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Graffiti artist Jonny Wartman

Jonny Wartman. Copyright Jamie McCready 2004The name may not mean much to you but his art sure will. He's director of the only professional graf company in New Zealand, DISRUPTIV LIMITED.

And there's more - perhaps you'll remember a pretty cool Vodafone ad with two guys abseiling? That was Jonny, a local Linwood lad making real good…

You were born & raised in Christchurch?
Hard — I lived in east Christchurch from birth til age 22 when I migrated to Auckland to start Disruptiv Ltd. Linhood represent.
What school did you got to? Did you study art? And after leaving school …
I attended Linwood High, where I did art, wouldn't say studied it. I started off well in high school but in later years wasn't applying myself in class due to interest in extra-curricular activities such as DJing, rap, breaking, entrepreneurship and partying. Despite being criticised for this, these activities have led to a terrific career. As for art, I wasn't interested in being told which artists to copy and which mediums to use. I never studied music and I've been a professional MC for years now. After I left school I didn't know what the hell I was up to, worked in a dairy part-time and just went hard doing hip-hop. Putting on underground block parties, playing gigs, making beats. Once I got some skills in graf I started getting my hustle on doing painting jobs and designs. From there led to teaching workshops, organising large events, learning heaps about the arts of hip-hop and business as I went. I saved up and went for tour of Europe in 2001, painted in nine countries in three months. I was lucky enough stay and paint with some of the best graf artists in the world. I met all these guys who were professional graf artists, running businesses, just the level hip-hop was at operating over there all together was an inspirational kick in the ass. I stopped over in Auckland on my way back where I met up with then-graf business associate, now-business partner Askew, and said let's do this.

Action. Copyright Jamie McCready 2004

When & how did you get into graffiti art?
I should start off by saying Christchurch was almost graffiti-free until the mid-90s. Having always been into graphic art, I loved it but didn't understand the criminal side of it. When I was about 16 I met up with some local guys who had been doing the first real pieces I'd seen locally. I started sussing out materials and techniques and the philosophies of hip-hop graffiti and then it was on. We took over the city with pieces and then a whole lot of writers and crews popped up out of no-where and Christchurch had itself a graf scene.
You were once quoted as saying 'graffiti is typically viewed by the general public and the art community as a low art form' — do you think this perception has changed and if so, why?
Maybe a little bit, but for the wrong reasons. For example, I know that I can paint some beautiful scenery and people will say, wow that's amazing, or I could do some fruity abstract baby drawings on a canvas, and so long as you can talk the jibber-jabber, people would say wow, it's over my head, it must be good. The thing about graffiti art is that at it's most basic level it's pure graphic expression — the movement of your hand captured on a surface. Making a mark. Form and movement. Only writers understand and most can't put it into words: it is the process, the action, this is what defines the end product. And the end product is what we call style.
What makes a piece good enough for inclusion in the shows at the gallery?
Strong visual aesthetics, presentation, and the artist has to have the right motivations. Like if you just want to do whatever sells, or if you're an art student painting pseudo-graffiti cos it's so hot right now, these are false intentions and wouldn't fit in with our ideals.
What's been your most challenging project & why?
That's easy, Disruptiv, the company itself. In NZ, only 15 per cent of small businesses make it into the third year. We started with no capital whatsoever, we've been through a lot of struggle and it's ongoing. Without the passion there's no way it would work. It would be a lot easier if we had low aspirations, but we don't. This is just the tip of the iceberg and we got a lot more hard work ahead of us til our dreams are fully realised.
Who or what inspires you in your art?
At the moment, Victorian era design, Art Neuveau, calligraphy, Californian Lowrider culture and art, and all the amazingly talented people I have surrounded myself with: Team Disruptiv, my crews TMD and RFC, and all the people going hard in the NZ hip-hop scene. Beautiful females are the biggest and best inspiration of all.
Is it true that people are queuing up to buy your stuff?
Um, sort of, there is a steady demand for our art and design services, and sales have been going well at our gallery. I myself haven't been producing very much art lately, focusing more on music and my many projects.

Big. Copyright Jamie McCready 2004

How did the Vodafone ad come about? Have you ever abseiled before?
An advertising agency got in touch with us, most likely because we are the only professional graf company in the country. We just had to follow their direction with little creative input. I had abseiled once or twice before, but not down a five storey building downtown at night, wearing a Groucho mask and a 20-kilo camera rig.
What else is Disruptiv about?
Disruptiv Limited is an Auckland-based professional aerosol art business and multi-media hip-hop agency. We specialise in painting large-scale aerosol art murals, create feature interior walls, custom canvas artwork, illustrations for print, identity graphics, we manage graffiti artists, breakdancers, MC's, a DJ, and a producer, we publish New Zealand's only graffiti art magazine Disrupt, we manage New Zealand's only dedicated hip-hop and street art gallery also called (also called Disrupt), run workshops and seminars, a radio show, produce and release music under Disruptiv Music, organise and promote art exhibitions, hip-hop parties and events, and run the annual "Disrupt The System" graffiti jam at New Zealand's most important hip-hop event, the Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit. We are focused on building up hip-hop culture in NZ, and international expansion.
Best or worst piece of advice ever given to you
Best from Mama: be prepared. Best from Papa: pay attention to detail. Worst from both: listen to your teachers.