SAKE1

SAKE 1
San Diego, CA
Walls
Old School 

     This piece is on a short wall that surrounds a parking lot to a jujitsu and boxing facilities.  It is in an environment that is completely surrounded by other art.  Every wall on the outside, and on the inside have graffiti decorating it.  This was a place where art was highly appreciated and loved by the city and owner's of the walls.  While I was there, taking pictures of this building the owner came out and asked if I was interested in seeing more of the art.  I said yes eagerly, and he showed me inside of the gym that was also covered with art on every wall.  I asked him who painted them and he just replied with " local homies around that we know."  Which is why I found it interesting when I found this piece on the outside of the building by SAKE 1.  Somehow the name was familiar and so once I got home I looked into his work.  He isn't a local San Diego artist, but a well known graffiti artist from Montreal.  What I enjoy most about this throw-up is that it approaches you directly in the streets.  It confronts you when you don't expect it to.  

                              " Graffiti is in the streets and always has been." - SAKE (1.)

This throw-up confronts you straight on.  Because it is on the ground, you can walk up to it and see all of the detail.  It isn't in a high up and hard to reach spot where it is nearly impossible for you to get close to. In the graffiti world, writers gain respect by getting to hard to reach spaces, but for me outside of the graffiti world as just an onlooker love it when I can physically get close to it and see it the way the artist did while he/she was painting it. It is on a wall that blocks your walk way.  It almost feels like the wall itself was designed after the graffiti on top of it.  It was intended for interruption.  SAKE 1 uses characters on both ends of his name to frame his signature.  He uses neon, bright colors to outline the work to give the effect that his name is three-dimensional.  He also uses arrows and fading color to display movement.  The only thing I really don't like about this Throwie is the rusty orange color that he used as the focal point.  I wish it was a different shade or even a different color completely to better contrast with the pink and green outline.  

1. For more information on SAKE, here is an interview he did with INFAMOUS magazine: http://www.theinfamousmag.com/2011/magazine/sake/

More images of the environment and art that was inside of the building behind SAKE's throw-up.