We all remember those 3D glasses from the 80’s and the limited edition Jaws 3 ones that came on the back of cereal packets. It all seemed so technical and complicated to understand how it worked. I remained happy that it was magic that tricked my eyes into seeing a flat image jump off the page. CHU on the other hand was fully aware of how this illusion worked and is officially the word’s first 3D graffiti artist! Some art just jumps out at you.

Steal-Life.com - You’ve been doing graffiti since you where a kid, how did you get into it?
CHU - I suppose you mean the aerosol era?! I moved into using aerosol because my friends were painting, it was fast, fun, large and semi-permanent. Most kids after that were getting into it because of the music and the 'package' everyone writes their thesis about. (Yawn). Graffiti artists have been prevalent in places other than New York y'know? A friend
at school, Darren Myatt had electro on his personal and from that the 'gang' grew. We met up in Sutton Park in Birmingham at a place we called the Catwalk. It was basically a bridge across the railway, but with a metal fixing at the side you could walk on. This was the place I first smoked weed too. That would have been the summer of 1983.

SL - Is avoiding the law a buzz or an occupational hazard?
CHU - The law is there for a reason and I’m a big believer in answering for your crimes, if, in fact you have committed a crime. Most arms of the law love the work we do, surprisingly. As long as you aren't acting mindlessly, they think you're ok. Besides you only need to arm yourself with excuses andreasons if you are caught! And that isn't supposed to happen. There’s a buzz about doing something you actually want to do, with no control or direction, something in this world you can make people read or see.

SL - You’ve been writing ‘your mum rang’ for a while, is it just a gag, or is there more to it?
CHU – ‘Your mum rang’ began while I was living in a squat in Regent Wharf (that’s another story...). I was sharing with Solo-One, another big-time street campaigner. I’ve known him around seventeen years or something and well, I was just thinking about how to get away with the number of stickers that solo gets away with, without jeopardising too much my liberty.

I came up with the idea of using post-its, but reverse engineered. I would write things like: 'meet me here at 7', 'back in 15minutes','close the windows', y'know, things that sounded like they were meant to be read by somebody. I’d sign it CHU and leave them in variety of spots like doors, windows, cars… all sorts. The emphasis was to locate them in areas you couldn't or shouldn't place permanent stickers. That’s the real beauty; if anybody asked, which they never did, I could just peel it off easy peasy. I know a few cases of people peeling them off and putting them indoors. The phrase is another one that simply stuck. I don't know of anybody who doesn't laugh when they read it. Working closely with a screen printer helps with stickers too...(ahem).

SL - You’ve done a lot of work with your local Council, Walsall Borough. Was this something important to you?
CHU - It was and still is, to educate youngsters in ways I have hold dear. I don't kinda teach the history, although it does have importance. The work I was doing was about empowerment more than anything. Helping the convictions of people who actually want to paint and create works. I was basically there for that. It stemmed from a series of workshops held with Goldie and Desire of TWC fame back in 1988. They helped us paint this sunken playground (which was later taken off us) called the paddock. The playground was one of three thoroughly legal paint sites listed with authorities. That whole scheme of things back then was about misinformation and really there was too much emphasis on the defensive approach, 'graffiti is good, honest' - rather than
'check what we can do'. I was getting really into my job, the actual title of which was part-time temporary aerosol art co-ordinator! But the paper-work and the lies got the better of me and I wished to embark on my career - real, so I quit. I still do workshops, but under certain conditions of course.

SL - How did the 3D aerosol art you’re famed for come about?
CHU - I was painting at Urban Games in 1999. My piece was really to help me produce a clothing catalogue I was making for Fly/Putsch clothing. The idea behind the catalogue was to make a long piece of work telling the story of an airport. I ‘d decided to paint one half of the catalogue as my piece at Urban Games. I made it peppermint in colour and I wasn't even considering it 3D at that point. I remembered doing pencil crayon 3D drawings when I was about 8. I’d worked it out even then as a child, so I just got with it. Two days to make the peppermint and another day to create the red offset, done. My 3D graffiti was born. have heard since of a writer in Florida called 'SIEGE' who painted with the offset red/blue, but haven't seen the work as yet. It can be done better however, I wish to make it full-colour, animate it and stuff. Every painting I’ve made in 3D has been freestyled/improvised, so keeping the raw edge I need whilst using the tool of invention.

