Hello My Name Is: Nina

Name: Nina
Crew: Style Lovers Cru
City/Country: Rome, Italy
When did you start writing? 2000

What’s graffiti for you?
Graffiti is my culture and my lifestyle. I thank the graffiti every day for met my boyfriend and bringing me out of my neighborhood made of crime and violence.

Influences?
I take inspiration from everything I see and live.

Tell us about your city, how is life and graffiti there?
I love Rome for me it is a wonderful city. Life in the city is frenzied but full of things to do like events, exhibitions, concerts. The graffiti scene in Rome is made up of many people, crews and different styles, every corner of Rome is painted. From the metro A and B along the line, the walls, shutters and the highway panels. Then we have legal walls to work for big productions for days.

What keeps you still writing?
It is a dependence XD.

What first made you interested in graffiti and how did you end up on that track?
When I was a child with my parents I always admired the graffiti, I saw walking with them in the city. My father brought me books from New York, and I began to document them on this magnificent culture that day after day. My first approach was in 98 with sketch on paper and write my name on the door of my room XD and then i went to jams to look at people painting. Then I met people in my neighborhood who painted and started with them in the summer of 2000, together with the apologies for late!

What trends are you seeing now in the graffiti world that you don’t like?
I see a tendency to copy without too much scruples and personality, all with the desire to make super stars and wanna be.

What do you do when you’re not painting?
When I do not paint I work as a photographer, I take care of curators for graffiti exhibitions, and support and collaboration as much as possible Onlus for abandoned animals.

How would you describe your style?
It’s classic, traceable to the new york style with european revisions.

Can you remember the first piece you did?
Sure, one of my most beautiful memories. It was a summer night in 2000, I worked several days on the bubble sketch (My name has been my tag for several months), I went for the first time to buy sprays at the hardware store. I buy 6 happy colors in pink and erika, black outline. I was with my friends who made the pole, painting on the recess wall of my neighborhood park. I was very excited and I told myself, ok I’m a graffiti writer today! My parents when I returned at 5am I got punished for a week! XD

Future plans?
I am preparing my own line for an interior design company, an exhibition project, and a project for a book. In September I hope to make a nice trip.

Do you adapt your pieces and tags to the spot/surface?
I like painting on spots and different surfaces, testing my creativity and give me ideas and input.

What do you think about the new generation of writers in your city?
I think new generations live and under go the problems of our society more violently than we have experienced. Graffiti Ilore is the venture of their emotional state of anger. Many of them do not know the history and culture of the graffiti percuta do not follow the code and the rules that are part of it. This leads them to live in an Anarchist jungle in The Warriors style. For me it is important and a responsibility to be present and available for the new generation, let’s go out, paint with them and bring them my cultural experience and baggage.

What are the best and worst aspects of graffiti?
The best of the graffiti are the friendships that have emerged in these years. Worse is the sexism.

Who do you paint for?
I paint for me and to carry on the culture of graffiti.

What writers have inspired you?
Dondi, Zephyr, Bates, Cantwo, Miedo and Stand.

Can you ever feel tired of graffiti?
After 3 days of painting on a wall, I’m a bit tired. Age begins to make itself felt!! XD

What do you hope people will think and feel when they see your stuff?
I hope people realize that my graffiti is not vandalism but a form of expression made of so much work, sweat, commitment, and research. And money!

FIVE FAVORITES
Spray Paint: Mtn94 / Loop
City: Rome
Markers/pens: Water based, Molotow / Touch, Staedtler
Surface: Smooth and brick
Cap: NY soft cap and Skinny banana cap

Instagram: @_ladynina_