# data[].attributes.body
Before reading this interview with André Saraiva have a look at his work (Love Graffiti, A Graffiti Artist).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Name: André Saraiva
DOB: 1972
Place of Birth: Uppsala, Uppland, Sweden
Occupation: Graffiti artist, entrepreneur

Andre, how many times have you drawn your famous graffiti tag the long-legged Mr. A?

100,000, maybe 200,000 times? I spent periods of my life where, if I didn't do 10 Mr. A's a day, because I had stayed home, I would have to do 20 the day after. Imagine! I have been doing that for 20, almost 30 years now.

When was the last time you drew Mr. A?

Today. Look at the color on my fingers. I don't do it as much as I used to, but I still enjoy it so much. It's the thing that gives me the most pleasure and what connects everything I do.

How did you start doing graffiti?

When I arrived in Paris I was ten years old and I couldn't speak French. I had to find my way so I started to draw a lot, which I was always good at, and when I was thirteen, fourteen years old that resulted in me starting to do graffiti.

Which was pretty early on in terms of graffiti culture.

It was the really early days of graffiti in Europe, so it was a really fun and a very rich moment for graffiti. We had to invent our own style because there was no internet or anything like that. I came up with Mr. A, a character, which was kind of new at the time. Graffiti was all about letters, but not so much about a figure that could talk to everyone.

By now you have put your trademark Mr. A all over the world...

For a while doing graffiti was my life. I traveled to so many different cities. And doing graffiti was an amazing way to discover a place. You went out at night to paint, you got lost, and you had to find your way home by looking at the graffiti you did and going back along them.

Do you have any favorite spots that you've painted?

Some of the billboards I painted were amazing. I painted the Gucci billboard you can see from the pool here at the Chateau Marmont in LA. Nobody had ever painted this one before. That was three years ago. I also loved to paint billboards and rooftops in Tokyo. That was very exciting. But sometimes a small graffiti would give me more joy than a huge piece.

Has the attitude towards your graffiti in the public space changed now that people know who you are?

No, I still get a lot of shit! Especially in America. I'm not worried about going to jail, I've been to jail. But they would kick me out of the country and you are never allowed to come back. It's happened to friends of mine.

Now you have all kinds of lucrative business but how were you able to finance to travel around the world earlier on?

Well, I was able to make a little money off my drawings sometimes, but you know: love and fresh air would keep me happy. When I was hungry I went into a supermarket and just took what I needed. I was kind of "free spirited."

You still are.

True. I like to stay in nice places, but I don't really own a house. I don't have a car. I like people more than I like things.

How has graffiti influenced the things you do now? You own several nightclubs and a hotel, you're the creative director of a magazine, you collaborate on projects with designers, and you put on art exhibitions.

Everything I do comes from that attitude I learned from graffiti. A kind of freedom. If I want to do something, I do it. If I want to paint this rooftop, if I want to paint this train, or a place that's very difficult to access, I'm going to go and paint it. And I've kept that attitude with everything I do. I want to do a movie - I'll do it. I want a nightclub - I'll do it.

Where do you find the time to do all of that?

I don't sleep a lot and I don't like to go to bed early, so I have to find something to do at night. And I like the things that keep me busy.

You just take things as they come?

Sure, I'm kind of easy. I'm forty now and I still have the life I used to have when I was fifteen, just on different scales. I live day by day. And I have great people I work with and nice people I am surrounded by, which help me a lot.

Opening a nightclub is still not really what one would expect from an artist.

I was always very related to music and I would organize parties, raves, and concerts in Paris. Paris was kind of slow at the time. Besides some good parties the clubs were all run by, and are still mostly run by, the big rich and famous. The music was stupid commercial shit. We wanted to have a place were we could listen to our own music and have our friends come, a place that was not ruled like the other places were ruled. That's how Le Baron started.

When did you first start going out yourself?

I always painted at night and what's happening at night is bars and nightclubs. When I was thirteen or fourteen I used to go to Les Bains Douches, which was a nightclub in Paris, and sleep there until they kicked me out. Then I would take the first train at six o'clock in the morning. So that was my first relationship to nightclubs.

