STYLE KONSTRUKTOR - interview
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1. Please, introduce us your project Stylekonstruktor and the history of it. Who is part of it?

Hello, we are StyleKonstruktor from Moscow. There are two members inside the crew: Scheme and Oskes. We started to work and to paint together long time ago before the idea of StyleKonstruktor came to us. Originally it was the project with the same name that we prepared for the Planet Prozess exhibition in Berlin, 2007. For this project we created six various alphabets in Cyrillic, each alphabet was based on our graffiti experience and was presented in own style with full list of symbols and signs. Each letter, symbol and sign from the alphabet had its own 3D paper cube (box), and each alphabet had its own side on the cube. The main idea was that any visitor could construct his name using cubes with Cyrillic letters and information about transcription. For us it was very important experience to see how our Cyrillic letterforms work with each other in 3D space, not on the wall. Also, it was our first big project dedicated to the Cyrillic and it was very interesting to see the result. Planet Prozess has made our cooperation and communication of our styles more serious and deep. At the moment we are widely open for various formats, Scheme works mostly with typography and Oskes is more interested in illustration. Our purpose in each artwork - is a harmony of objects, letters and surfaces through construction of the styles.

2. Your style is really about construction. Could you describe your progress of work? I know for example that Scheme uses kind of measuring grid while painting a piece.

Scheme: I was always drawing precise forms. Through all my letterform experience evolution of my style has passed a stage from plane forms to volumetric (3D). Right now I also use my old elements, but volume is a basis of forms. That’s why I started to use the grid. As forms are modular, construction with a grid saves time.
I can’t say that my forms are absolutely three-dimensional, it is more pseudo-volume with use of other graphic elements. If you will imagine the form in space and take a look from the other side, it breaks. So, sculptures need absolutely different forms.

Oskes: I don’t often use the special grid as Scheme does, but sometimes we need to put our mixed idea from paper to the wall without mistakes - all letters and elements have to be straight and on the right place. The grid is more connected with typography. We both prefer to work with contrast colors, develop straight and exact forms, that can be minimal and complex at the same time - this all make look our style like a construction. You can add special patterns and objects that have it own function, place and intellectual background. My elements, forms and objects are more free in space and I prefer more freedom for the line that I make. But this opposite types of work on the same surface give us necessary experience during the work and push us forward.

3. If I am right, your pieces are made in Latin alphabet. But your origin is Cyrillic alphabet. How would you describe the main differences between these two worlds of letters? Why did you choose Latin for you art?

Scheme: When I started to paint I didn't practice writing my name in Cyrillic, because of big fashion among writers to use Latin letters. Time passed and later we started to experiment with other letterforms. We don't use Cyrillic often, because there is no need for it. There is nothing interesting in Cyrillic alphabet, except several clumsy letters. Besides all, in Russian my name has more than five variants of pronunciation and writing, so I’m often mixed up with someone other.

Oskes: I equally use both Latin and Cyrillic letters in my works. In general, Latin letters have more simple and minimal structure, also English language is an international way of communication - that’s one of the several reasons why a lot of writers and artists from post-soviet space use it: they are influenced a lot by western culture. And the main thing, they want to be a part of it - to be recognizable by westerns. It is a big culture-logical question about native language, national identity, local society problems and the post soviet history after the iron curtain period.
If we will be back to our own graphic experience - Cyrillic alphabet has more letters, variations of writing and pronunciation. The main difference - Latin letters are easier to work with, and it is possible to make them look beautiful. Cyrillic letters are more heavy and not so attractive, sometimes its hard to make them work with the general form and idea.
Anyway, I always write my name in Cyrillic - its one of the cases, when most letters in the word can be pronounced and can look the same in both languages. It’s hard to describe what a big science for us - to explore communication with a help of Cyrillic and Latin worlds. We just made few steps and I think Cyrillic has future.

4. Moscow is huge city and the scene is not small. But you don't see too much graffiti in public spaces. Why is that?

Scheme: I love my city and I don't want to change a place to live in the nearest time. I love the situation in Moscow: it is very cool, that walls on the tracks are buffed once a year before the May holidays. Its great to paint on the clean wall. I don't think it's bad, when you are having a walk in your district and you don't see any graffiti. But if you will be an hyper-active writer, your stuff will be visible all over the city anyway. Fresh tags can live two weeks, not more. It is such stimulus.
Because of visual absence of problem of graffiti and it's scales, people don't give the special attention to this, therefore the measures on punishment are proper.

Oskes: I think that Moscow is the most buffed city in the all Europe. You have to come here to understand and to see it with your own eyes. City government wastes a lot of money to keep city clean, there are a lot of social services that buff their areas, there are a lot of private and city cameras on the street. You will never understand the history of graffiti in Moscow, everything changes so fast. Mostly, buffers do not clean walls, they put other layers of paint on the surface and sometimes they repeat the form of the word/tag/graffiti piece that lies under. And it makes city look more ugly. When holidays (elections, etc) come and the city is under the fresh buff - all streets are covered with absurd squares of various sizes and colors. Trains are also buffed hard. But this is a reason to paint more and more.

5. What do you know about Praha and what would you like to see here? And do you have any idea what will you create at Names?

Scheme: I haven't been to Praha, and I think it is the European city with impressive architecture and sculptures of Point everywhere. City with a very interesting graffiti scene and very strict punishments for the painting. On the Names, except the general project we prepare, I will present my current work on letterform evolution with the example of writing the name and alphabets. It is a very big pleasure to come to the Names, that has such an amazing list of participants.

Oskes: I will answer simply: on the Names we will construct the styles, we will construct our names. We will try to make them communicate with the help of objects, forms and patterns. Details of our installation will arrive with us in august. Not to repeat the Scheme's words, I will say that Praha for me personally is one of the main ex-Eastern block cities that I want to see alive. The city with medieval look, beautiful bridges, interesting history and graffiti scene that influenced and impressed many writers on post-soviet space! Visiting Praha - is a good opportunity to try real Czech beer. But our plans are serious: we plan to construct as more as we can. For us it is an a honor to be a part of Names.


Links:
http://www.stylekonstruktor.com