ZEZAO - interview
©namesfest.net1. Could you please introduce yourself and tell us about how you got started in doing art in the streets?I am Zezao, I am 36 years old, and I began to paint in the classic traditional graffiti style here in Sao Paulo in 1995. In 1998 my work began to be more abstract and experimental. And around the year 2000 I started to look for more specific sites, such as abandoned buildings, sewers, industrial areas, and other dirty spots where I could display my art. This is where I found the concept and identity of my current work. Those are the place where I now leave my signature, which I call “flops”.
2. To many people your signature might look like ornaments. Can you tell us what’s behind them?It’s sort of a deconstruction of an original classic VICIO throw up painted with a small roller and latex paint. But one is always different to the other.
3. You live in a concrete jungle, in one of the biggest and dirtiest cities in the world. Can you describe to us your relationship to the places and people that you meet while painting?Whenever I go painting in the street I try to find the places which are most dirty and run down, where people live under the very rawest of circumstances. I try to approach such places with great humbleness and respect so that it is possible for me to actually get in touch with the people living there. I am sure that painting such places creates very important moments, both for the people living there, as well as myself.
4. You are known for painting in the real underground, I mean in the fucking dirty sewers under the city of Sao Paulo, where you work mostly alone among dead dogs and rats. Are you fearless? Or is painting on your own almost a form of meditation for you?No, I am not afraid when I go to paint the sewers, because I know the places where I paint really well. In the underground you get to see many things especially trash of all different types and forms. Dead animals, immense contamination, and really bad air, are the things that you are confronted with most regularly. Although, these places are very negative and depressive, I feel at peace with myself whenever I paint there. With the sound of flowing water I imagine a river or a waterfall, even though the reality is very different from that. The silence gets me thinking about the violence in the city and the degradation of the planet and nature as a whole.
5. What do you know about Prague? Are there any things that you would really like to see or do while being here?I hear people talking about that Prague as it being a very nice and old city. I think that I will be probably confronted with some real nice old architecture. I really like old things, but unfortunately now there are very few places like this in Sao Paulo. And also I am very much looking forward to finding out about your culture and people.
I would really love to find some abandoned places where I could paint. And what I would like to do the most is to somehow get underground of the city, because I would love to bring the art of Sao Paulo’s underground to that of Prague.
Video:Links:http://www.artesubterranea.comhttp://www.myspace.com/zezaohttp://www.lost.art.br/zezao.htmhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/zezaohttp://www.fotolog.net/vicio_z
