Here at Shwood we are always looking for artists that push the envelope with their craft. Ripo is a great example of this with his stunning large and small scale works. I first stumbled upon the art of Ripo several years ago during one of those late night/ early morning trips into the depths of the Internet.  I was losing sense of time, rapidly stumbling upon link after link. I was halted by Ripo’s bold and different work; mixing classic graffiti style with an inventive use of negative space and wall selection. Using his surroundings as inspiration for each individual piece, Ripo often pulls from the location and its history. I was honored to get a chance to catch up with Ripo and ask him some questions for the blog. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I enjoy this innovator’s work. Be sure to check out more from Ripo below.

Mural and show at Carhartt Europe

GB: For those who do not know, who are you? Where are you from? How old are you?

Ripo: I’m an artist who grew up in New York City and now lives in Barcelona, Spain. My parents gave me the name Max Rippon, and I later gave myself the name Ripo (pron. Ree-po). I’ve been the owner of the former for 29 years and the latter for the past 9. I’ve also been known to go by a few other names along the way.

“An old tobacco factory in Madrid seemed like the perfect place to paint a tribute to the classic Optimo Cigars sign that I grew up seeing all over NYC. And even for those people who won’t know the context it’s at least an Optimistic word. Madrid, Spain” -Ripo Photo by Dug Da Bug

 

GB: Can you explain your artistic background? When did you first start getting serious about art?

Ripo: I’ve been drawing, painting, and generally making artwork for as long as I can remember. I first started making what I consider “artwork” when I was about 6 or 7 years old. This came in the form of my “Invenshun” books (I didn’t know how to spell yet, but I winged it). They were sketchbooks that my brother and I used to fill with drawings of inventions that we wanted to have, or see exist in the world.  Each drawing had a matter-of-fact title written next to it describing what the machines did as well as a made up price for each one. I invented “a-pans-pulr-upr” that pulled up your pants for you. Or “An-Amocanchrol-Toy-Pikrupr” that picked up your toys (via remote control, of course). You could say I’ve always taken my art seriously.

A very early drawing by Ripo

GB: What inspires you to go out and paint, and what do you look for in a wall or location?

Ripo: I honestly get stressed out if I don’t paint for a while, so first and foremost my motivation has always been internal. Having good, smart, and creative people around me is also important and a strong motivator.

I don’t have a set of any rules for what walls I decide to paint. It depends what I’m looking to do, and usually it goes the other way around; that I’ll adapt what I’m going to paint depending on the spot rather than looking for a specific spot to execute an idea. I like exploring abandoned locations, places with decay that have a visible history to them. Sometimes it’s just whatever surface happens to jump in front of me at the right time.

Cabron Ink, watercolor & enamel on handcut paper 70 x 50 cm

GB: Do you prefer working in your studio or working outside in the streets?

Ripo: I need both and they both need each other.

“(Je Suis) Arrivé. Translation: (I have) Arrived Painted next to the front door of a housing project Vitry-Sur-Seine, outside Paris” -Ripo

 

GB: What does an average day look like for you?

Ripo: “Average day” is a relative term for me. It constantly changes depending on my priorities, or where I am if I’m traveling. Lately, it’s been drawing and painting in my studio in the daytime, getting out in the evening to see some friends, then painting in the streets at night or retreating back to my studio.

Your Name 3D

GB: How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?

Ripo: Aesthetic, alphabetic, poetic, phonetic, analytic, dualistic, realistic, idealistic, vandalistic, sarcastic, and sometimes gigantic.

“A big Word on the side of a library. Barcelona, Spain” -Ripo

 

GB: Your work really utilizes negative space to enhance each piece of art, was this a conscious choice?

Ripo: In 2006 I started painting on mirrors and installing them on the streets. The paintings would change completely with whatever was reflected in them.  The negative space was where they really came alive. As I started to teach myself more about lettering, I realized that one of the keys to mastering letters is to master their negative space. I’ve also been inspired by other artists who work amazingly with negative space and letters, such as Smash 137 and Tauba Auerbach.

Scheisse (Shit in German)  Ink on paper 70×50 cm

GB: How do you keep yourself motivated to create new work and experiment with new styles and techniques?

Ripo: Wouldn’t you get bored doing the same thing over and over again?

GB: Do you listen to music while you work? If so, what artists or genres inspire you to create?

Ripo: You’ll be hard pressed to find an artist who doesn’t listen to music. You can catch me listening to a whole mess of different things depending on the situation. Sometimes I like hip-hop: Wu Tang, Naughty by Nature, Dre, Biggie, Gangstarr, & Beastie Boys, of course. Other times I’ll be in the mood for Caribou, The Knife, Yacht, Diplo, Spiritualized, Mazzy Star, Metallica, The Cramps, Sonic Youth, or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Some music and rhythms are more fitting for certain activities than others.

“For years this was a spot to go paint with friends with little stress except the wind blowing our pieces across the wall. Hundreds of artists had painted this kilometer stretch of cement (front and back) that separates the Barcelona port from the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the construction of a luxury hotel next to this wall came the biggest wash of grey paint I have ever seen. The entire wall, front and back, was erased to a boring grey slab. So Much History had been Erased so that those at the hotel can feel like we were never there. Barcelona, Spain.” -Ripo

GB: Do you have any upcoming projects or shows that you would like to talk about?

Ripo: I have a solo show coming up this August in your neck of the woods- at White Walls Gallery in San Francisco. In the Fall I’ll be traveling around Spain and then Paris to paint walls and set up another show in Paris in November.

“This abandoned hotel was not Historic and I can’t say about the piece itself. This is just a commentary on the act of painting and putting in time and effort into a forgotten place, unquestionably giving it a history that is new and unique. Near Barcelona, Spain” -Ripo

 

GB: Do have any parting words?

Ripo: Thank You.

Ripo

Interview by Greg Bemis

Photos by Ripo