GORI's Urban Jungle

GORI has been populating several cities in Luzon, Philippines with his gorillas. Streetkonect caught up with him online to get to know his roots.

When did you start doing street art?

I'm a really big fan of art. I've admired it since I was a kid. So now, I am determined and focused on making art unlike before when I had different interests in life. It was year 2009 when I was on my way home and saw a member of VOID CREW painting a huge wall. Colors were everywhere. It really caught my attention. So from that moment until I got home, I thought: Where will I start? How am I going to do it? How can I create something like he did? Then I started sketching everything that was on my mind and whatever my imagination gave me. I researched on every detail and information about the true meaning of street art and graffiti. Then after 2 weeks, I started painting street walls and slapping stickers everywhere I went.

What/who inspired you to do so?

I am inspired by the artists who made it big in the street art/graffiti scene like PSP, KST and VOID. I really wanted to paint with them 'cause I knew that I would learn so much from them. And its true, some of them became my friends and they taught me so much and had helped me to grow as an artist. Other people who inspired me to do what I am doing right now are my supportive friends from college who would generously give me paints so I could continue painting. Lastly, the two people who inspired me the most are my parents. They've been so supportive from the start. They never fail to give me compliments with every artwork I do. Hearing them say "Nak, ganda ng gawa mo ah" (Son, your work looks good") is what gives me the motivation to work harder and better.

Why do you have gorillas as your characters?

I started drawing graffiti letters but it was really hard for me to do it. So instead of doing letters, I came up with an alien-like cactus character and stuck with that character for a year. And then I met Chill of PSP and he gave me an idea to use Gorilla as my character instead since my street name is "Gori". I thought that it was actually a great idea. So, I started painting gorillas that were cartoon-like. Then eventually I started to paint realistic gorillas like the ones I'm painting lately.

conversation with nemo!

"sick.sweet.raw.jaw dropping.wicked painter in all sorts of canvass" -okto Streetkonect: how old are you? 23 Streetkonect: where do you live? And describe the art scene in your place. ususan, taguig city mjo patay ang art scene smen puro kc gangster at adik bubuhayin pa lng nmen ni whoooop! hehe Streetkonect: How would you describe your art and your artistic process? cguro un description nung gwa k di nalalayo s pop-popsurreal/popsocial- surreal tas automatism tas imagintaion based.twag nung iba lowbrow art.. pagkakaalam k kc ksma street art at graffiti dun.. un proseso dpende s kung anu un ggwin e.. minsan me studies minsan nman wla, automatism tlga. tas minsan un mga subliminal images n mkkta m ng bglaan. halimbwa un image n nbbuo s marmol at un image s mga lumot tas un image n mkkta m pag tinamaan ng liwanag un wytbord at kung anuanu pa.. imaginary prends tska mga drowings ng bata. dun ngcmula un mga halimaw Streetkonect: Who/What are your influences? s lokal mda

Tie One

Jonathan See Lim AKA Tie One (1979–1998), was a graffiti artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was well known in the graffiti community for his aggressive style of graffiti art and the large amount of work he produced. Lim was born in the Philippines to ethnic-Chinese parents. During his early childhood, his family moved to California. -pilipinas-streetplan http://pilipinastreetplan.blogspot.com/2009/03/tie-one-19791998-rip.html Saint Patrick’s Day has always been difficult to celebrate because on this day eleven years ago, our friend and soldier Tie, Jonathan See Lim, was murdered in the Tenderloin of San Francisco on Turk and Taylor. A man named William Porter shot him in the back of his head while Tie was begining to climb a rooftop to pain. Of cource the SF police covered it up as a robbery and our 18 year old little buddies death went unvindicated. He was a major influence to us all and his memory will live on in our hearts. - saberone http://saberone.com/blog/2009/

Wrap-Up Week-End

Garapata in Bacolod . Many artists from all over the archipelago went to Bacolod last Nov. 13-16, 2014 to participate for the Viva Excon 2014. The art event is more of a traditional art event rather than a "primary flight-ish" or !ha? but it didn't stop street artists to do what they do best. Paint Jam by Soika, Buen Abrigo and Cori Franchesca Co in Bacolod Garapata Stop Over in Cebu. He painted with cebuano local street artists, Soika (a Viva Excon Participant), WR, Bart and CrazyMaggot. Free Anting-Anting . Sprouting in Talamban, Cebu City. Really nice to see street art in Cebu making a comeback with new talents. I thought the difference between Cebu and Manila is that the former ceased to produce new talents while the latter had an endless supply. I was wrong! Yummy in Busay. Yummy is Bart's younger brother. He is quite unique in Cebu, and has a distinct inking style. Dr. Karayom for ESC Project Escol

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