Apl 315 – Apl 315

Graffiti in Ukraine, Russia has gradually appeared (has started to develop roughly) much later (in the middle 90′s), than in other countries of Eastern Europe. Therefore development of this subcultural movement was occurring in a different way. I do not say I belong to experts in the field of the theory of graffiti, but also after superficial acquaintance with Ukrainian language history graffiti it is visible that a trajectory of development of “style” absolutely another not similar to standard European and American examples.

Interesting that right at the beginning, as far as I remember, this phenomenon, which is accepted to call “old school” style now, didn’t exist previously. This style did exist, but not at that “normal” measure as in other countries and was present more likely in the form of any inept undertakings. There is a sensation that the history of the basic world graffiti style – New York style – remained unnoticed. It is clear that it has affected both absence of lack of sufficiency of information and a difference of cultures. But anyway “the old school” as though has been re-invented, but with amendments for time and for a place. In Russia it has been shifted more likened to Brazilian graffiti. In Ukraine it looked like some kind of amorphous abstraction.

In the past few years graffiti creators from these countries try their best to become equal by the quality of what they produce to Europe (most likely, it is a way to “equality” for them consists in imitation of the European styles and tendencies). Russian (basically Moscow) graffiti writers have unfortunately reached A similarity of style. Nevertheless Ukrainian graffiti is still at A very low level where there can be allocated some names about which can be spoken in a world context. Where names are becoming famous on the world stage of graffiti.

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For me Apl always has been and is now the representative of that, in my opinion, bright Ukrainian style which I was referring above. These are those semi-abstract worm likekind of worm form organic forms, as letters and words which are absolutely not readable. But unlike other representatives of this genre, Apl has managed to finish this disgusting, for me aesthetically not interesting and in my opinion incapable on existence, graffiti for the mind.

Probably my opinion was affected by my view that I perceive its creativity in many respects through its person. The Apl itself is a strange person not similar to anybody of other from the graffiti creators environment. Studying as the entomologist, he spends a lot of time in absolute loneliness and catacombs in Odessa (near Odessa exists largest network of catacombs in the World), He also travels a lot, to see forbidden villages, embrace the nature, sample heavy electronic music and freight trains. He draws graffiti almost everywhere: starting from forbidden industrial zones and catacombs to trains and the central city streets.

His graffiti became very interesting for me because it’s, on the one hand, looks rather unusual, but, thus, the author produces it as something self-evident, as standard, as graffiti in the pure form without any ulterior motives and difficult ideological designs. He likes classical coloured pieces on the trains, but he draws his own name in unclear scruffy form nearby and insists that this is absolutely the same thing. He can draw a curved Satan, but will add pure outline and an accurate background. All by the rules!

He is that kind of person who does not possess the basic graffiti skills at all. He is not able to draw standard graffiti which people used to call “standard graffiti”. He just can’t draw the standard graffiti and won’t do it even if it’s necessary. And i really enjoy it. Overall this synthesis is very interesting to me. But Apl is productive and, being familiar to hundreds of his works, it is clear to me that the quality obviously prevails and that’s why to make, in my view, the interesting presentation about his work and creativity was easy for me.

Bleze(Cap crew) Praha.