APER VC

Bizarre Beyond Belief: Coming from Halifax, Nova Scotia, what was the graffiti scene like when you first started?

APER: When I first started the scene was actually pretty big. There were a lot of writers street bombing and the freight scene was huge. The names that stuck out the most were writers like fatso, sectr, aeso, ceas, and uber. They all hated me back then. 
 

BBB: How does your home town compare to other Canadian cities?

APER: Hali is small. You tend to see the same people a lot. It’s hard to be anonymous there. Montreal and Toronto are better for painting streets, (as well as the underground) but if you want to get drunk and eat lobster all day, go to Halifax. Just don’t make fun of our accent…

BBB: You’ve made your mark on a number on countless cities in Canada and Europe, what are the largest differences between the continents?

APER: The biggest difference between Canada and Europe is the size of the countries in Europe and how close they are to one another. I have to drive 16 hours to get to Montreal from Halifax (at the speed limit), but if you drive that long in Europe, you will have passed through 8 different countries. Also, the graffiti scene in Europe is infinitely bigger than Canada, and the writers here are much more hardcore. The trains in Europe are always smashed with nice burners and people are always pushing the limit. In Canada I am bored most of the time. But there are a handful of Canadian guys who are making a big impact globally. 

BBB: As a writer with an extremely versatile style, how do you approach doing work in the streets versus on trains?

APER:  The streets and metros are two completely different missions. Some of my best work in the streets was done when I was drunk, biking home from the bar. Street bombing is easy. Just know your surroundings. In order to successfully paint a subway, you need to be way more organized and depending on what city you are in, you may have to break in to a hanger or grind open a hatch, maybe even disguise yourself as a worker. The penalties for this are much higher, and the police investigations are more intense. You must be smart, organized and above all, be in good shape. Nothing is worse than hearing a fat guy getting bit by a dog in the tunnel because he couldn’t make it to the hatch in time. Most of the pieces you see from me were painted in under ten minutes. None more than 20. 

BBB: With commuter painting being known as one of the most nerve racking endeavours, how do you prepare for a mission?

APER: To be properly prepared I always organize my cans in 6 pack boxes. All the Colors are easy to see and the caps are on the cans. I don’t allow my fingerprints on the cans. Always bring gloves, toilet paper and a copy of men’s health magazine. A camera and some extra sd cards is a good idea too. Just keep your cool and don’t stress. If you don’t do this, you’re a stupid asshole and nobody likes you… Wait, that’s me

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BBB: Since you began writing there’s been a huge transformation in technology in equipment, do you feel this has helped or hindered graffiti?

APER: If the technology is there, use it. Graffiti is always evolving and changing along with the rest of the world. Just wear a condom and everything will be ok. 

BBB: Social media has become a huge phenomenon in graffiti and street art culture, what are you thoughts on this?

APER: Lots of people use the internet to promote their work. I have a blog for MTN. Everything I paint is illegal. Real graffiti is illegal. Don’t get me started on “street art”.  Some people have mixed opinions about putting their panels online or in magazines. I send my flicks to magazines, and if a panel winds up online then that’s fine. I painted it so I do what I want with my photo. I’m not a narcissist.  BUT – if you only paint legal walls and chill spots or trash trains in the middle of nowhere and think you are in the same game, you are wrong. If you aren’t aggressively street bombing or collecting systems, your opinion is irrelevant, and the sad reality is that everybody skips the legal sections of magazines. Nobody cares about a piece you painted when you had all the time in the world to stand there and correct it without legal repercussions. (If you’re an old man with a family and you put in work back in the day, respect.)

BBB: As someone who is constantly on the go, what can we expect from APER in the future?

APER: I have spent the last four years travelling around and it never gets old. But I have no fixed address, (so I am technically homeless) no job, I am getting fat and my teeth look terrible and my feet stink. So you can expect some expensive dental bills, and a few visits to the unemployment office as well as a trip to value village when I get back home, followed immediately by a pub crawl once I get my money. Maybe some more graffiti in some cool cities, at the expense of my general well being.  Thanks to everybody who actually read all of this. And RIP Dylan Ford.  Nothing is more valuable than your life, so be careful out there. Anything is possible.