“Graffiti has become automatic. A bit like smoking a cigarette!” At the age of 25, the man* who signs “Redneck” on the walls wherever he goes has repeated his gesture so much that he is no longer aware of it. In Brest (Finistère), the Saint-Martin district turns out to be his favorite playground. “I would like to do graffiti in other places, but in the end, it mostly happens in the places where I hang out.”explains the graffiti artist.
“It seemed heroic to me.”
This craze was born when he was 10 years old. “When I was crossing Brittany by train or car, I was always fascinated by the graffiti under the bridges, on the carriages and in all sorts of improbable places. It seemed heroic to me. I wondered how they managed to get there.”the young man recalls. Growing up, Redneck bought graffiti magazines at newsstands and then gradually started to get into it. “I saw the big ones practicing on paper so I followed the same steps before moving on to the walls”he recalls.
At 25, Redneck already has more than ten years of experience in graffiti. | GUILLAUME SALIGOT / OUEST-FRANCE View in full screen
At 25, Redneck already has more than ten years of experience in graffiti. | GUILLAUME SALIGOT / OUEST-FRANCE
“The ego race”
Initially, faced with the paintings of Breton collectives such as C29, 2KC, T9, etc., Redneck was thirsty for fame within the small bubble that is graffiti. “I absolutely wanted to know everyone. I was a bit in this race for recognition that is very present in the graffiti world. As I grew up, I realized that it was toxic. There is a lot of ego in graffiti. In the end, the best thing is to do it with friends. Today, I live it as a passion and if it makes others want to do it, so much the better.”notes the young man.
While this discipline often rhymes with vandalism, Redneck focuses on painting his name. “I don’t even ask myself the question of the legal aspect anymore, it has become natural. When you do it alone in the street in broad daylight, people find it almost normal. Some are even interested in what you do.”describes Redneck.
By hanging around the spots and painting the walls of Brittany, the boy accumulates encounters. “I met a lot of friends via graffiti. After a while, you create a network for yourself.”realizes the young man. Rennes, Morlaix, Brest, etc. Redneck has marked the major cities of the region with his bomb. “Before I really wanted to put my name everywhere, confides the graffiti artist. Now it’s not something I look for anymore. It’s become a reflex when I’m walking around.”
*Redneck wished to preserve his anonymity
