Interview with Julian Phethean

Can you introduce yourself?

Julian Phethean from London, England



New found fascination (2007) mixed media

What’s your artistic background?

I have always been a keen artist and in between scribbling graffiti on every available surface as a youngster I found time to produce my first commissioned graffiti art mural at the age of 12 yrs. From this time I was obsessively into the graffiti art scene but still managed to focus on getting through school and into Art College where I trained in Art and Design in the early nineties.
This is when I first began to play with other art forms and discovered my love of painting. I then progressed onto university in 1997 to complete a degree in Fine Art with Art Practice and the Community at Middlesex University, London where I began to develop my painting and interest in art therapy/community work.
After my graduation being chosen as a finalist in the Mercury Art and Music Prize launched my career as a professional artist and I had my work shown at the Air Gallery and Art ’98, London. Since then I have had numerous commissions and exhibitions of my paintings in and around London including solo shows at: The Oxo Tower, South Bank, the Stables Gallery, Red Gate Gallery, Bodhi Gallery, London.



Touch the sky (2007) mixed media

Do you consider yourself Graffiti, Street Art artist or more of a fine art painter?

That’s a difficult one. I like to keep my graffiti art (A.K.A Cenz) and my paintings quite separate. I am continually developing both at the same time, but each has their own style and direction! So I suppose I consider myself both a graffiti artist and a painter.



The all seeing all knowing eye (2006) mixed media

Where’s your preferred location for painting (outside, canvas)?

It depends on whether I am doing my graffiti stuff or not. My graffiti art stays on walls and my paintings on canvas. I have a studio in Crystal Palace, London where I paint.



Through the trees (2007) mixed media

What are your essentials tools? (Spray, roller etc..)

All my paintings are mixed media. I like to mix and mess around with acrylics, oils, ink, spray-paint etc. I also use a lot of stencils and graphic art tools.



Emerging man (2007) mixed media

You use a lot of bold colours and mostly symbols, is there any reason for it?

The bold colours and forms are a direct reference to graffiti art! The symbols and imagery in my paintings are a reference to graphic art, and primitive art etc that have always influenced me too!



Homed in (2007) mixed media

Do you work in collaboration with other artists? Who influence you and your work?

With my graffiti I try to collaborate with other artists all the time and have recently done so in France, Poland and Spain. My paintings are always just me as they are much more personal. My influences are very broad from abstract painters like Roger Hilton, Ken kiff, Paul klee, Jean-Michael basquait etc to contempory illustrators and graffiti artists. But I make a point of not looking at others artists much as I strive to be original and have my own style.



Eureka (2007) monoprint, ink and acrylic

What do you think of the recent EXPLOSION of the Graffiti/street art movement?

It annoys me that people who know nothing about art think that this is a new art form just discovered! Also that people don’t know the difference between ‘street art’ and ‘graffiti art’. For me there is a clear difference! The amount of times I have been asked if I am or know Banksy is ridiculous. Apart from that or course it is great that more urban-based art is being recognised and hopefully that will increase the amount of art on the streets of London. Also if it means that artists like me who have been involved in the scene for years finally get recognised then great!



Star jump (2007) monoprint, ink, spray-paint and acrylic

What are your plans in the near future?

The next thing I am doing is a live graffiti art mural at ‘Urban art 2008’ an outside art exhibition in Brixton, London. Apart from that I am just going to be in my studio trying to get some new work together after lots of exhibitions last year! I am trying to work towards a new solo show in 2009!I will keep people posted on my web site!

Please check out my paintings and prints at http://www.jpart.net

And my graffiti art at http://www.mrcenz.com