What are the main ingredients for a good party?

The most important thing is the people and the music. That's even more important than the place. You also need booze and pretty girls - pretty but not only pretty. They need to be interesting, a girl who likes to talk, who teases you a bit. And there must be a moment of freedom.

People should feel at ease.

True, most of the clubs are not free anymore. They are full of rules. They have VIP areas, which is such bullshit. Once you're inside a club you should be able to do whatever you want. I'm not here to judge you. You're judged all over the place and we have rules all over. Take it easy.

Some sort of excess is usually a good ingredient as well.

Of course. Again, I'm not there to judge. You want to kiss boys, girls, you want to smoke cigarettes, you want to do whatever... It's a bit difficult, we have to play within the rules, but I'm not there to be a police. We live in such a policed state. At night I want to feel a certain freedom.

What do you mean?

I always felt that at night I could be who I really wanted to be. People are more open and generous. The night has always been the place in which I feel good. For me the night is not a time, it's a place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Name: André SaraivaDOB: 1972Place of Birth: Uppsala, Uppland, SwedenOccupation: Graffiti artist, entrepreneur Andre, how many times have you drawn your famous graffiti tag the long-legged Mr. A? 100,000, maybe 200,000 times? I spent periods of my life where, if I didn't do 10 Mr. A's a day, because I had stayed home, I would have to do 20 the day after.

# data[].attributes.body
After reading the interview answer this quiz.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch this video with André.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is "DIARY OF MU presents ANDRE SARAIVA" by Mu Tunc on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

# data[].attributes.body
Read about André Saraiva's art.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On the street André is known by his graffiti-artist alter ego, the tag Mr. A and for his concept "Love Graffiti." Mr. A is a funny round face with a huge smile and a wink that follows you everywhere, and now is all over the world - and often in pink! - a color that is pretty much taboo in the graffiti world, except when it's André's monochromatic style. The Love graffiti are tags of people's names commissioned by their loved ones that he does in pop colors near where they live, so that they can't miss it.

Unlike the past 20 years of street graffiti, where a street artist imposes an anonymous tag for an anonymous crowd - some merely staining a depressing urban landscape, a few becoming famous gallery artists, such as Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, KAWS, Neckface, and of course Samo - André has hesitated to go from the street into the galleries. Rather he's given a new sense to his graffiti art, first, by by-passing the walls of the gallery and introducing his imagery into clubs or night spots, which he participates in opening and promoting all over the participates in opening and promoting all over the world. In doing so In doing so he has proactively changed the nightlife of cities such as Paris, New York, and Tokyo. He also reinterprets the meaning of graffiti art, from underground opposition to a more friendly and utopian alternative to the day time. André is one of those rare people who is able to make things happen naturally. His genuine generosity extends into the romantic utopian nightspots he creates, and where people meet.

His second move, after having gone from the wall of the street to the walls of clubs, is choosing drawing over classic canvas work. In quiet moments, he prefers drawing on scraps of paper or in notebooks, which he's constantly filling, but rarely shares with others. This is a more personal and intimate activity, far from the commercialism of art.

In André's world, drawings have a special currency, like billets-doux to share love. For him, the only way to escape the smothering blanket of capitalism, in or out of the art world, is in things you can't buy - love and generosity.

Text by Olivier Zahm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On the street André is known by his graffiti-artist alter ego, the tag Mr. A and for his concept "Love Graffiti." Mr. A is a funny round face with a huge smile and a wink that follows you everywhere, and now is all over the world - and often in pink!

# data[].attributes.body
The Love graffiti are tags of people’s names commissioned by their loved ones that he does in pop colors near where they live, so that they can’t miss it.

# data[].attributes.body
A Swedish-French graffiti artist of Portuguese origin.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is graffiti art? Or vandalism? - Kelly Wall

# data[].attributes.body
Read the text and do the exercises (matching, multiple choice, gap fill).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Is graffiti a vibrant urban art form or senseless vandalism? When did graffiti first become popular? Read this article to find out about the history of street art and hear from both sides of the debate.

