1) Alright so thanks for taking the time out to do this interview, can we get a brief run down of who you are and how long have you been in the game? What crew do you rep and how did you get the name Zeus?
Hi everyone, my name is Luca Zeus40, I’m from Naples in southern Italy, I’ve been writing letters for 24 years and I represent Wildboys and Vmd. I chose my name by putting together the letters I liked to write most and trying to give it meaning.
2) In a recent interview you did with The Message Zine, you have a quote that says “I decided to leave my day job to pursue making a living with my passion, going against my family and friends.” What was that experience like for you? Did the anxiety of stepping so far out of your comfort zone push you to work harder?
That was the most difficult choice of my life but also the most natural one. This change has made me a happier person, today I live a life full of satisfaction and I would never go back. Obviously my choice forces me to work very hard but this doesn’t weigh on me because I do what I love.
3) A theme I see in your work is that you are constantly stepping out of your boundaries, something you already established in the quote mentioned above. I see that same attitude in your individual pieces, it looks like you go through phases of doing a specific style or idea and then you break out of that into other styles. What is exciting to you now at this point in your career?
This is the first time someone has done such a complete analysis of my work, thank you very much It’s exactly as you explained. I’m always looking for something new that can stimulate me, for me writing is based on evolution and I’m not afraid to experiment with new solutions, in fact they are precisely the ones that push me to move forward.
4) Do you think there is still a lot of new ground you want to explore in graffiti or do you ever see yourself expanding into doing gallery work or something along those lines?
I believe that in all things there are no limits, except those that we impose on ourselves, there is still a lot to discover in graffiti. Honestly, I don’t see myself in the gallery at the moment, it’s a world that doesn’t belong to me, where money counts more than anything. I am very addicted to graffiti and I think that if I switch to canvas it will be because I will no longer be able to paint on the street.
5) What is your favorite documentary or book that covers the history or major players of graffiti and why?
One of the first books about graffiti and in my opinion one of the most beautiful is “the Faith of Graffiti” by Pulitzer Prize winner Norman Mailer with photos by the excellent Jon Naar, a book that tells the story of the beginnings of graffiti and the American society of those years.
6) Almost to the day this time last year on December 14th of 2022 you posted a huge milestone for your career, you got on the cover of @psicograficieditore‘s book on Solo Graffiti! Congrats! How was this experience for you? Was it a moment where you realized how far you have come?
It’s always a pleasure to be part of a book or magazine, especially if it’s an independent publishing house such as psychographics publisher. In my career I consider this a goal but I only get the greatest satisfaction from painting and comparing myself with other artists.
7) I see you recently traveled to Beijing, what was that experience like? I see you travel regularly it seems, which is one of the luxuries of doing murals and graffiti. It opens up doors that you
didn’t know were even there, did you gain any insights into graffiti in Beijing?
It was a fantastic experience going to Beijing, I found a fantastic city, and many of my preconceptions were dispelled. I met very human people with a huge passion and dedication towards graffiti. There are so many talented artists in China and Asia in general that we don’t know at all, luckily I had the honor of becoming friends with some of them.
Painting gives me the opportunity to travel a lot, getting to know and interact with new cultures and points of view regarding writing and for this reason, I consider myself an extremely lucky person.
8) When it comes to traveling where all have you been? Do you have any cool stories to share?
I have visited many countries in Europe and I was also lucky enough to go to Lebanon and China, the best stories are the wonderful people I met along the way and who I will never forget.
9) Thanks again for taking the time out to chat, Any shout outs you would like to give? Where can people follow you and purchase your work?
I would like to thank you for the opportunity of this chat and say hello to my family and all my friends around the world who I haven’t seen for some time. People can follow me on Instagram.
