https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7s2mkGzqtA
It’s perhaps one of the most misunderstood artforms…spray paint art…seen across almost any major city. Artists express themselves freely. And some are now able to do so not only with permission…but encouragement. It should be noted that’s what this story is about, not art that is produced without permission.
Las Cruces artist Saba uses his surroundings to help inspire his artwork.
“So , from being from the Southwest being from here I love to incorporate the landscape.Just a lot of artifacts and different things that represent the Southwest. It’s what I call ‘Southwest Wild Style’ and it really just comes from growing up here.”
Saba often draws from past experiences. Being an indigenous person, he practices traditions that are part of his heritage.
“Back to the ‘Southwest Wild Style,” we want to establish that we have been practicing these ways and this culture prior to New York and the East Coast’s existence on this land. Meaning that we have danced, made beats, told stories, and wrote on walls, which is the four elements of hip hop. Hueco Tanks is just old school graffiti art in my opinion.”
Graffiti art and hip hop culture often go hand in hand. Hip hop culture values freedom, expression, social justice and enjoying life. Graffiti art is one way of expressing and celebrating these values. For Saba, this culture has helped him become who he is today.
“As long as I practice doing this artform, I don’t have to practice being a ‘Drunk Indian’ or any of those stereotypes that my community that I come from has.”
“It’s just like sketching in a sketchbook but at a bigger scale. It’s really… It’s really just making a mess and cleaning it up. There is nothing to it really. If it doesn't look good you can totally erase it and go over it you know? But a lot of the time that's where the originality and the style come from is the mistakes.”
Graffiti art has not always been fully accepted. Often, it was associated with vandalism and street gangs. In more recent years, graffiti art is being viewed with a more open mind leading to a rise in popularity.
“It’s awesome that the mainstream has finally caught on to the healing and how hard the artform is like you said. How does one get into it? You practice. How does one spin on their head and break dance? They practice. How does one drive? Well you got to get in the car and drive.”
Saba practiced this style by watching his brother and his friends create graffiti around their city of Farmington in northern New Mexico. He credits them for introducing him to his passion.
“They were the local hooligans that you know, tagged their territory and it was always an awesome thing to know that I know who did that. They crushed our little town and it was cool just knowing that you were able to even do something like that or low key get away with it. You have to really figure out the harm that some of that culture does you know but they were not taught by themselves on how to act that way.”
Overall, Saba says hip hop culture and graffiti are positive influences on the world. He says they provide a means for expression that many low income and underprivileged groups do not get.
“Shoutout to all my aunts and uncles and parents and all the people that have encouraged me and told me that I can do anything . Paid the rent and did what they had to keep me alive. I think that's what we are protecting; it is our soul, our traditions, our culture, our timeline, our knowledge of these ways of life that we practice everyday. Whether it's painting with graffiti or praying in a kiva it's the same thing going on.”
Graffiti and street art are more than just paint on a wall to the artist. It means they have a chance for expression…to illustrate their thoughts and emotions.
This often controversial artform is a vital outlet for artists like Saba…who are invited to share their vision with the world.