A: I just turned 38, but look really young for my age!! Location: Los Angeles!! A city you have to get to know to really appreciate. Occupation: Graphic Designer.
brandedbunny.com
ophotn.com
bastardartist.com
A: I wake up between 5:30 & 6:30, get ready for the day, sit in traffic for 40 minutes, then sit in front of a computer for the next 8 hours. I tend to do a lot of sitting. Once I'm off work I like to walk at least one block to throw up some stickers. This really gets the blood flowing again. When that is done I usually try hook up with friends for some real human interaction. If that fails and I end up going home I have to fight the urge not to sit and zone out in front of the TV. If I can get past that urge and I'm feeling irie I bring out the paste and get sticky. At the end of the day I crash anywhere between 10:30 & 12 depending on how much sleep I got the previous 2 days.
A: I really feel like I am still finding my voice as an artist, but once I made the decision to print sticks I knew they had to say something - especially with living in Los Angeles. With that said I feel Branded communicates a couple things to me...
It comments on the effect that huge corporations our having on our society. It is like we are being led to fear change. It feels good to know that there is a Starbucks that will give you the same service/product on every corner. This gives us fear to try the Mom and Pop store, and really gets rid of our sense of adventure.
I always knew that street art and graffiti was the art of self promotion, with an emphasis on the art. I wanted to play on self promotion more. I wanted to remind everybody and myself that "what" I was doing was not pure. The purity for me comes from not the what, but the "why." Why I started is completely different. It was therapy for me. I started at a time when I really needed a change in life. I love to hike and camp, and this gave me a chance to do the same in the inner city. It fed my ego, gave me confidence, and helped me to meet and make a lot of new friends. I now feel like Los Angeles is my city and care deeply about it.
A: The whale idea came about after reading Wooster one day. They posted something about a site that was looking for street art images of whales for a "Save the Whales" campaign. At the time I didn't really think much of it, except that it would be cool to do a really huge whale paste up. A couple months later I came across the wall that it would be perfect on, and started planning. I originally wanted to go twice as big and about 8' higher on the wall. This would have just about covered the whole wall which is about 45' - 50'. After planning I realized this would only be possible with scaffolds, or a truck that could lift me up. Since I did not have the resources to pull that off I scaled it down to half the size 21'x8' (about 15 panels of paper) and got a couple friends together to help out. The over all paste took about 40 minutes, minus the 5 minutes we had explaining to the cops what we were doing. The cops let us finish, after I repeated that it was for a "Save The Whales" project 100 times and told them I had permission to put it on the wall. The truth is we left out the cops in the video because it just didn't seem as cool seeing cops pull up then leave.
I feel I need to say something about pastes of this size. They take a lot of time to put up, and are very labor intensive. I hear a lot from people that pasting is "easy." For the most part this is true of typical street pastes, but there are factors that make it hard like texture of the wall, size of poster, and how hot the location is. I have since done 2 huge pastes 36'x8' collaboration with this cat Mullet off the 5 freeway which took an hour of intense labor, and a huge bunny downtown 8'x11' which took about 40 minutes of intense labor. Both killed me due to how I had to position my body. There are things that could make them easier like scaffolds or a truck, but most the time those are just not options.
A: Los Angeles is a funny city like that. I have been stopped a couple times, due to getting too comfortable. With exception for the whale I usually take the poster down immediately and talk about how I work promotions. I think the cops just want it down for the most part, and look at it as the same as advertising. I'm sure if I had a can of paint I would end up locked up. It also helps that this city is spread out. We really have a huge playground and it allows us not to have everything in a concentrated area.
The whale for the most part is still up, and has been up since late July. The last rain really caused some damage, so I plan on doing repairs soon. Even after the repairs it will probably last only a couple more months. I'm kind of glad in a way. I really want to start covering new ground and exploring new ways of getting up. Posters can be nice that way, because the life span of them is maybe a year depending on weather conditions and how protected the spot is. It forces me to let go, and to not be as attached.
Well, I'd love for you to keep us updated with any new ground you cover... until then leave us with some final words.
A: Stay up, and inspiration will come!
You're very honest and professional. You don't make yourself out to be this egotistical artist that people should bow down to. You put yourself out there like you're just another guy with a "vision."
My girlfriend loves the bunnies. Do you have a T-shirt or something that I can get somewhere? We've seen the bunnies around the place and she can't get over them, and I need a V-Day present.
Branded, much props. You keep it real. You possess character, depth and passion that separates you from the typical artist. Generic you are not. More importantly, you are in the touch with yourself and the human condition. Keep up the amazing work!!!
I SEE THIS DUDE ALL AROUND. PROPS HOMIE. SEE YOU LATERS
Branded is not only well minded, he is a nice guy. We were fortunate to feature a great interview last month on our website. It is always nice working with people that have a passion for the game and enjoy what they do.
Thanks for the great interview.
"Support the Visual Revolution!"
Cheers.
DS3000
Disposable Hero
hell yea!!!
I am particularly fond of your explanation for needing change and disattachment to your work. I feel that to really appreciate something you first have to grasp the temporary existence of it. Once you place it for mass consumption, it no longer becomes yours.You seem very honest with yourself and the world that surrounds you. kudos for not losing sight of the "why's" as well of the "what's"....I also commend you on bringing to light our discomfort in breaking out of our routine/ we are all branded in a way...to break free and run, the concept, the idea...is something i aspire to. I wish you luck on all of your future endeavors.
never knew how you pulled off the huge posters before. very inspiring, to say the least. stay up!
ya thats right big up's to my man Branded !
werd !! much props to BRANDED ! gettin' that much deserved appreciation .....
wow
Mr. Branded
looks like its a hit!!
lol
gotta love the bunny in the cut!
big ups!
I HAVE SEEN HIS STUFF GOOD WORK. SATY UP.
nice!!!! need to see more!!!
bunnys buynns bunnys!!!!
Nice interview! As a fellow artist (photographer) I believe you are on the right path. Stay true to your work and the work will come. Congrats - Branded!
i saw a bunch of branded stickers in SF on haight st. GETTING UP!!!
good interview and pics..........keep it up
Keep pushin' playa
& yeah, yeah I know, I know that spot by my crib...haha
Bigg Ups & Stay up!
FUCK YEAH!!!!!
:)
hell ya!! keep up the good work! its been a good year! much love
Well,
So subtle and so much depth. and its barely scratching the surface of an intellectual soul expressing itself through images and their... .
Branded reps Ophotn Crew to the fullest every single day. He is one of the most productive artists in L.A.
Much Luv B!,
B2
Yo... Branded nice work. I came into LA a week ago and I saw branded all over. A Dope Humble Soul... Peace
branded has some of the best paste ups around,i always enjoy seeing that big toothed bunny looking at me.cant wait till they come back to san francisco..
I love you.
I know where you live.
I vaz vondarring eef zere vaz a relashen betveen yoorr pasting pole end zeh rabeetz unkvenchable hungaah forr sex, yah?
WOO THIS IS SO COOL
yay, bunnies!!!
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