Matt from MWM Graphics & Wall Spankers dropped in to let us know about his new book hitting your shelves soon with a heavy THUD… ‘B&W Bangers 3′. Part of a series and lifelong project to make a new series every Winter possibly for the rest of his life, and if successful he is not opposed to making them in the after-life too.

’Bangers 3’ is 72 pages of amazing black & white, hand-painted/illustrated work that was done on 8″x 8″ watercolor paper squares within the last 3 months (winter). Ink, paint, pencils, pens, paint markers, spray-paint, etc… Lots of female portraits, metaphoric icons, and psychedelic narratives.

FMCS: Matt welcome to FMCS how’s it hanging?

MWM: Everything is proper these days, thanks for asking. Each of the legs of my “life chair” are firmly planted and growing healthy roots. I have been blessed with some awesome opportunities lately. Work and pleasure have aligned.

FMCS: Well… We know you well from often spending time looking at the fantastic work on the MWM Graphics, and surfing around on Wall Spankers. But the real reason you’re here to chat to us today is your new book is due out in a little under two weeks called B & W Bangers 3. Fill us in a little on the project and what it involves?

MWM: Black and White Bangers is a book series of my personal work and explorations that I self publish. Every fall, I take time away from other endeavors and create a series of monochromatic illustrations.

Each Bangers book is a new format and aesthetic. Bangers One (2005) was 100% Sharpie on 4×6 index cards. It was very theme based and semi-autobiographical. I’ve made thousands of stickers from that series. Last winter, I worked on Bangers 2. Those were more intricate designs and my visual vocabulary had grown, so there is a bit of an esoteric narrative going on. All of the work in that series was done on 8.5×11 paper. Bangers 3 is hot fire! I really tried to push myself in new directions with this one and I am pleased with where the explorations ended up.

The whole series was created in a layering process of various mediums. And I intentionally set parameters on myself in an attempt to create a new look, especially with the female portraits.

I hadn’t done much work like that before. It was a blast.

FMCS: Why a new series every Winter, and not Spring? Or on the summer solstice, or on your birthday?

MWM: Well, I am constantly working on a series or two. I find that series are the best way to work, both because I can grow as an artist through practice and I am able to tell a deeper story through multiple pieces. I rarely do one-off paintings or illustrations. ‘Bangers’ just happens to be a series that translates to books, posters and stickers quite well, since it is so affordable to reproduce.

FMCS: What influences your style? It’s very bold and fresh, and certainly a very unique approach. Would we sound like art queens if we said that your illustration work seems to be inextricably linked to classical notations of urban graffiti shrink wrapped within a contextual package of neo 80s new wave, new form abstract futurism…ya darling! Or would that be going to far?

MWM: Art-speak is fun… sure the more adjectives, the better. I simply think of my work as an attempt to create a hybrid between MC Escher and early Trapper Keeper designs… with a twist of 2009 in there for ya.

FMCS: To touch on the aerosol side of things and the alias Reone, please fill us in on the history here…do you still get much time to paint the town, or are the sites and the freelance work taking up a lot of free moments right now.

MWM: I still paint on a regular basis, with and without permission. I will never stop… But yes, my other endeavors can really pull on my time.

I guess I’m lucky to have so many radical options to choose from.

FMCS: Now you told us a little about B&W Bangers 3 due out soon, what has happened with Vector funk? We heard you were up for releasing that around the same time this year, has that been shelved for the moment in respect to all the other stuff you have going on right now?

MWM: I had planned to send that to press simultaneously with Bangers 3, but recently decided to hold back on the ‘VectorFunk 2’ Postcard Book. Instead I will be doing a limited run of posters from the VF2 series. Ten designs will be available in limited quantities.

FMCS: Your bat cave is up in Portland, Maine. How’s life up there? And how does it suit you? What’s the creative scene like there for design, fashion…music?

MWM: I love Maine. Seriously, Portland is a pretty radical little scene tucked into a gorgeous costal environment. This city has a very high percentage of quality artists, musicians, MCs, DJs, and straight-up positive people. As far as design and fashion go, we are making serious moves and I expect that a handful of people will get their chance to shine in the next year. There is no shortage of talent here.

FMCS: On the subject of music…styles and players…who’s flicking your nuts at the moment?

MWM: Last I checked, no one is near my nuts except for the wifey. But as far as music goes, I listen to NY Rap 90% of the time. Everything from Jay-Z to DefJux and everything in-between.

I can’t wait until New York hip-hop is back on top… I’m getting sick of some of that southern stuff. Fashion is a whole other thing, I don’t know where to start. But I will say, I’d rather have a nice pair of kickers and a thrift store outfit than vice-versa.

FMCS: We also wanna touch on the net environment with you. For artists, musicians and designers there seems to be plenty of opportunities right now for the productive minded individual to promote themselves, and to become a success rapidly. Take Wallspankers for instance that project has just spread like wild fire and is blowing up everywhere. The future for creatives looks so bright now. People like yourself are demonstrating application correctly, it can only get better for everyone now don’t you agree?

MWM: This is a unique time for sure. It is amazing how rapidly information can be spread throughout the world. Even more amazing to think about how an organically grown, grassroots project like Wallspankers can gain so much international momentum without a dollar spent on promotion.

Now, more than ever, artists and musicians hold the key to their own success and visibility. Great ideas have never been so powerful.

FMCS: Thanks for the short chat Matt and all the best with your schemes!

MWM: Thanks for having me, and thanks for the top-notch content everyday. FMCS is the shizzle yo!

FMCS: BTW How’s the misses and the wee fella?

MWM: Very well thanks. Laura and Malachi are a constant source of inspiration and balance.

FMCS: Any Shout outs before we depart?

MWM: Absolutely, Big Up to DG and the KDU Family, The Royal, Depthcore, WUT and YME Crew.

Also, I’d like to say… without the encouragement and constant support of everyone that I have reached out to for advice in this wild industry, I never would have had the balls and focus to make my dreams a reality.

Thank you all for your inspiration and insight.

SITE: MWM GRAPHICS
BLOG: MWM GARPHICS BLOG
ANOTHER: WALLSPANKERS

Sites linking in to this interview:
Urbanretrolifestyle.com

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