RNST [itw]

It’s been a while that we have followed the artwork of the artist RNST, so we are happy to interview him today and to feature him on StreetLove.

StreetLove THE ARTIST

RNST is from Dijon, East of France (near Lyon we can say) but he’s been living in the South of France for 10 years.
He told us the little story of his artist name which came from the contraction of RNEST when he was doing a few graffiti on walls, younger.
A nickname he abandonned in 2006 to take it back 3 years after, but without the « E » (only consonants).
His first pieces are dated from 1995 ; so he’s been involved in street art for about 12 years now.

Why did you being making street art?

I always drew, did stencils without knowing it was ‘street art’ at this time – I was 16 years old and used to do naughty things in the streets.
Then I began pasting some characters that I painted on paper taken from shops’ bins. But it’s thanks to Cynik (OCT crew) that I discovered spray paint.
I wanted to investigate public spaces, and I knew he was doing so… So one night, we drank a beer, and he says to me: « this, you can directly paint it on the wall, with a spray can…» and I automatically replied: « Oh yeah!! »
He showed me, I learned, and since this time, the devil is in me…
We worked together for almost 5 years (murals, decorations…)

RNST was around 16 years old when he started creating street art pieces.
Since, he is working alone: research, questions… But he is often doing collective projects, to share ideas around themes, exhibitions or murals.
With STF Moscato we often work together, and help each other when we are late on the preparation of an exhibition…
With Cynik, we did, when younger, a few decorations together.
My last combo was with Koma (TSH) for a group show we did together in December 2012 named: « S… HEROES »
He never took part of artistic crews, even if he is doing a lot with OCT in Dijon and now he’s following TSH and a little FMR crew.

When he is not creating street art, RNST is illustrator and graphic design, working as a freelancer (check out his portfolio: CREATERRADESIGN)

He has already exhibited his artwork, but he is always interesting is doing so, always looking for places to host his artwork. Now his artwork is more mature, and that he feels more confident about what he does, he is confident in exhibiting his work in galleries…
He is feeling it for 2 or 3 years, so it’s a bit new for him, even if he is doing street art for more than 12 years.
He exhibited for: Underground Galerie Dijon, Les Tanneries Dijon, PUB Z Avignon, Festival Carambolage, Le 8 bis, Galerie Angel Art, Lollipop Marseille…

To promote his artwork, he uses:
– Facebook: null
– His blog: http://rnst.over-blog.com/
– A photo gallery on FlickR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnst/

StreetLove THE ART

His graphic universes is as wide as the supports he can work on. No limit!
He works on canvas but prefers rusted metal things…
He loves supports already from the streets to give them a second life, as they make the link between his work: collages, stencils, paint…

He takes his inspiration from the news. He really needs to react to things happening around him. Fisrtly, he illutsrates it. Then, he wants to give it colors… and to « trash » it on a support.
But he is also inpired by music. He is often associating a particular kind of music to his creations.

Do you remember your first piece on the streets?

Without knowing it was « street art », one day, we went out with my friend Patoch who stole a couple of spray cans from his father (he uses to paint his bike). We drove to Dijon burbs on his moped (a 102 I guess) and at each bus stop, or wall we painted a stencil – I created 2 for the occasion: one cannabis leaf (not very smart) and a character with a blind fold… a few are still there, we laugh a lot! Great memory!

RNST street art pieces size is from M to XL. He has created more than 300 pieces now, mostly around Dijon and Avignon. And he is travelling pretty much everywhere with his pieces, so a few in France in general.

He is thinking about a new project: create serigraphy of his characters on black and red posters and to paste them EVERYWHERE!!

Something to add?

A couple of dedications: To OCT crew / TSH / FMR / CYNIK / PERSU / SKEY / CLOUN / DEUMA / STF Moscato / KOMA / GASE / MITE2 / AGEN / AHERO / TOMIK / FUKU / MACHNO2.0 / POLO !!

StreetLove THE TECHNIQUE

RNST has no preferred support… except the fact he doesn’t like the ground, and he never does something on  a roof. But he has a cool story about « roof » to tell. He was with his friend Cynik, and they went to paint on a roof, well Cynik was doing so, he was placed in front to check out that everything goes well… and Cynik’s legs went through the roof and he heard a big « craaaack » – a guy went out with his kangourou slip; a white tank top and his dog shouting at them: « I don’t want your fucking american letters on my roof, get out of here! »
Pure moment of laugh!

To work on art pieces, he uses: spray cans, brushes, photocopier, a scalpel, Photoshop, Illustrator too, glue, serigraphy (so good), papers and all I can find…

A tip to tell us (or other artists)?

Wash your hands often!

StreetLove THE FUN

RNST never leaves without « his cock and his knife » (ahaha) and always with stickers in his pockets! He loves leaving marks where he goes…

He loves all colors without having a preferred one, but he enjoys working with brown colors, creamy colors, used blue with a touch of red.

In terms of artistic references, he loves OBEY for his propaganda style, ZEUS too, KIDULT for his determination, ROA et ARIZ for their great chacraters, POCH for his rock attitude, the serigraphy of Andy Wharrol, JM Basquiat and STF Moscato for the finesse of his stencils.

3 things RNST likes: wine, chicken Gaston Gérard and life!
3 thinks he hates: authority, arseholes and soya milk!

StreetLove WHAT’S NEXT?

RNST was exhibiting at LOLLIPOP in Marseille in Feb and he is now preparing a exhibition at TAF (Rock venue in Montpellier – South of France) – opening night on 25th of April from 7pm.

A message for the StreetLove.fr team?

Thanks to StreetLove for this cool interview… keep up what you’re doing, it’s great. Love your blog!

RNST, keep up the great work, we love what you do, so colorful and
full of sense – hope to meet you one day!