Priest

Priest

By Arden de Raaij

Not too long ago we came across the works of Priest. Priest is from Alabama..now I know what you’re thinking but NO he does not wear a big white cap in the weekend, nor does he miss much teeth and dates his sister. Actualy, Priest knows exactly how to present himself right. Not that he needs to, because his works speaks before him. I’m guessing we’ll hear a lot more from Priest, but let’s start out with SPAM! on cfye.

“When I meet people from the northeast they are shocked to hear I bomb, and can I articulate my words, and don’t drive a truck”

Priest
Priest

Where are you from, and where are you going?

I’m from a small fishing village in Alabama. Which is weird for some people because the south has always been criticized for stereotyping people. But when I meet people from the northeast they are shocked to hear I bomb, and can I articulate my words, and don’t drive a truck, completely fucking up their stereotype of people who stereotype. Sometimes they don’t even believe I own my trailer home outright. Where am I going? To court in October for beating my wife.

What got you into to street art and what makes you keep on doing it?

An abandoned oil refinery I raided in high school had a stencil that said “TRASH”. After spraying it on a wall I was hooked. The stencils I make have changed but they still have that original message.

Priest
Priest

What is your favorite item to take on the road with you?

Radar detector, it keeps the fuzz away.

Best street art spot we should check out:

Pripjat’s stuff in Chernobyl, it’ll blow you away.

Do you prefer doing your work legal or illegal?

I generally prefer to ask the person living there if they mind, which most don’t care as long as you don’t steal their cardboard houses and use them as stencils. But the legality of painting an abandoned eyesore is something I take very serious, seriously.

Priest
Priest

How much does art influence your everyday life?

When I look at art in a gallery I generally say to myself, “How did I get here and who are all these twats?” Someone will then say to me, I really enjoyed that piece of art you did on the interstate, you should put it on canvas. Then I get really confused because to me, it is on canvas, the building and the stencil are equally as ugly.

What was the first thing you put up on a wall?

It was a tribute to Jackson Pollock, but generally Crayola doesn’t splatter as well as acrylic, and then my parents buffed it and I got locked up in my crib.

Priest
Priest

Is there any artwork you consider your best?

I did a wheat paste of a famous University of Alabama football coach that was hand painted. I liked it pretty good, but apparently the millionaire lawyer that graduated from the university and is on their football booster club whose office I pasted it in front of liked it to, and decided to take the piece for himself. It was a life size portrait and accurate, rotting skull and everything.

Priest
Priest

Which artist would you like to work with in the future?

Banksy…But realistically, some artists in New Orleans like Rex Dingler, Turducken, Tard, Read, Boans, You Go Girl, Sophie D project, and Fred Radtke, who is a New Orleans vandalism legend and has tagged well over 10,000 spots. That’s something to be admired.

What is your favorite movie/gaming/cartoon character?

Favorite movie has to be Boondock Saints; they make Catholicism look a lot cooler than the priests do. My favorite game is actually an old school Nintendo game made in the early 80’s called Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, where he rescues kids that are trapped by using “dance magic” and spin moves to disable your enemies. It’s based on true events. Cartoon character I enjoy the most is Early Cuyler off of the show Squidbillies, which I am convinced is a biographical re-enactment of my cousins.

Priest
Priest

What is your favorite music/genre/artist/album?

Right now, Girltalk, with some Thievery Corp, Ratatat, Beta Band, and occasionally Mississippi Fred McDowell and his satanic finger slide sounds, he may have sold his soul but damn he got a good deal.

If you could fill a swimming pool with something, what would it be?

The New Orleans Police Department. The pool is filled with gasoline right?

Favorite city, and coolest thing about it?

I love Amsterdam, I’ve never been there but my friend told me he sat in a chair while a stripper shot 4 ping-pong balls at him using her devil parts. I’m an excellent ping-pong player so I’d let to see if she could return my serves.

Priest
Priest

Are you working to a specific goal?

Maybe a $500 fine and 6 months good behavior. But as far as my street stuff goes, I need to find out how to make cleaner lines, the customers can always tell when you mix too much baking soda with the product.

What can we expect from you in the future?

Like politics, more of the same crap, just more dressed up.

Priest
Priest
Priest
Priest