ITALIAN WRITERS: SAYKO

Hello Sayko, how are you? How have you lived the last period?

Quite well despite the Covid. I had a bunch of graphic and illustration projects to go through, so I went through it right.

Does your name have a meaning? Did you have other names?

Since I started painting I changed a lot of names. I always liked to try new letter combinations. I sometimes kept tags just for a couple of panels. I started using the tag ‘’Sayko’’ in 2003 alternating with other names. I decided to use that name permanently in 2010.. Sayko inspired me because he had perfect letters to make wild old school Milano style (ckc pwd thp type).

Then I found new ways to renew it. It is not an easy tag to write and so I have always had to work hard to find original solutions and this has helped to distinguish it from the many trivial tags that you see around impossible to remember.

What made you start painting?

I’ve always seen pieces and tags since I was little in my city. Fortunately Treviso has a lot of history and it is one of the first cities in which the writing in Italy has developed and therefore I had some excellent references as a starting point.

What do you think about the current Italian scene?

I think there is a boom of people painting and there is a lot of ferment. As in all historical period there are good people and poor people.

Unfortunately it seems to me that many lately see graffiti more as a sport than as an expressive discipline and the style of the pieces I see around is suffering a lot.

Tell us about your first train. How did it go? How did you feel?

It went well. I had been painting for a couple of years, so I already knew what I was doing. It was still a time when before you made panels, you had to work your way up.

I remember that he brought me the first time Reds of the Tru407 which was one of the strongest in that period in my city. I had to change my more wall-to-wall approach. Learn to make the lower pieces and lay the letters when needed.

Where do you prefer to paint? Alone or in company?

In street I prefer to paint alone: I am more concentrated and I manage the commercials as I want. I like to paint also in company maybe a bricked easy.

Your most beautiful piece? Tell us about it!.

I couldn’t tell you why each piece has its own story and value. There are pieces to which I am more attached for the memory of the action or because they were somehow a turning point for my style. I always paint freestyle so I happen to get unexpected letters that drastically change my style.

Have you had bad experiences while painting?

Yes I had trouble during my career but I prefer not to talk about it given the times that run.

Looking at your pieces you see a great study of letters, do you have a reference style?

I’ve always spent a lot of time in lettering. Even in my most extreme pieces there is always a lot of attention to balance and letter structures.. my influences start from the old school of my city, from Berlin to Prague, from Toronto to Los Angeles. I studied graphics, lettering and calligraphy so I always saw the letters in a ’’scientific’’ way.

Currently, in your opinion, what importance do social networks have in the world of graffiti? What opportunities have given you in your career?

Social media like anything new has pros and cons. Surely through social you can have a lot of visibility without passing for uncomfortable intermediaries, you can get to know and connect with a bunch of people from all over the world.

If used with head they are an excellent showcase for any artist or creative. In graffiti, I think this virtual wave has extinguished that initial magic it had when it was an underground phenomenon. Even the approach to bombing and getting up has changed.

Now I see celebrity writers in the web come out of nowhere I’ve never seen a single tag without a story I don’t even know if they exist in reality.

What do you think the graffiti world gave you?

Through graffiti I learned to question myself and try to improve myself through art and style.

You can find Sayko on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saykology/?hl=it

Business or other: tagging.lifestyleig@gmail.com