Hello My Name Is: Vino

Name: Vino
Crew: TSK
City/Country: Spain
When did you start writing? I started writing in early 1992.

Can you give us a short introduction about your self?
I’m a normal person who found graffiti as a young kid, when graffiti was not as popular/unpopular as now and discovered a new underworld where money was not the most important thing in the world and friendship was the main reason to be there. I’m still that same guy…

You have been painting graffiti for a long time, how has the scene/you changed since you started?
Everything changes, not only in the scene, the world is not the same it was 20 years ago. I remember in 95 when I did my first interrail; mobile phones didn’t exist, you needed to change currency in different countries and also the police controls on every border… To meet somebody it wasn’t as easy as today, you had to plan everything months in advance, and also every time somethings happened… It was a period to discover places and people and we were like scouts from the past… new experiences, new places for the first time… maybe it was easier to paint, but harder to start and less easy than now to discover new things. I was lucky to be there, but I’m still in the game and I never stop… Still the world changes and unfortunately from a global perspective some values are simply disappearing.

What do you look for when going out painting?
The main reason for me is to still have new experiences, to enjoy and have good times with friends.

Is it important that people see your stuff and you get recognition?
I never pay much attention to that. I just do my stuff for me, it is not a competition… I’m not a speed runner I’m a long distance runner…

In which ways have you adapted your graffiti life now when you’re older?
Hhahahahah I have always adapted my civill life to my graffiti life, they are intertwined. You grow and you have more responsibilities as an adult, and you try to manage both. And then… you have kids and nothing is ever the same. I’m very lucky with my family and friends because they understand it.

What is your favorite city in the world when it comes to painting trains and why?
I don’t have a favorite city, I appreciate different things in every city. Why choose one thing when you can have the best of every city? Staying in the Bairro Alto of Lisboa having beers with the REIS guys before going painting at night, enjoying a good napo with Porno in Baires after some pieces in San Telmo, the most incredible burger in Koln with Ale, March and 78 in Die Fette Kuh after some end2ends… Enjoy in the streets of Sao paulo with the VLOK guys, walk alone on the streets of Casablanca doing some walls near the Medina, Packing some Moretti with the WCA guys waiting for a WC… In each city you can have magic moments if you are with good friends… it’s impossible to choose one!

What first made you interested in graffiti and how did you end up on that track?
I always like to draw, especially comics, and one day my brother asked me if i could do some letters and a character for him, because he was tagging and wanted to paint a piece for first time… then I discovered letters. Letters are different than characters. Letters don´t exist in the world and there is no reference to copy… your imagination could go further than doing a character.

If you wouldn’t have started painting graffiti, what do you think you would have been doing with all the time?
I was good at playing football, but not enough, jejejejeje Life in the area where I come from is hard and graffiti keeps my mind focused on a creative thing. It is strange but I can say graffiti takes me out from the neighborhood and opens my mind.

How would you describe your style?
Funny? Trying to be different and enjoying drawing. I like to experiment with letters and find my way.

What inspires you now and which graffiti writers did you look up to when you started painting?
I always like to see people doing new things and today it is easy to see online good styles and productions, but also it´s hard to keep it different from the rest, that’s what i really appreciate.