Rarely do North American audiences get the opportunity to see modern art, -mainly graffiti- from Africa.
Recently I was granted the opportunity to interview Faith47, who is one of the emerging artists coming out of South Africa.
Her work, found in galleries as well as townships -where even the most rugged North American artists (male and female) would
dare not enter- takes the viewer beyond the South Africa we see on TV and into a land where despite much hardship a resilient
people thrive.
In this interview, we get discuss such topics as South Africa’s graffiti scene to musical influences to her love of language;
as well as street art versus the canvas and even the notion of optimism. A bit deeper than the typical Q & A, “eh”?? Well,
she’s deeper than your typical graffiti writer.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Faith47.
What’s up, Faith? I want to start off with a seldom asked question: What is your personal mission
statement in regards to life as well as graffiti? What does Faith47 represent to the World??
I make it up as I go… there is no ultimate truth… I change my mind all the time… I get upset by mobs of people
chasing refugees out 6 story windows.. and I get inspired by going into the mountains and remembering that we are
part of nature… in between these things are thousands of questions… many answers… more questions…. life and death….
I am humbled by to the destructive and creative nature in us all… this is what keeps me painting…
What is the origin of Faith47? How did you get into graffiti? How did you get started? What initially
attracted you to the genre?
Well I was introduced to graffiti by wealz130 of the YMB crew. He was a very influential young pioneer in the scene
and has guided me all the way. I love art. I hate art. I love people. I hate society. I was into punk and skating and
all forms of good rebellious music… so graffiti was for me a match made in heaven… it’s grown me up a lot and humbled
me too and made me let go a lot…. I love the way that the work you do is so temporary…. nothing lasts forever… the wind
and sun gets it or the buff… it’s a flicker that someone might see and then it’s gone . and did anyone see it. and do
you care. and you give it away. move forward and stay in the moment.
How does your family feel about your graffiti? Are they supportive?
My son paints with me….
How deep is South Africa’s graffiti scene? Who are the pioneers? As far as style, creativity, and
expression go, what does South Africa offer graffiti that differentiates it from other countries?
The South African scene… oh man… it’s deep… and raw.. and mean yet humble… the bombers in our scene get my utmost
respect… guys like toe007,tapz, naid, dek3, kers, enos, brush, disk, cros and others.. they really get into the most
hardcore spots and there are so many dangerous elements on the streets… but I find they don’t have ‘the whole world
revolves around me’ attitude that you find in so many places… when you are bombing in south african streets you are
never the most hardest m***fkr on the streets so there is a certain chaotic and aggressive humbleness to it… old school
writers like mak1one, falko and gogga have done lots for the scene… pioneers like reyn22 and wealz130 whose style still
burns…. the creative genius of rasty, hak1one and conform. crews like QK,RL,FUK,FSU,WK?,MSE have done massive amounts
of work in a country where access to paint and magazines have until recently been a mission to get and money is
always a thing…. it’s very unexposed and its great that way…
You named your son as one of your heroes in life. How was his birth changed your approach to the art form?
Are you more focused on putting out certain messages?
Having a child is very grounding and as I’m not a very grounded person this been pretty challenging for me.
I don’t know how things would be without him, I don’t think I would have worked as hard as I have done. I mean I had
him at 18 so I never really had the time to take it easy -or study… but it made me more focused and I had to grow up
fast, but then at the same time I think I’m also going to stat young as we’re growing up together now .. and I’d like
him to put what he loves first … get into this talents and passions and live them fully… this is key … so this motivates
me to do the same.
As far as musical influences go you have a very eclectic list [Modest Mouse to Immortal technique and the
Misfits]. Which groups do you credit as having the biggest influences as far as art and life are concerned?
Hmmmm … in order of appearance … beastie boys, dead kennedys ,new model army, sonic youth, sisters of mercy, bauhaus,
patti smith, mazzy star, sage francis, aesop rock, immortal technique, the knife,le tigre,coco rosie,gogol bordello,
munley and the lee lewis harlots but there are many many many more.
