One of the reasons we love graffiti is because it is so international! In Chile, Santiago we found graffiti artist Kores One who preferably does his magic with Montana hardcore cans. We decided to reach out to Kores to get the heads up on the South-American graffiti world he lives in.
Where are you from, and where are you going?
I live in Santiago de Chile, South America in the Santiago Centro district.
What were you doing when you got these questions?
Replying an email, for an assignment for my agency….working a while, waiting to go for lunch.
What got you into to street art, and what makes you keep on doing it?
When I was little (1994), like at the age of 11, I started to hang out with people that breaked and listened to rap in my neighborhood. I was part of a crew named “THE BAD”. At that time there wasn’t much graffiti being done nor did I understand what it was. We didn’t look at walls or knew anybody that did it, but by inertia while in class we would draw the words “THE BAD” on our notebooks and by drawing and with my option to be Hip-Hop I started to immerse myself in it and slowly but surely I started to meet people that were interested in graffiti. Later on I met a friend with very bad quality photocopies of European or Yankee magazines and this served to find out that I wasn’t that wrong and what it was I liked.
The motivation is there cause every time I see so much graffiti at such an incredible level, people with loads of different styles, interesting messages, new techniques, I realize that this will never end and it’s what I enjoy doing the most, this is what keeps me motivated.
How long have you been spraying?
Hmmmm….. I guess something like 8 years, there were times in which I painted a lot, some others I didn’t at all, so 8 years more or less.
Did you study anything in graphic design?
Yes, I studied Advertisement Graphical Design and right now I work as an Art Director at an ad agency in my country. I’ve been in advertisement for 4 years.
What is your favorite item to take on the road with you?
Be with my friends, with people you can have a laugh with and that are entertaining to paint with. Have a good time and anyway, smoke loads of weed…. hehehe
Do you prefer doing your work legal or illegal?
Myself, and I think the majority of the artists in my country, get out on the streets, find a wall and they paint it. If there’s somebody at the spot you ask for permission, if there’s not, just paint it. At least myself, I don’t think about going out tagging or lay throw-ups to get pursued by the cops. I rather paint relaxed, it looks better that way and there’s better response by the people.
What was the first thing you put up on a wall?
Ufff, with my bad memory I think it was Nastar….hehehe….tagging on the school tables & walls….but like I said before I think it was THE BAD, with the classic brick wall, like The Wall by Pink Floyd.
Is there any work you consider your best?
I believe that the last thing I made is what I’m most proud of, the wall titled América Morena, with my alias CALM. In my country and in my neighborhood there live lots of immigrants from Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, etc. Also, there exists a lot of discrimination, so we painted this wall in a sector where all this cultures are shared to say to Chileans that the rest aren’t the “cholos” (derogatory term for black people), but that we are all children of the mastication of the indigenous evolution…. I think it’s something to be proud of.
Most dangerous spot you’ve painted?
At a village on the south of Chile “Choshuenco” at the beach there was a very old and deteriorated boat. We came and decided to paint it. We were camping on that same beach and started to meet some locals. Long story short, we left the next day since the whole village knew we painted the boat that had served in the as transportation for the locals waaaaaaay back in time…..hahaha….we left before they lynched us…hahaha….if I’d known the boat’s history, I wouldn’t have done it.
Which artist would you like to work with in the future?
Never thought about that, I’ve always believed that I’m going to paint with my friends & with people that I meet along the way, hopefully more opportunities will present to share experiences with writers in my country, en la buen onda, as we say over here.
What is your favorite movie/gaming/cartoon character?
In movies I’ve always liked SPAWN; I always found the suit & his powers very cool, in games Blanka from Street Fighter & in cartoons Homer Simpson.
Which cartoons did you watch when you were a kid?
Even though it isn’t a cartoon and I still watch it: “El Chavo del 8“, classic of classics. Even when my nephew sees it nowadays he laughs…..It has gone through many generations in my country and in the continent.
What is your favorite music/genre/artist/album?
I love Hip-Hop, but I also like reggae, ska & Chilean music (cueca, cumbias, pallas, etc) I also listen a lot to Calambre, Tiro de Gracia, Movimiento Original, Victor Jara, Intillimani, Los Autenticos Decadentes, La Bersuit, Saian Supa, Matisyahu, etc, etc, etc….lots of Hip-Hop & music that relaxes me.
If you could fill a swimming pool with something, what would it be?
With cans, caps, ganja, rum & coca-cola…hahahaha….ah & ice.
Favorite city, and coolest thing about it?
uffff you can’t imagine it….peace, nature, good food, buena onda people.
Bill (PC) or Steve (MAC)?
Steve MAC….all the time…PC is shit.
What can we expect from you in the future?
If we get past 2012, I wish I’d dedicate 100% to graffiti, but for now I have to work ánd paint, paint and work. The future is fruit of what we have done so you have to put talent now….Hopefully in the future there will be walls left…hahaha Muchas Gracias, un gran abrazo desde Chile..