For THE SOAK UP episode 4 we were lucky enough to chat with with British graff and fine art superstar XENZ. This episode is NOT to be missed! XENZ is one of our most brilliantly talented and desirable artists, but moreover he's a great guy with some wonderful stories to tell and a consistently fresh outlook on life and inspiration.
Who is XENZ?
XENZ is Graeme Brusby, a renowned British graffiti, street and modern fine artist who has been on the British scene since the late 80s.
What is XENZ known for?
Originally a graff artist well revered in the NE and Bristol scenes, XENZ is most known now for his murals and canvas work depicting ethereal scenes of nature and fantasy, often featuring his trademark spray can birds.
Where can I buy artwork by XENZ?
You can find available XENZ work by visiting his official gallery partners Nelly Duff and Olivia Connelly. You can also follow XENZ on Insta here
The XENZ interview: THE SOAK UP #4:
THE SOAK UP episode 4.1 with XENZ covers off the New York graff scene and American cultural inspiration, early experiences of hip hop music and learning to breakdance, the rebellion and escapism in learning to spray, painting rudimentary penises in your mate's brother's shed, navigating skinheads and glue-sniffing punks, the rave scene and parties in in broken down warehouses in Hull and beautifying old buildings..
THE SOAK UP episode 4.2 talks about XENZ's education and textiles courses at Uni, getting his mum to type up his dissertation, painting murals in the wild, moving to the Bristol scene, planning and prepping your works of art, painting being like a dance and creating chaos!
THE SOAK UP episode 4.3 covers off Japanese influences, a touch on Studio Ghibli, creating symbolism in art, finding your hidden meaning and representation of the self in your work, XENX on moving to London, embracing technology and AR, NFTs, robot brains, writing sci-fi, reading and immersing yourself in to other artist's work and drips. Lots of drips.
THE SOAK UP episode 4.4 is about being wonderful, more than anything. We have a light look at XENZ's school art, his college teachers and what they thought of him, his Mum destroying his art because, well, she only had certain size frames, good life advice (not to be missed), getting busted in Bethlehem, general words of wisdom, going to the local forest, being played by Liam Gallagher and why girls go mad for Brad Pitt.
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