# data[].attributes.headline
Tribute to Graffiti Art: 50 beautiful Street Artworks

# data[].attributes.subject
Tribute to Graffiti Art: 50 beautiful Street Artworks

# data[].attributes.body
Read the text and scroll downwards to see the 50 graffiti. One of them is in Lisbon.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About The Author

Vitaly Friedman loves beautiful content and doesn't like to give in easily. When he is not writing or speaking at a conference, he's most probably running ... More about Vitaly Friedman ...

Street culture and graffiti are well-known for being provocative, appealing, bold and uncompromising. Originally used by gangs to mark their territory in some urban area, graffitis have now become a rich medium for unrestricted expression of ideas and statements. In fact, creative designers and artists across the globe use this form of art to deliver their message and showcase their work.

Street culture and graffiti art are well-known for being provocative, appealing, bold and uncompromising. Originally used by gangs to mark their territory in some urban area, graffitis have now become a rich medium for unrestricted expression of ideas and statements. In fact, creative designers and artists across the globe use this form of art to deliver their message and showcase their work.

Probably the most prominent graffiti artist is Banksy, a famous pseudo-anonymous British artist whose works focus on topics such as politics, culture, and ethics. His art has appeared in cities around the world; it's worth mentioning that Banksy does not sell photos of street graffiti or mount exhibitions of screenprints in commercial galleries. You can explore Banksy's works in the Time's slideshow The World According To Banksy. However, many different artists explore graffiti in a variety of ways.

You may also want to take a look at the following related posts:

We are presenting a tribute to street art and graffiti - over 50 examples of beautiful and impressive graffiti street artworks. Hopefully everybody will find some inspiration at least in some of the works showcased below. Feel free to explore the works of artists by following the links to their sites.

Graffiti Art

imminentdisaster

Marquis Lewis

Retna Saber Revok SeventhLetter

Xenz: Graeme Brusby

Collective Graffiti, Chiado, Lisbon

Jakedobkin

Lois In Wonderland

Abigaelarachnid

Stuart Herbert

Wickedcliche

Akbar Simonse

Josepalencia

Tonogayora

Wall Spankers Project Our goal is to bring together international artists and designers in a collaborative, sharing environment. The website serves as an online gallery showcasing the artists involved in the sticker swap. Currently 4 issues are released.

Lady Pink: Sandra Fabara Lady Pink is a legend. In the 1980s she made a name for herself as one of the only females capable of competing with men in the graffiti subculture.

6emeia

Vancouver Street Art

Newfie Bullet

Newfie Bullet

Allan Dalla

Cloud-TA

Laughing Squid

Further Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tribute To Graffiti Art: 50 Beautiful Street Artworks - Smashing Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Street culture and graffiti are well-known for being provocative, appealing, bold and uncompromising. Originally used by gangs to mark their territory in some urban area, graffitis have now become a rich medium for unrestricted expression of ideas and statements. In fact, creative designers and artists across the globe use this form of art to deliver their message and showcase their work.

# data[].attributes.body
How street art helps people cope with the pandemic.
Read the article and think about the role of art in this difficult time:
'Art is a great way to connect’
'This makes me smile every time I walk past’
‘It is representing something we all want to say’
'I wanted to use my art as a voice’
Answer these questions: What do you think about graffiti? Is it art or vandalism? What's the role of street art?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Seeing this makes me feel proud of what we have in the UK. Without the NHS, we would be in serious trouble in normal times, let alone during this pandemic. I have friends who are working in the NHS, in the care sector and as key workers. They are working seriously hard in difficult circumstances to make our lives the best they can be.

Seeing this makes me feel proud of what we have in the UK. Without the NHS, we would be in serious trouble in normal times, let alone during this pandemic. I have friends who are working in the NHS, in the care sector and as key workers. They are working seriously hard in difficult circumstances to make our lives the best they can be.

