88 NUART JOURNAL 2019 VOLUME 1 NUMBER 2 88–89

ART

Vlady

‘Art Underground’ is an unconventional diagram menon, difficult to define and almost intangible – a scene aiming to highlight the connections between and the that has neither leadership nor a unitary identity. However, background of 28 top Italian street artists. The diagram from the answers given, we can trace some very precise has the appearance of an underground system map that is foundations and branches, as well as a dense network of a nod to the so-called ‘underground’ of the Italian contempo- interchanges and relationships. Although it is questionable rary panorama. to call it a ‘movement’ (or even an ‘artistic current’), there I asked the 28 street artists to answer the following is however a movement of artists in continuous mutual question: ‘Name three contemporary national artists who contact that keeps this environment alive. This network of have had a lot of influence on your own career path, or are private and stylistic interconnections has never really been still relevant to you today. You can also indicate up to three investigated. This is what I wanted to explore in a creative, foreign artists, if you so wish.’ The artists mentioned rather than a scientific way. (Italians, foreigners, deceased, or alive) form a list of 136 Notes: The project lasted for about nine months in names. Despite their heterogeneity and transversality, 2017. Few artists ignored the call or declined to take part some very interesting convergences emerge that help to in the survey. The interviewed artists were selected understand the past, the present, and the collective imaginary personally following criteria that included genre, popularity, of the Italian urban scene. and endurance. The privileged genre was , as per Both the pivotal artists of modern art history (Burri, most post- artists. Balla, Kandinsky, LeWitt, and – top of the artists’ preferences How to read the diagram: Each interviewed artist – Munari) as well as the representatives of the graffiti scene has their own ‘line’ (in colour) and a station bearing their (Mode 2), and the world’s most important street artists name (a circular symbol). Along their lines are their (Os Gemeos, Erosie, Momo) were called to mind. No less preferences (following the direction arrows). Example: important, so were many of the very artists that were Basik cited the artists → 108, Aruzzo, Samorì, Ochoa, Aryz, interviewed (108 stands out among them). , due to and Void. The last three fall into zone ‘2’ (non-Italian artists). a number of factors, represents the greatest noticeable In turn, Basik was chosen by Carne (and not vice versa – absence. The interviewees come from a classical graffiti note the direction arrows), with which he generates an background, rather than having an activist history/path. exchange connection. The exchange also takes place with Moreover, ‘stencilism’ has never been well represented in 108, but since he has been multi-nominated by his colleag- Italy, so Banksy appears to be not directly influential. ues, he ended up having a very crowded interchange station Possible interpretations? is a fickle pheno- in the centre of the diagram. UNDERGROUND

Vlady (aka Vladyart) is a prolific multidisciplinary artist known for his minimal, spontaneous, and sociopolitical street- based works. His witty and critical approach towards society and environments makes him one of the few Italian names active in this specific branch of (unsanctioned interventions). Born in Catania in the mid-1970s, Vlady attended the State Institute of Art and then Brera’s Art Academy in Milan. With the complicity of the economic crisis, in one of the most deprived areas in Italy’s south, Vlady went on to challenge his own society with an unprecedented, sarcastic, sharp, guerrilla activism. More recently, Vlady’s approach has turned more conceptual, open to new media and to various forms of communication. Vlady has gained a national and international reputation in urban/public art, resulting in publications, articles, interviews, exhibitions, and invitations throughout Europe and Russia. Today he lives in Stockholm, Sweden. ART UNDERGROUND 89 Dubuffet Burri Vasarely Kandinsky Malevic Alighiero Boetti Keith Haring Grosz boundaries 3 interconnections Barry Mc Gee Mode 2 Author: Vlady (2017) - www.vladyart.com Vlady Author: Some rights reserved. with: [email protected] get in touch infos, For 1 Licini Balla 2 Masao Yamamoto 2 Franz Kline Cory Arcangel Won Abc Won Ed Ruscha Cy Twombly Phil Frost Mack 1 Echo Zosen dead artists Bros Tellas Sbagliato italian artists Giuliano Mauri interviewed artists international artists Blef Kenor Seacreative Atomo Sol Lewit 1 3 2 Anish Kapoor Pyu Margaret Kilgallen Richard Serra Joseph Beuys Key to symbols Giuseppe Penone Cirezd Marco Teatro Gianni Caravaggio Bartocci Daisuke Ichiba Richard Long Andreco Honet Zero-T direction Iacurci Dem Gino De Dominicis Andrea Pazienza connected line Stak unconnected line mentioned artists John Baldessari Mike Kelley Paolo Buggiani Braco Dimitrijević Pao Getulio Alviani Dayaki Blu Munari Roberto Alfano Eron Gola Superstudio Zime Sebastien Preshoux Carne Alberonero Korn 79 Mimmo Rotella 2 1 Zibe WK Interact Dr. Pira Dr. (Suede) Peio Bando 1 2 3 East Eric Art Underground Abbominevole 108 Run De Chirico Tanino Liberatore Hokusai Mr Kama Kemh Joys Enrico David Alleg El Euro Moebius Altan Vesprini CT U Basik Peeta Ckc Lemon & Bzk Aris Art Underground Erica Il Cane Johannes Mundinger Sten & Lex Boogie & Zagor Pao Dem Gola Basik Carne Cirezd Iacurci Fijodor Kaf El Euro Vesprini Vesprini Chob Mario Cresci Alberonero Seacreative Patrizio Di Sciullo Marco Teatro Marco Teatro Gabriele Aruzzo Aaron Horkey Moneyless Ut Boost Fijodor Nicola Samorì Sparki 1 Rae Hitnes 108 2 Lucamaleonte Rise Above LNRZ Kofie Escif Ryoji Ikeda CT Aris Run Cinta Vidal Zibe Bros Alleg Daniel Ochoa Tellas Peeta Hitnes Key to lines Corn79 Bartocci Andreco Moneyless Daim Lucamaleonte Nicolas Delort Foe Toast Tws Toast Os Gemeos White Tegan Aryz Eltono Erosie Finsta Axel Void Delta Momo