Head over to Artillery Magazine for an exclusive interview with Melbourne legend SHEM.
Interview and foreword by Kristoff The Russian exclusively for Artillery Magazine.
Artillery sketch by SHEM.
Images courtesy of SHEM.
A stalwart of the Australian Hip Hop scene, making his mark anywhere it wasn’t wanted since back in the 80s (when the word ‘fresh’ was actually fresh; full-colour productions featured characters rocking Kangol bucket hats, tracksuits and full-name belt buckles or five-finger rings. When Puma and Fila were legit and the chunky black Cazal frames were fly, not Black Ironic Peas fashion accessories), Melbourne graffiti artist SHEM was making a start at becoming the style master we now know him as today. Renowned for his innovation and experimentation with letter forms, coupled with his bold and always ‘outside of the box’ colour combinations, SHEM appeared to have a history that began with the classic homage to Subway Art era New York; putting his own touches to the traditional ‘backbone’ letter style, but developed and evolved continuously to sit on a body of work that is as consistently crisp and clean as it is wildly unpredictable. Whether putting his touch to a full-colour burner on a production wall or on the production boards (as ‘Jase – Beathedz’, a legend in the Hip Hop sphere) there is one thing that seems clear about the guy: he’s a perfectionist to the end and near enough is never good enough. –Kristoff The Russian.
What do you think about the closing remark above? Do you consider yourself a perfectionist?
A piece reflects the artist. I’m serious about graffiti; letters, connections and above all style. I can’t relax until I’ve painted to the best of my ability and corrected everything I don’t like within a piece. I want to walk away content with the way it will inevitably be seen.
There are certain Melbourne pieces that are timeless and still get spoken about and shared around to this day. I’m trying to add to that legacy and produce burners that are on an international level.
I surround myself with like-minded people who consistently strive to burn in whatever they do. This keeps me motivated to be creative, not just with graffiti but in life in general.
Would other people refer to you as a perfectionist?
When it comes to music and art I’ve heard that a lot, simply because I work on pieces and tracks until they feel complete. In recent times, though, I’ve learned to accept that sometimes mistakes can look more interesting than the original idea and lead you down a new path. The way lines in a piece are delivered or executed is like a performance and that’s important to me: a sign of true can and nozzle control.
The end result is only a small part in the way I look at a piece as each one also holds a step in my evolution as a writer. You are never too old to learn in this game and try new things. Painting with people that have different styles and techniques can open your mind to new possibilities and having a crew that aren’t afraid to exchange ideas, critique and try new things.
It’s important to learn from the next generation as you get older so your work doesn’t look stale. The challenge to ‘evolve’ and adapt to new techniques and equipment makes it fun and makes me want to keep painting my six different words.
Read the full interview here.
More info:
– ArtilleryMagazine.com.au
– Flickr.com/jayse_rdc_f1c