Artist name: l Sakristan
City of Choice: Any place I am living in the present moment.

How many years have you been painting: i can´t remember. My family says i used to paint with food before being able to handle a pencil.

Website: www.sakristan.com www.flickr/photos/sakristanraquel

Likes: freedom, freedom, freedom. Fresh air….
Dislikes: absurd rules, malls.

What do you want to express when you are painting?
Any experience painting is an opportunity to try something I’ve never done before. I like to “listen” to the spaces where i work before interacting with them. They always have some information to reveal and the more you understand the environment, the better the result. (or the better i feel about it)

What about your relationship with Barcelona?
Coming from NY…. i feel really relaxed and comfortable here. Unless you can argue with the police when you have a ticket for painting on the street.
Even if now it is not the little paradise for artists it used to be, it is already a city full of surprises. You can walk naked on the street and not have problems with the law.

Do you think there is a Barcelona style?
The style is that there is no style. Here you can hang out to paint with any kind of artist, even people that never painted in the street before, and that is the most interesting point for me.

Does it have specific characteristics? Has it got any parallels with the culture
People are open to mix everything. Here i have had the opportunity to paint in the street not only with people from many different countries, ages and ways to work, but also with artists that used to paint miniatures, with a mathematician, with people interested in art communication, children, sculptors or anyone who wants to express something or just have a good time. Here this happens in a natural way.

Which kind of graffiti do you enjoy more? Which style do you enjoy the most?
As I said I especially enjoy painting with artists that never painted in the street before. They bring really fresh ideas. For example, i have a friend who writes micropoems. She did her first stencil one night a short time ago, and now it is a pleasure to read her words crossed with our pieces on the streets.

What do you think about the legal situation for painting in the streets of BCN? What changes can you see? What about the future?
In this moment urban artists are considered common criminals by the law. This fact directly reflects the mentality of our government and their ignorance and lack of interest or respect for contemporary art. But these restrictive laws are also a sign of the way every citizen is loosing their right to express their ideas or use the public space.

On the other hand, from a creative point of view, these critical moments force artists to became more active, aware, and conscious about their condition, and also builds a sense of community. Here you can join forces with many good artists to develop projects together.

What impact do you think the Internet has had on graffiti styles?
It’s not about style but about communication. Now you can see the work of many people around the wold and connect directly with the artists. That brings research and experimentation to a higher level. The Internet allows us to share and keep alive what disappears quickly from the streets. Even if the piece vanishes in a few hours, the idea, the concept remains on the net and can be seen and generate discussions all around the world during a long period of time. It’s like adding layers of paint and information to a BIG virtual wall.

If graffiti is a fight for the freedom of expression…do you think every kind of graffiti is able to exist, or do you think some types are bad and inappropriate?
To paint in the place that surrounds us is inherent to our human condition. It is our cultural fingerprint. (From the caves till now). Every civilization has left its mark on the constructions, on the cities, on the streets. So i think that any way of expression is more interesting than a gray wall.

What do you think is the soul of Barcelona street art if it has one? Or is it only shape and colour? I don´t know if there is a soul of Barcelona street art, i only know that since i came here, i have met a lot of good artists and great people that truly enjoy doing what they do.
To me art is a vehicle to live experiences and evolve, and in this sense i am learning a lot of things painting in this city.

Do you think the strict laws makes the products of urban artists proliferate? As they cannot be on the street, they have/must/need to be in galleries, commercial spots, or commercial brands?
Strict laws, and mainly stupid laws, are always disgusting. The only difference is that now, you have to go further and further to be able to paint something big in size or elaborate.
If you like to paint in the street you will do it as you can: In little villages, in the middle of nowhere…but a commercial spot or a gallery will never substitute this action.

I think that nobody “enjoys” selling their art. This use to be the biggest conflict for any artist. To sell or not to sell, and to whom… so the sense of freedom and happiness that you get painting on the street, can only be obtained out of the commercial circuits.

What do you think about the future of Barcelona style?
Here people come from many different places. As long as people like to come here, this will keep being a meeting point.
I am just surprised that Barcelona authorities can´t see the possibilities to obtain profit just letting the artists paint without pressure and promoting their work.

Can you tell us some interesting places to visit in Barcelona? What places do you enjoy most?
I used to enjoy a lot painting in the gipsy area of Poblenou before all the people that lived there (from 14 years ago) where displaced to “clean” the area.
To have some wine with Juan “El loco”, the patriarca, after painting there… was a unique pleasure.
Now I like to visit a studio where a man builds musical instruments with garbage.
And of course i love the courtyard of my house, a nice meeting point for good friends and artists.

Be sure to check out www.sakristan.com

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