Interview : CodexUrbanus

Posted by autopsi-art

Who are you? And where are you from?
It would be too long to answer the “who I am” question, but in a nutshell, I am an artist locked in a human body. That body was born and raised in Paris, but the artist broke his chains on a glorious summer in Black Rock City, Nevada. 

What does codexurbanus mean?
Codex Urbanus is originally the name of my street art project. A Codex is an ancient manuscript with drawings, and urbanus means urban in latin. Altogether it was to be (and is) a handmade bestiairy on the walls of the City of Lights, with an infinite number of chimers. Later on, people took pictures and started calling me Codex, which over time became my own street art name… 

How and why did you get into street art?
I’ve always been drawing, since I was old enough to hold a pen. Unfortunately, being an artist was not even a possibility in my culture, but I couldn’t help it. My class notebooks or my corporate meetings notes are sketch books, and I was always drawing, all the time. At one point my professional life changed, and I started working outdoor, so I could not doodle any more. That’s how, once, in the middle of the night, I started painting on the walls.

Spray cans or brush?
I almost only use paint markers in the street. I’ve tried spray cans 3 times, and I love it, but I need to get a better grasp on the technique, and spray cans are not complient with my way of life: I must have my paint with me at all time and you can’t fir spray cans in your pocket. 

Colors or black and white?
I mainly work with grey, black and white, to recreate the impression of a medieval print. 

Who are the artists that have influenced you?
On my style, and topics, I am influenced by renaissance painters and artists (Durer, Da Vinci, Bosch) and the surrealist crowd (Dalì, Magritte). But I would never have thought and have the guts to work in the streets if it wasn’t for some graffiti artists I admire, mostly DaCRuZ and Seyb. 

Are there any artists that you would like to collaborate with?
Well all of the above! I love collaborations as they forces you to go beyond your world and meet with the others. Today I have already worked with BastekOré, ShadeeK, and more, and I hope there will be a lot more of these! 

What do you think about graffiti? 
I have a huge respect for graffiti. I do not consider myself as a graffiti artist, in that I am not a writer, but I think not only all of the street art scene is standing on the shoulders of graffers, but graffiti is by far the art movement that is the most interesting and the most typical of our era. 

What is the question that I did not rest to you and has which one you would have liked answering?
What is my favorite animal? Hehe

Blog: CodexUrbanus

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