It also makes me proud of the people in my borough. They are pulling together, using their skills and doing their bit to check on each other and help out in these strange times. Whether it's amazing artwork like this, online quizzes, DJ sets, online advice for business, craft making or calling up lonely people for a chat, they are all pulling their weight through tough times.

This piece of work stands out and really brightens up the street. I witnessed the artist finishing the piece and people who were out on their daily walk were saying how great it was. It's a conversation piece and makes people smile when they walk past. Jimmy Lee, Dagenham

'Art is a great way to connect'

Facebook Twitter Pinterest

Street art in Tamworth.

In these difficult times street art is a great way to connect and express the way we are feeling. Vic Brown, Tamworth

'This made me stop, smile and take a photo'

Facebook Twitter Pinterest

Street art in Ealing.

This curious glittery sign appeared on the street overnight and made me stop, smile and take a photo. I was pleased to see that there's no shortage of creativity despite everything else that's going on. Ben Park, Ealing in London

'This made me happy'

Facebook Twitter Pinterest

Street art in Desborough.

This made me happy. It was great to see something someone has made just to share and spread cheer. Simon Doughty, Desborough

'This made my partner's day'

Facebook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'This made me smile': our readers' favourite coronavirus street art

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Seeing this makes me feel proud of what we have in the UK. Without the NHS, we would be in serious trouble in normal times, let alone during this pandemic. I have friends who are working in the NHS, in the care sector and as key workers.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion, I think graffiti art can be both art and vandalism, depending on the message you want to convey and the place where it is made. In my opinion, street art wants to transmit to people who pass through it every day the meaning of something like some news from society.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion, I think graffiti is not considered vandalism, because it is a way for people to express their feelings. Everyone is free to do graffiti, as long as they don't offend people!

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion , about graffiti art can be both art and vandalism.
I thunk whoever makes this kind of vandalism habit should be arrested right away

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion, graffiti can be considered both art and vandalism.
It is considered art because of the drawings, the messages that are transmitted and manage to leave, for example, a more beautiful street, but it can be considered vandalism, if done in places that are not allowed.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion, graffiti is a type of urban art characterized by the production of drawings in public places such as walls, buildings,streets and others. It is used as a form of social criticism, and it is a way of direct intervention in the city, democratizing public spaces.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion graffiti can be considered vandalism and art.
If it's offensive phrases or scratching something already made or drawings made on house walls it's considered vandalism but if it's some landscape or drawing about the city/village it's considered art.

# data[].attributes.body
in my opinion graffiti can be considered vandalism and art.
If it's offensive phrases or scratching something already made or drawings made on house walls it's considered vandalism but if it's some landscape or drawing about the city/village it's considered art.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion, graffiti can be art and vandalism, there are many differences between graffiti that make sense as a giant and beautiful drawing and a sloppy graffiti as a tag anywhere because it is a crime, it is a crime in many places like residences and inappropriate places, now a beautiful and meaningful graffiti in a neighborhood has no harm.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion the garfitti is not always and art, can also be considered vandalism, it all depends on what is drawn or written and where and drawn or written.
But often and considered vandalism, because of the opinion of sociality

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion graffiti can be both an art and vandalism depends on how we citizens see art, how painters make graffiti and with what meaning. but in my opinion graffiti is art.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion, graffiti can be art if it is a drawing that knows how to do it or that sends me an interesting message because graffiti is art but vandalism for me is no longer art because it is not interesting to see and it does not transmit interesting messages and because everyone start taking an ink bottle and making meaningless scratches.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion, graffiti is a simple drawing or a work of art made on the walls or the walls of the city.
Whoever makes graffiti has to have something in mind so you can show people, the drawings and any sentence that is made will have to have some meaning.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion graffiti may or may not be art because it depends on what the author wants to express,
how to graffiti a store this is already vandalism and there are also people who graffiti a wall this I already consider art

