By Larissa Focke
It all started in an airport for local graffiti artist, Motel7. She looked around at all the morbid expressions of the passers-by and wondered, “Why are all of these people so miserable and sad?” This experience inspired her to start drawing characters, all of whom are grouchy, depro and unhappy. Soon she had five large sketchbooks full of drawings. Motel7 looks nothing like her characters. She is young, blonde and pretty. She is a 19-year-old artist, hailing from Claremont, Cape Town. For legal reasons, her real name can’t be divulged. For the same reasons, she may have to change her alias soon. She is one of the only active female graffiti artists, other than Faith47, on the local scene. ENCORE caught up with her to talk about bombing, wheat paste-ups and being threatened by the big boys.
How do you describe yourself and your style?
I am a graffiti and character artist, but I also do other mediums like wheat paste-ups and stickers. At the moment I’m working in a collective called Love Stick, our stuff is all around town. The concept behind my characters is that I want to make people laugh. I’m just taking the piss, basically.
Why the name, Motel? And why the seven behind it?
Motel can be anything, but the 7 makes it unique. At first I used the number 7 just to finish off my tag. Then it just kind of stuck. Cope2 is the biggest artist in New York, he’s a bomber and does throw ups. There are lots of “Copes” around the world, but only one Cope2.
What does graffiti mean to you?
Graffiti has always been a way of life for me. I look at pictures from Europe and America and feel motivated and inspired. It is everything I think and do. It’s a way for me to be creative in a new and exciting way. None of my work is very political; I try instead to make humorous art. My aim is to make people laugh, or even just smile while they’re on their way to work. I look forward to doing art every day when I wake up.
How hard is it being one of the few girls out there on the scene?
Very hard! Most girls get into graffiti because their boyfriends were bombers and writers. It wasn’t like that for me. I wanted to become involved in the scene, I was passionate about it and so I went for it. There are a lot of guys who don’t want girls to be a part of the graffiti scene. Some of them even threatened to beat me up if I didn’t quit.
Hectic, you must really be passionate about art then, to face all these obstacles and still be a part of it.
Yeah, I love it! I love art. But for me, street art and graffiti comes first, above fine art.
Did you ever study art?
I did for a bit, but soon realised it’s not for me. Fine art can sometimes be too academic and pretentious. In the end it’s all about making money, which makes it very commercial. I want to do 3D Animation though, so that I can make my characters evolve and really bring them to life.
So are you going to study 3D Animation then?
Yes, for two years at Universal, in Woodstock. I’m really excited about it!
What inspires you? Which graffiti artists do you look up to?
I’m inspired by New York graff artists and European styles. In South Africa, I’m inspired by Faith47. Being a girl, I can relate to her a lot. Rasky, Mak1, Toe and Falko are artists who made me decide this is what I want to do. All the graffiti artists in South Africa inspire me actually, the way they create art even though everything is against us in this country. Also Fafi, Mist, Bed, Bates, Cope2, Can2, Mode, Dave Kinsey, Freaklub, Sam Flores, Dface, and Banksy. People in general inspire my characters.
Why are all of your characters so miserable?
It’s a subconscious thing. I like my grumpy characters. You can relate to sad people more than you can to happy people and in a way, everyone is sad. It’s also a comment on society, because it’s kind of sad that everyone is so miserable.
When did you get involved with graffiti?
I started painting three and half years ago, doing hardcore stuff, legals and illegals two years ago and street art a year ago.
Ever been arrested?
No, but almost. I’ve been caught though. I think being a girl makes it a lot easier; you can talk your way out of it.
So, if you were invisible, what wall would you paint?
The Wall of Fame in New York - it’s where graffiti all started. Or something very illegal, like parliament.
Motel7’s work, as part of the working collective Love Stick, can be seen in Orchard Bank, Long street and pretty much all over Cape Town. Check out more of her work on www.flikr.com.
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