SL - How does it work?
CHU - Well, the actual term used is anaglyphic stereoscopy. It’s the mergence of two very different coloured works, viewable at the same time with both eyes. While each eye can see different sides of the 3 visible spectrum by covering them with coloured gels, more often than not red and blue. It’s easier to do red red green cos the kind of blue you have to work with is really pale, almost a cyan. When the works are overlaid, the left eye, covered in a red gel, does not see the red work, but the blue work is transformed into black. The right eye, covered in blue, only sees the red as black. The left and right eye then combine the works and the brain is confused. A simple way to explain how two eyes perceive depth is to try and catch a ball with one eye shut!

SL - Your new project CHUSCAPES is an inspired use for the 3D work; tell us a little more about it?
CHU - I’m still waiting to get to work on a big enough space! Basically I’ve painted a few ceilings and the idea is to merge the ceiling work with 3D, so from a particular standpoint in a room or a covered space, the ceiling can be transformed. I’ve recently painted a tavern near Dudley in the Midlands where I painted a roof scene on the ceiling with a hatch open in the work having a telescope poking out of it. As you walk underneath it, the hatch seems to close! Basically the CHUSCAPES idea needs a large space to 'convert'. Somewhere with a limited viewpoint would be ideal, like a large staircase. We painted for the launch of the 'Donnie Darko' film in the UK. We were asked to decorate the opening party venue in London. I painted, from one viewpoint, a CHUSCAPE vision of an aeroplane engine falling through the roof of the bar. The director visited the show, and was really inspired by our works.

SL - With credible graffiti artists there always seems to be an issue with how and if to do commercial work. What do you thing about it?
CHU - Its natural for any artist to at some point be faced with the possibility of earning considerable fees for doing work for other people. It’s necessary for your development as an artist to remain creating work and for you to be as healthy as possible whilst creating that work. The confusion I think is more over the financial aspect. It’s easy to decide if you are going to work for someone who you don't support, you would just say 'no!' Considering the money you will get is the hardest part, and of course the biggest pain in the arse is getting agencies etc. to cough-up the dough after the work has been done. We graffiti artists are often seen as easy, out-of-college, take-for-a-ride or pay-as-little-as-possible designers. A lot of agencies or promoters will employ the services of graffiti artists, rip them off - not use the work or something and then get in touch with another graffiti artist that they don’t realise knows you. its a small world and oh so poisonous.

SL - Is there some commercial work you wouldn’t do?
CHU - At the moment I don't think I would, however it depends. I usually study the history or people involved with any perspective job. If that’s not possible, then I’ll get to know who I am working for. In a commercial sense this is to my detriment, as most jobs wouldn't need the attention and consideration I give to the work. The commissions I have done recently have been highly considered and deliberately developed into 'milestone' works. I do find it increasingly difficult to work for any more club or entertainment promotions. They quibble over a few quid for the fee, but will give you x-amount of free-ness on the door! I don't and won't understand. Its all a blag isn't it that music and lifestyle (funny haircut) world? All lies and dv-tape.

SL - What’s next for you?
CHU - Going to carry on with my Welsh mural in Llanberis, Snowdonia, painting the complete building man, biggest I’ve ever painted! Continue with the theymademedoit.com collective, I have a hundred limited edition 'your mum rang' shirts going in the House of Fraser stores nationwide. Planning a European tour next year. Creating tee-shirt ranges with Mission PRint. Run at least two exhibitions a year, wherever. That and try to convince a record company to let me do a 3D animated promo for some beat heavy merchant. Ring my mum back...

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