# data[].attributes.body
in my opinion graffiti may or may not be art because it depends on what the author wants to express,
how to graffiti a store this is already vandalism and there are also people who graffiti a wall this I already consider art

# data[].attributes.body
Certainly, many people think that graffiti is an act of vandalism, but it depends a lot on the type of graffiti that is treated.
There are a lot of graffiti made by well-known, unknown authors, large graffiti, small graffiti and most importantly there are graffiti that are an art and others that are nothing.
In my opinion, graffiti is not at all an act of vandalism, it is an art that is spread around the world, that fills several streets in different countries, and that is an inspiration for many people, both in artistic aspect, as in others.
But, of course, if graffiti conveys bad things, such as offensive words, silly drawings or the like, it is not even considered graffiti, because it is only used as entertainment for some people, people who should think they are dirtying streets, often houses of people, museums, chambers,… I think that this type of graffiti should be stopped, because it only conveys bad and silly things, it only gives people trouble who then have to clean up and only leaves the streets ugly and looking bad.
Fortunately, there are people with an incredible ability to graffiti and who graffiti beautiful, admirable things that undoubtedly for me are considered an art. An art that amazes and cheers the day of many people, often with the message it conveys.

# data[].attributes.body
For me graffiti is an art, obviously there are several types of graffiti and those that are art are, for example, the ones we find in the streets of Lisbon and not the ones we find in schools, on the walls of some buildings, houses, etc., that this is called vandalism for example they can be offensive or more inappropriate, that should be banned, it is true that it is considered a crime, but even so many of these are still on the streets.

# data[].attributes.body
Many people think that graffiti is an act of vandalism, but that depends a lot on what people want to convey with graffiti and also the kind of graffiti it is.
For me graffiti is not an act of vandalism, but an art, there are very talented people who are very dedicated to this kind of art and with their works bring more life to the cities.
I see graffiti as a way to make a city, or a neighborhood, a park, whatever it is, more modern, making it more beautiful because looking at a wall full of colors, full of drawings is more interesting than looking at a wall that has no content. When I think about graffiti it reminds me of young people because it is something more modern, something that is associated more with the new generations and as we are the future I think that we young people like to see a more colorful city, about subjects that we usually approach among ourselves than just an empty wall without any kind of life.
Graffiti is a different art from others. it doesn't have rules, it doesn't have those specific techniques that surrealism, futurism, cubism have, I think it's a pretty free art where the artist expresses his feelings in a more funny way, and I think that's why we young people like this style so much, because it's totally different from the styles that we approach at school or that we're used to seeing.
There are many areas, for example in Lisbon, that I have visited where lots of walls are full of graffiti and I think it is so beautiful, I think that looking at a graffiti ends up inspiring us and making our day more joyful, because it is completely contagious to look at a wall and see so many colours, see so many drawings and it is also surreal how a drawing can bring life to a simple wall?
Of course there are people who do graffiti just to vandalize houses, streets, establishments etc... and they end up doing it out of spite or for fun and often have no idea what they are doing. And I think it's sad that people do it because they end up "ruining" this art.

# data[].attributes.body
I think graffiti art is very simple and beautiful. I think graffiti is art and vandalism, because it can be done on the city walls without the intention of harming or with that intention. the role of street art is to convey messages through society.

# data[].attributes.body
In my humble opinion, graffiti is not vandalism because it is a street art that many countries appreciate, such as Portugal.
Graffiti plays an important role in the streets because it decorates many buildings and other buildings from many different countries.

# data[].attributes.body
I think graffiti can be both art and vadalism because if the person gets premission, by the owner,  to graffiti the property  I think that's ok, but without premission it's just vandalism.
In my opinion graffiti is made to add more color to the city

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion graffiti is not vandalism because it is an art form and a way for people to express their feelings  and therefore everyone should be free to do so, however in a way that does not offend anyone or spoil anyone's property.

# data[].attributes.body
In my opinion graffiti is not vandalism because it is an art form and a way for people to express their feelings and therefore everyone should be free to do so, however in a way that does not offend anyone or spoil anyone's property.