Rubik/AWS film interview

2020. Oct. 24. | Interviews

Rubik/AWS

Rubik has been strengthening the camp of Hungarian writers for 20 years, during which time he has gained quite a reputation. He is an active participant in the Hungarian graffiti life both on the legal and illegal fronts. But he is not only talented in coloring walls and trains, this year he also showed off his skills in filmmaking. The AWS movie was a big hit with the general public. 

When did you start graffiti?

It all started in 2000, after school we went to the household store, it all started with 3 neolux. Before that, I only clowned on paper, at that time we didn't really know what it was or how it was done.

Where did the stage name come from?

I never consciously searched for them, the names always just flashed by me, I wrote them down, tried them on, and liked them. I like that it also has a Hungarian aspect.

Rubik

How did this style develop and what would you call it?

I see many years of work in it, but I think it is always evolving, just like people. I like twisting and twisting the letters, experimenting. Maybe it moves between the simple and the wild style, precisely so that I can put the stuff out quickly.

Rubik

Who or what inspired you most to create?

This ranges quite widely for me, it can be a film, music or anything, the point is that it inspires. And, of course, I see fresh stuff slipping by on the train or a good line, street stuff.

Is there a graffiti group you are a member of?

The Wack System.

Rubik/AWS

Illegal or legal painting?

Rather, it is illegal. It has that charm, which I think the whole movement should be about, and of course it gives me a feeling, which is why I started doing it at the time. The legal one doesn't get me excited, but sometimes it's good to go with the spans to a quiet line or some abandoned spot.

Rubik

Over the years, have you had any confrontations with the authorities?

There was, but nothing serious.

What inspired you in the past and what still motivates you now?

Everything used to be different. No internet, no art shop, especially in the countryside. We had to figure out almost everything ourselves, unless the elders told us something. I loved that era, there was still a lot of respect and you had to fight for places. In that period, everyone blew, but literally. Of course, I was also inspired to keep improving and to make my name known. Everything is different now, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Blowing the train has become hardcore in our country, this is not disputed, and it is a respa for those who still go out and play on the side of the iron to this day.

Do you see graffiti as a hobby or a livelihood?

In any case, I would call it a hobby, and a pretty strong hobby. If you really taste it and push it as far as it will fit on the pipe, you won't get rid of it anytime soon, for sure.

There are quite expensive financial costs for creating a single drawing. How can you finance these?

Of course, from my own income, and of course there are the orders, now 80% of my cans come from there.

Was there a part of your career that made you feel like you were quitting for good?

There were, of course, several times, but they only lasted a few weeks. My longest break was 3 months in 20 years.

What would have happened if you didn't grab a can at the time? What would you do?

I would also be interested in this, but I would definitely push for some creative work.

What do you think about graffiti?

I think it's a damn good creative thing if you do it from the heart. There are no limits, you blow what you want and where you want.

How do you see the current situation of the subculture here in Hungary?

Still going strong! There are a lot of styles. There are fewer but more determined people left in the game, so I think we are definitely moving in the right direction.

Most memorable blowout?

There are so many that it's hard to pick one. Sometimes we had to walk 20 km, or run away in knee-deep snow, we slept on the train, at stations, or just hitchhiked to the next yard. This is no longer the case, but I look back on those times happily.

Rubik

Tell us a little about the team, where did the name come from? When was it founded, who are the members?

It has abbreviations for Wack System/Society and more. It's a real family feeling, I love everyone in the group, I think that the cohesion is still there today, this is very important. We have now added an Italian guy, the current lineup is: Kripton R.I.P, Pikes, Doter, Cwesk, Buls, Shel, Cero (Transylvania), Sone, Maps, Rest, Rewo, Qbik, Cuse and myself.

Where do you prefer to blow a person or a freight train, a loudspeaker, or even buildings?

It varies with everyone and that's why I like my group, because some people bang the loads, while others swear by trains and streets. There are people who do it legally, and quite serious murals are also being made.

Rubik/AWS
Rubik/AWS

What does an "evening walk" look like for you?

Sok sörrel. 😀

How did you come up with the idea to present 5 years of material to the public in this form? 

The film has been in the works for a long time, we had a lot of material and we recorded it continuously. I smoked a lot with him because of this, because they were recorded with 28 different devices, but it was worth it. And of course we wanted to show the team to a larger audience.

Eastern Pleasure – Full movie

How did you choose the scenes in the video?

I divided them into blocks: line, street, train, cargo, etc. The goal was to show something in every category. 

Did you have help during the creative work, or did you put it all together by yourself?

Fortunately, it was, but I put together 80% of the video alone.

Was there a graff video that inspired you when making the AWS short film?

Of course, there are videos coming out all the time, they also inspired me in which direction the whole thing should go.

How did you come up with the idea to present it in the All Caps store?

Angel mentioned at a party that it would definitely work in All caps, so I contacted them and everyone liked the idea. 

How was the reception? Were you surprised that so many people were interested in the finished work?

And of course, the feedback was quite positive, which we were very happy about. It has also been exposed by many foreign graffiti blogs, which is a special honor.

Plans for the future? Are you expecting another film project?

We have a lot of plans, but now they are resting a bit because of the virus situation. But what's late doesn't matter! The plan is to continue, within 2 years if everything goes well.

HELLO
my name is

Rubik

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