Street art knows no limits

He also has a strong focus on public art. His works were recently featured at 100% Design South Africa. “My focus on the show was to exhibit large scale geometric artworks made with chevron tape.

I really wanted to push the boundaries of design and my goal was to go into unknown territory,” he said with excitement. Custom carpet manufacturer, MONN, collaborated with him at 100% Design to demonstrate the natural relationship art and interiors have between them.

“ To have my designs displayed on beautiful large scale carpets was the highlight of the show for me. As a street artist, I always work vertically, so to see my work and designs on these carpets was great to experience in horizontal form too.”

Creativity was something that came naturally to r1. “Throughout my childhood, I had reading and writing difficulties. Visual art was the most obvious career choice for me after taking an interest in and being fascinated with street art.

What I like about street art is the freedom of expression. It has its challenges but I believe it is different from other art forms because it is not restricted,” he said.

He believes that the street belongs to everyone and you should be able to be whoever you want to be. “I like to have to freedom to intervene in the city – without boundaries or expectations. The nature of the street is never to retract, the streets only expand.”

He believes that it is important for an artist to stay true to their creative journey and that the art of making is unconditional. But there are challenges too.

“The creative art industry in South Africa is very small and I believe there is much more room for growth. There are different types of artists in this world and all diverse approaches need to be supported.”

In a world where society is consumed by the internet and social media, he feels that we are losing something while doing that. “I guess what the world is missing is that we forgot how to feel bored, and to be OK with it. Maybe we don’t need more, but less.”