I like the way you write. I especially liked the words you wrote for the “Restless Debt Of Third World
Beauty” exhibit: “both the female and the third world have been oppressed and raped. Despite this they are powerfully
resilient and form the backbone of strength in society their voices silenced in the media with its strong western male
gaze.” That is truly poetic. Have you considered taking up poetry as another way to express your views on life?
I like words a lot.. language needs to be destroyed and rebuilt… so that we own it… It’s just communication … like letter
style….how do we get our thoughts and feelings from here to there… ? words are very limiting… I think we’ll explode
without music and art and muddling words up here and there….
If you weren’t involved with graffiti, what do you think you’d be doing?
This is not possible.
You paint on canvas as well. Compared to traditional street art what kind of advantages and
disadvantages do you find when working on canvas?
working on the streets is way more experiential. its a whole process from finding new spots to actually painting… I mean its
much harder to get your ideas and style together and be focused when you have all the outside elements.. cars rushing by…
people walking past or talking to you. getting mugged. gangsters telling you stories… kids wanting cans… having beers with
your mates… or rushing to get done… 30 degree heat… howling wind… freezing cold…. those things all add to the wall … there is
a whole story behind each photo…. people don’t understand that…..
on the flip side a canvas is like a personal thing… your thoughts.. your music.. you can block the world out and
lock yourself up… it’s more of a meditation… the one is like breathing in… the other like breathing out...
15 years ago, the Apartheid government fell, Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years imprisonment, and was
later elected the first Black President in South Africa’s History. Despite these huge historic changes many of the
racial, economic, political, health (via AIDS/HIV), and gender-based divisions are still in effect. At times things look
grim, yet you haven’t given up on the possibility of change. How do you maintain that sense of optimism? How do you keep
your Faith (no pun)?
Optimism… I don’t think I’m particularly optimistic…. well I do believe in the plight of the innocent and
misled…. … I think the government is up to shit.. the xenophobia situation makes me sick… the corporations and banks
are bleeding the population dry… sexism and rape and violence are rife….cape town city is a city that cares more about
its tourists then its own people… the neo liberal policies of south africa are very destructive to the man on the street…
and the man on the street is so concerned with the everyday hustle that he fails to research who is to blame for what’s
going down..
but I fucking love this place… people are strong and they look you in the eye… I don’t know what the future holds.. I’m
not really optimistic after reading “the shock doctrine” by Naomi Klein my whole world fell apart… I go day by day by
day by day…
Last year, South Africa and the World, lost legendary activist and singer Miriam Makeba aka “Mama Africa”. She
created art which fought against the Apartheid government and the horrible conditions within your country. In fact, she
was banned from her own homeland due to her music. Being a South African artist who happens to be female, do you feel a
duty to carry on in the tradition of “Mama Africa” ?
Much respect to her yeah I think its beautiful to see any artist dedicate everything to what they believe. In south
africa we have a history of people going in to exile and dying for their beliefs… it’s very important to have these
role models….
American revolutionary Sekou Odinga is credited for saying, “If you are a poet make revolutionary poetry. If
you are an artist, create revolutionary art.” The very essence of your graffiti is a form of revolutionary art – proper
propaganda, if you will. The way you use images, words, environments, and themes to shake the status quo challenges
people to question the world around them. Do you consider yourself a revolutionary?
A revolution often leads to the next movement or leader being corrupt… so I think the only revolutionary process that
can work with this in mind is the revolution of the self. like you. your own person. what you think and what you know
and what you do. then we all effect each other and maybe somewhere this creates change on a larger scale. but the initial
and most essential idea is about your own self . somehow… this makes sense.. to me… at this moment… I might change my mind
though… but revolution is good … power needs to change hands… the profits from a countries recourses need to go to the people.
government and corporations should not be so inter connected…. simple things like that… it’s upsetting… we feel so small
and ridiculously ineffective in the whole scheme of things as individuals… yet we are not. and we are…. everything
is a contradiction…
I’m just figuring out this moment … and sometimes tomorrow. I want to be with my son and with my art and hopefully more
skilled and patient and clever.