Hello My Name Is: Rymd

Name: Rymd
Crew: CAS, UFF and NHK
City/Country: Stockholm, Sweden
When did you start writing? I started in the late 90s.

What’s graffiti for you?
In a estetic way, Graff is lettering and colors and having fun with it, pretty basic about associated surroundings like – ”hip hop or not, legal or not, wall or canvas, what’s real or what’s not” it doesn’t matter to me. From the beginning it has always been about my fascination of the art itself. Of course nothing can beat a panel rolling by.

Influences?
Surroundings

Tell us about your city, how is life and graffiti there?
Stockholm – the capital of sweden, could summarise the city in short:
– busy daytime but quiet at night. There is a Swedish proverb saying: “there is no bad weather, just bad sweaters” … If you come here, bring your gore-tex jacket and boots and you’re ready to rock. 😉 The overall focus in Sweden is the underground scene I think, which also has been pretty strong lately.. lots of panels running and its colorful along the line and around the highways. Until 2014 Stockholm had zero-tolerance for graffiti and related arts. But now it’s really thriving actually, people are painting like crazy and there is more actors, jams, fames and retailers in the game than ever before.

What keeps you still writing?
I love to spray! It’s some kind of mix between the challenge and the pleasure of evolving, and I love the fact that there is an fucking endless equation of colors and forms left to be tested. And I can choose whatever i want, whenever i feel like it. in that way graffiti is freedom to me. And most of my friends are also painting, so why not?

What first made you interested in graffiti and how did you end up on that track?
I don’t know, an older guy in the suburb skatepark one day showed some pieces he did. i got hooked, started sketching and eventually I tried myself.

What trends are you seeing now in the graffiti world that you don’t like?
I don’t know really. I think most of the people is answering; “instagram” my perception is that people who is hardcore think it’s “cheating” in the aspect of getting up. old people don’t like instagram because they are old. “it was better before” i can hear them.. i do.. but time changes and nobody wants to live in the past. But I think people can do what they want, I leave them to do their thing if they leave me to do mine.

What do you do when you’re not painting?
Last year i cut some hours from my day-time job to paint more and work with my own company that also involves spraying. otherwise, girlfriend, family and friends, thai boxing.. i hope for more skate this summer. (i always have my skateboard and a pair of Janoskis’ in the car in case of a skate session) it’s happening like 1 time a year only doh :0

How would you describe your style?
I don’t know. but I like movements and contrasts, colors….

Can you remember the first piece you did?
Not really.

Future plans?
Paint more in warmer countries.

Do you adapt your pieces and tags to the spot/surface?
Of course, I really don’t like to sketch so much anyway, so it adapts when I stand in front of the wall. Sometimes it’s fun to do it in a creative way, a good photo of a piece is nice. sometimes you involve the actual background in the piece, or use perspectives or even build something to create that lil extra. But 97% of the time I go to a wall where I know there is enough room and no obstacles to just SPRAY.

What do you think about the new generation of writers in your city?
I don’t know, but I think there is more new guys out there with a passion for style, so that’s good. keep on rocking!

What are the best and worst aspects of graffiti?
Best: freedom and experience
worst: in my younger days it felt like I got busted more than I was painting, so that took a lot of energy from me.

Who do you paint for?
Myself, other writers and ofc my sponsor, flamepaint-sweden. Big thanks to them for supplying me with all my spray paint.

What writers have inspired you?
2019 I’m overall inspired by Swedish writers, but primarily the CAS Crew. i think it’s a colorful crew with great styles and nice people. Much love!

Can you ever feel tired of graffiti?
There is ups and downs, yes. I think you have to find your own recipe about this. My goal is to paint 1 time a week. That’s on the edge before I’m getting crazy and NEED to paint. that makes it the peak of the week. And if time is letting me, I can do 2 or 3. Right now I’m in for trying painting fast, so I set a time limit on like 2 hours and i’m trying to do as much as i can on that time, and that is a very fun competition for myself. No going back cut lines, and if i do something wrong i do it right next time. But as an answer to the question, I feel that I’m more tired of myself for that I never stop thinking about graff. 😀

What do you hope people will think and feel when they see your stuff?
Ouf, i don’t know…

FIVE FAVORITES
Spray Paint: Flame
City: Stockholm
Markers/pens: The elementary school classics “Berol” 😉
Surface: Pure concrete
Cap: Astro, Flame blue skinny.

Instagram: @RYMDS