Today’s guest on the show is Al Diaz. In this episode we talk about SAMO, razor tag, first jobs, the art world, early graffiti culture, internal motivation, Hugh Masakela, old New York and kicking heroin.
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About
Al Diaz is best known for his collaboration with Jean Michel Basquiat on SAMO©, graffiti that appeared in lower Manhattan from 1977 to 1979. SAMO© initially became known because of its wit and sarcastic humor; but became a globally recognized graffito after Basquiat’s rise to fame.
A prolific and influential first-generation NYC subway graffiti artist, who later became a text-oriented street artist, Al Diaz’s career spans 5 decades. He currently works with WET PAINT signs used throughout the New York City subway system. After cutting out individual letters to create clever, surreal and sometimes poignant anagrams, he hangs the finished works in subways stations throughout New York City. His WET PAINT work was featured in the 21st Precinct Street Art Event ( July,2014) , a solo show at “Outlaw Arts” (March, 2015) and will appear in the upcoming book, “Street Messages” by Nicholas Ganz.
- Website https://al-diaz.com/
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/albert_diaz1/
- SAMO Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samocopyrightdotdotdot/?hl=en
- Latest Show: May 12th , 2018 Show at HACO NYC 31 Grand Street, Brooklyn NY 11249
Show Notes
- Brooklyn, NY
- Hugh Masakela
- Hugh Masekela-Grazing In The Grass – YouTube
- Herbie Hancock Head Hunters Album
- SAMO for a bloated multitude. – Al Diaz Quote
- SAMO for those of us who merely tolerate civilization – Al Diaz Quote
- Planned obsolescence definition
- “Stuffed for the kill” – Al Diaz Quote
- “Stay the F out of Jail” – Al Diaz Quote
- Inside the Abandoned Spofford Juvenile Jail in the Bronx, Poised for Redevelopment by NYCEDC
- Razor Tag
- Rikers Island
- The cost of cigarettes
- Krink Markers
- Tamra Davis Filmmaker
- Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child
- Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
- You want change or you want to accomplish something, the motivation must be internal.
- What do you miss about old New York?
- How long does it take to be a real New Yorker?
- “I got 58 years” -Al Diaz
- Constrained Writing
- SAMO because someone has to point out the elephant in the room.-Al Diaz
- Bomb-One
- Wet Paint
- Just do art.
- Graffiti Culture and Street Art Culture two different things.
- Christopher Hart Chambers
- Linus Coraggio
- Snake 1
- Flint Gennari Interview
- Jester 1
- Tracey 168
- Lee Quinones
- Taki183 New York Said Episode 40
- Washington Heights, NY
- Going All City
- Bowery Wall
- Tags
- Throw Ups
- Murals
- Getting ragged
- Bansky Mural on Bowery Wall
- Banksy
- 5Pointz
- The Words in Graffiti
- SAMO was never a religion
- The Goldman Properties
- Live and embrace life to the fullest, you only get to go around once.
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This episode is sponsored by Gorilla Coffee.
