic Interview with Peter of the Albus Cavus Collective
By Spraygraphic | July 14, 2008
Spraygraphic interview with Peter of the Albus Cavus collective.
SG: Can you please tell us a little about Albus Cavus collective. When did it start? How many are in the collective?
AC: The group started forming in 2002 when we opened a small gallery in New Brunswick NJ. At that time this college town didn’t have a single gallery or any exhibit space. And the culture of basement shows especially in punk rock scene became really awesome around this time. Our basement was filled with visual pieces was a little different. It still attracted a lot of attention and a year after we opened the city asked us to stop doing it because of some zoning issues. However, by this time we made so many great friends through the gallery that we didn’t want to stop doing it. So we secured a new space at the train station. This move formed Albus Cavus into something that it is today. Every month the space was occupied by a different artist and their work was viewed by thousands of commuters. The next step came naturally. We wanted to be even more out there on the street and more accessible for our audience, so we started painting murals. Everything we do today is in a public space. We don’t focus so much on gallery exhibits anymore, only if they’re in context of larger project that have something to do with outside spaces. One of the larger projects that we currently manage is a mile long wall in New Brunswick NJ. We received permission to turn an old bike path into an outdoor gallery. And now we invite everyone to contribute.
SG: How did you come up with the name?
AC: The original gallery was in a basement. The house had a great character mainly due to its age. The basements in those kind of houses built in late 1800’s are dark, cold and wet. So after we cleared a hundred-year-old debris and painted the bare brick walls it looked like a white cave – that’s what albus cavus means in latin. Our logo is actually a spider that always came out to the show openings.
SG: What is your group’s Mission?
AC: The mission has never been firmly formulated, but over the years it has organically developed into two main purposes. One is to support emerging artists and help them be innovative and always doing something new. We help with supplies, consulting, promotion etc. What makes us different from other artist collectives is that we focus on public spaces. We believe that our art makes neighborhoods better places. The primary mission has become transformation of underutilized public spaces into beautiful art installations that bring the neighbors together and promote development of healthy communities.
SG: What mediums do Albus Cavus collective work with?
AC: It depends on individual artists. Though it can appear that primary medium is aerosol, many of us work with oils, acrylics, found materials etc. Personally, I explore various materials for stenciling and molding. And we also are into music, performances, and other expressions of creativity.
SG: How can someone become part of the collective?
AC: Albus Cavus works very informally. Just get in touch with us. Propose a project you’d like to work on. If we get excited about it you’ll get all our support. The best way to get to know us is to hang out with us. The places that we mostly work and where you can find us are central NJ, Washington DC and San Diego CA. You can also get on our mailing list and you’ll get invitations to parties and call for artists.
SG: Where are you currently finding your inspiration?
AC: It was fascinating to watch the artists work on some of the recent projects. As we work more and more together we are realizing that we are inspiring each other and we are forming each other world views. Everyone is very unique and has access to different sources of inspiration. Though our everyday urban environment is an abundant resource, I think that most of us are always eager to explore the external world. Whether it is wilderness outside of our cities or even further frontiers beyond our physical world, the organic living body of our planet is an awesome place to speculate and to question
the meaning of our place here…SG: Can you please tell us a little about the project Concrete Alchemy How did that come about?
AC: I called up some of my favorite artists and ask them if they would be able to take two weeks off and travel with me. The tour was an experiment on so many levels. We haven’t done anything like it in past. Nobody else has either. So it was just interesting to see what we get if we brought a bunch of graffiti writers, muralists and fine artists on a bus and provided them with unlimited space, unlimited supplies, food and everything they needed for two weeks. And it was amazing. These fifteen artists, some of whom never worked together, formed very tight group. They all understood each other’s language on the walls. The collaborations gave rise to pieces that were very original and unique. This tour definitely pushed the limits of mural work and public arts in general and it was a milestone in our short history. It helped us form new goals and visions for future projects.
SG: Where has your work been seen?
AC: The Concrete Alchemy traveled through Brooklyn NY, Princeton NJ, Philadelphia PA, Washington DC and National Harbor MD. Albus Cavus has a lot of work around NJ, mostly New Brunswick, NJ. And individual artists have their art in their hometowns, which are the cities mentioned above and also Newark, Trenton NJ, Staten Island NY, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego CA.
SG: Where will it be seen next?
AC: Crol is putting together an amazing show "More Than Meets the Mind" in San Diego at the end of July that will feature all Concrete Alchemy artists that live in California. Chor Boogie is representing the group in Melbourne, Australia next month. Leon Rainbow is planning Jersey Graffiti Jam in Trenton, NJ for August 9th, Col and Veng are currently working hard on coordinating Meeting of Styles in New York City on September 5-7th and two weeks later we will all paint in New Brunswick NJ during Streets 2k8 event. And meantime we keep painting murals every day.
SG: What is your dream art assignment?
AC: : Nice question. Personally, I’m still working on a huge stencil that will cover a huge meadow. The project keeps being postponed because the places I get, like football fields, are too small for it… In terms of Albus Cavus, we are ready to work with everything. We are really looking forward to painting skyscrapers, stadiums, aircraft carriers…They all are grey and are asking to be alchemized… More achievable dreams include creation of Art Walks in other cities and bringing more
love to places that need it.
SG: What is your favorite color?
AC: Lately I’ve been fascinated by peacock feathers and butterfly wings, because they are iridescent and you can’t simply tell what color they are. Depends what angle you are looking at them. What’s really interesting about them is that the colors are not due any pigment but really a microscopic organization of tiny particles that are piled up in very precise crystals. It’s impossible to see that with bare eye.
SG: Who is your favorite artist? And Why?
P: You can’t expect me to answer this question easily. I can’t really think of one particular person at a moment. When I look at someone’s work it has to reflect their personality. Everyone who produces art for right reason leaves a little bit of themselves in each piece. And that’s what it is about for me. I have to feel the person as well. It’s very hard for me to get too excited about someone’s art before I meet them in person or before I can see them at work. I work with all my favorite artists. Some of us have more visible collaboration, such as Concrete Alchemy and some of us are working on more secluded projects right now that will be more public in near future.
SG: What book/magazine are you reading this week?
AC: Books: No Logo by Naomi Klein, and Microbial responses to light and time. Magazines: Nature, Wired, Juxtapoz.
SG: Ever do a self portrait? Where is it now?
AC: Nope.
SG: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
AC: Woods and friends’ studios and labs.
SG: Any final words of advice?
AC: Never stop being creative. Keep working on stuff. Explore and never stop questioning everything. Let your imagination run loose and follow it.
Images:
1. A mural that we painted in Highland Park NJ combined five different techniques and styles and people loved it.
2. Street 2k7 at the Raritan River Art Walk attracted over 150 artists from all over the East Coast last year.
3. Veng was one of the participating artists.
4. One of the gallery shows…
5. We participated in painting a new mural and improving the landscaping in one of the schools in New Brunswick NJ.
6. Mike Ciccotello painting a mural on an old building.
7. From time to time we get invited to setup a collaborative arts area at music festival and outdoor events. These areas feature an exhibit and live mural painting that everyone is invited to contribute to.
8. Crol working on a mural in Washington DC.
9. Wall that finished in Brooklyn as a part of Concrete Alchemy Tour.
10. A part of the mural on Benning Park Community Center in Washington DC.
Don’t forget to check out their Spraygraphic profile page here
Topics: Art Collectives, Artist Interviews, Graffiti-Art, Public-Art |
