Elliot O’Donnell better known as Askew (previously-blogged) is a top notch graffiti writer who is quickly taking over the world. And like so many others who have viewed Askew’s work, I have been deeply impressed with the style and execution of his pieces. His work are truly eye catching. The graffiti world is in good hands if all writers are creating work as outstanding as this guy. Askew was kind enough to field a few questions about his career, his work, thoughts, life.. read on.. I’d listen to anything he has to say.

Note: Photos courtesy of the artist.

Honey: Tell us about yourself.

Askew: I’m a 29 year old writer or graffiti artist based in Auckland City, New Zealand. I consider myself pretty active across a lot of areas related to our local writing scene and aside from maintaining my enthusiasm for this for over 15 years, I have made an effort to promote, push and elevate the movement out here as much as I can.

Honey: How did you choose the name Askew?

Askew: Initially I chose the name just on face value more than meaning. I liked the balance of the letters and how I could create symmetry between an ‘A’ and a ‘W’, an ‘S’ and an ‘E’ and the ‘K’ could sit in the middle to break it apart or be the unifying character. Of course the words actual meaning lends it self nicely to doing certain things stylistically but I don’t often take it there.

Honey: What got you into writing graffiti? How did it all start?

Askew: I was born in a small city in the lower North Island called Palmerston North. My parents were into punk rock and had me in their mid to late teens. My upbringing was pretty different to a lot of children’s to say the least and I spent the first 5 years of my life being the talkative little kid in the punk flats that thought he was one of the adults. For those first 5 years of life I couldn’t say I was really aware of any graffiti or Hip Hop culture until 1984 when we moved to the inner city suburbs of Auckland where it was all going on. Style Wars had just screened as the TV One Sunday documentary and all the kids in my area were spinning on their backs on bits of cardboard wearing Adidas Stirrup pants and Bata Bullets and crews like Smooth (featured in Spay Can Art) and Fly were painting the neighborhood walls with their interpretation of NYC subway art. I was an impressionable little guy walking the train lines to school and taking it all in. I think subconsciously it all really made an impact and shaped me some how. In my first year of High school, tagging after drunken nights out with my friends was just a part of being a teenager in my city and almost a rite of passage. I’m not sure at what point it began to become all consuming for me but I know by about 16-17 it was pretty much all I did.

Honey: On average, how long does it take you to finish a piece?

Askew: That really depends on the circumstances. Anything from 7- 8 minutes to a whole day.

Honey: Do you think graffiti is always self expression?

Askew: In some way, yes but to varying degrees. Sometimes the act of tagging impulsively or doing a quickly executed freestyle can seem more expressive and a better outlet than a meticulously constructed masterpiece. Over all though, any artistic endeavor is a reflection of you as it’s creator and that makes it expression.

Honey: Is contracted graffiti still graffiti?

Askew: By definition, no. It moves into the realm of graffiti inspired art, which is still OK in my books, especially when done by someone that has paid a certain amount of dues.

Honey: Would you mind if someone tagged your property without your permission?

Askew: It really is a question of motivation. I have a commercial studio space with shop front on a main road and from time to time it gets tagged. I don’t really get upset unless it’s directed AT me intentionally, then of course I get insulted but if it was just another surface amongst many on a nights spree then I don’t get so upset. It’s the same with my work too. It often gets tagged out of ignorance, which is better than when it gets dissed by someone that knows better.

Honey: If you could meet one famous artist, who would that be?

Askew: I really don’t know… So many come to mind for different reasons.

Honey: What makes you happy?

Askew: Outside of art, hanging with my girl, playing with my animals, TMD BBQ’s and strong espresso. Within art it’s pushing myself on all levels. From getting over without being caught, improving my style with time, Pushing myself conceptually, engaging an audience, documenting my work well and generally just evolving as a creative person with something to say.

Honey: What accomplishments in your life would you say have given you that most satisfaction?

Askew: I am never totally satisfied with anything I do, that’s how I keep motivated. I have always set goals and more or less achieved them from early on. I’m ambitious and still hungry after all this time, that’s who I am. There’s a lot I’ve done within NZ but it’s a big bad world out there and I would like to spend a decent amount of time in other places and trying to learn more and then in return make some impact on those places somehow, That’s how writing works I reckon.

Honey: If you were on a deserted island, and you could choose 3 items to take with you, what would they be?

Askew: I hate questions like this! Haha. Maybe my Macbook Pro, because my music and photos are on there, an endless supply of good coffee and an espresso machine.

Honey: Tell us something funny that happened to you lately.

Askew: One Sunday afternoon a few weeks back, some friends and I were painting some freights near a famous gay cruising spot. We became aware after a while that there was a rather large Islander standing in the bushes behind us watching us paint. He was jerking off!

Honey: What have been your favorite projects to date and why?

Askew: Disrupt The System jams between 2000 – 2005. Disrupt Magazine, InForm the book, Watch this Space show with Misery and Elliot Francis Stewart and my website.

Honey: In your own opinion, what do you think is the most important thing that artists bring to the community?

Askew: Soul.

Honey: Where do you see yourself and your work go from here in the near future? Oh and also, what are you working on now, if you care to say?

Askew: I’m working very hard to bring more message and purpose to my work and to convey that even better with the way I document and present that work to the world. I’m very interested in developing this idea I have for a big show/body of work that could really capture the energy of the street and present it in a gallery setting and also bringing that intellectuality into my street work without forfeiting true foundations and letter style. I have a big fear of becoming a street artist rather than a writer if I do that and finding the balance is important for me. Currently I am working on another book, it’s focused on the last 2 years of my work and shows all the working processes, inspiration from current events, action shots and journal entries with the stories from the missions and travels. It isn’t like ‘The’ book of my work or an anthology because I’m still young and not done yet. It’s just a window into what I’ve been doing in the past 2 years in what I would consider a really pivotal stage in my career and development as an artist.

Honey: Any message or advice to anyone that may be reading this interview?

Askew: Just to find an honest voice in whatever you do. There’s a lot of talented people out there and taking influence is easy but taking the plunge and settling on how you want to make your specific statement is hard but vital.

Honey: Final remarks? Anything you wanna say to me?

Askew: Keep doing what you do!

Links here:

http://askew1.com/
http://www.myspace.com/askewtmdsuk