Falko paints the city red, literally

[1]

For South African graffiti artist Falko, who was recently in the city to judge the IIT Rendezvous graffiti competition, drawing was his version of daydreaming.

This is Falko’s first visit to Asia and it has been worth the effort, says Falko, “I’ve always wanted to come to India but I was more so convinced because of the Taj Mahal. I planned to use that as the landmark for Asia. And it was accomplished. I am paying for this journey with some aid from Adidas India and this is a reminder that I must travel more often! I realise that the world is bigger than your neighbourhood.”
Raised by his mother, he was a normal boy who did normal boy things with the neighbourhood kids. While as a kid, he didn’t dream of becoming a graffiti artist, when his grandfather passed away and left him some money, he bought a pair of shoes, some spray paint and used the rest to apply for Technical College to study graphic design. “I dropped out in my second year. I really struggled to adhere to the protocols and briefs that were required for becoming a designer. I felt that design school was a conveyer belt of art,” says Falko.
Art or drawing was just something he did for fun. He tells us that he never considered making money from it. He still doesn’t do it for money.
When asked if graffiti art can be turned into a profession, he says, “Graffiti is all I’ve ever done. I’ve never had a ‘real’ job. With my graffiti, I maintain my family. However, in context of India, it is inevitable that it will become a profession. India’s graffiti scene seems to be in its intermediate phase but as the artists improve they’ll get attention from corporates. The vibrant colours always make for a good background, when it comes to selling products.”