Snuz From Greece: “When I’m painting I feel free”

Snuz3 - Meeting of Styles: International Street Art & Graffiti

Rocking at Meeting of Styles Germany we want to introduce you one of the younger dogs representing Greece live and direct. Read what he got to say!

“I am painting Graffiti since 12 years old – 2003 – and I remember watching TV and the videoclip FREESTYLER. Bomfunk MC’s was playing, right after that I started collecting every information I could get about Hip-Hop culture when I discovered Graffiti. I was hooked right away and I started to copy and draw letters with 3d shade taken from the Word Program to make them look like Graffiti.

Then I found some people from my City that was already doing it and they showed me the ropes. The first year I didn’t have any name so I was Painting the word SHADY, influenced by Eminem. One year later I decided to find a name for myself so I wrote down all the letters from the alphabet and came up with the letters S-N-U-Z to be my tag name. It doesn’t mean anything as far as I know, I just loved how S-Z was opposites and would help in symmetry of Style, N is my real name‘s intial and U just because Graffiti is for sharing with you!

I was drawing since I was born. My Grandma still holds sketches from the time I was 5 years. I was trying to draw images from comics like Batman also books like Lion King, I was drawing these images endlessly when my art teachers in school noticed I got some talent and it just bloomed with Graffiti over the years.

My Style is based mostly on Graffiti Letters and I got influences from Writers all over the World about the techniques. But since I’m going totally abstract in my own way, people can understand this is SNUZ when they see my work. When it comes to colors I really can’t help myself (lol) I want to use them all! Over the Years I try hard to put less – sometimes. My weapon of Choice is Spraypaint mostly. Graffiti for me first it’s a culture and second a lifestyle. When I’m painting I feel free. I believe Meeting of Styles is what the name says: `Meeting` of different people from all over the world with different Styles but the same passion. What’s better than meeting other people with the very same interests like you and even better? Paint together!!

For me freedom is inspiration. When you able to travel the world and do what you love or just walk through the city and leave your mark. My biggest influences are so many, from Rappers to Writers the list can go so long but if I can just drop few names that comes to my mind right away will be: Eminem, G-Eazy, Machine Gun Kelly, Does, Sofles, Mikael-B.

In my opinion Streetart and Muralism is the natural evolution of Graffiti, it’s evolving and it’s getting bigger! Big scale Murals not only last longer, since it’s harder to be covered or vandalised, but also gives great value in the cities. There are places famous for their street art like in Berlin which attracts people from all over the world to see. I believe more cities in the world should organize and fund such activities like Large Scale Murals. Imagine Cities full of color!

What I dont like about Graffiti and some Writers will hate me right now, but it is vandalism. Ok it started like this and I started myself illegaly at my early years, bombing and tagging private or public properties. But growing older I started think why should I damage my neighbour wall store causing damage when I can actually just go show him my work and ask him to let me paint something beautiful and more relaxed. What I love about Graffiti is meeting new people in this network. You may become your own hero, no rules! Everyone can see what you imagine! It never ends!

What suck is the fact that I have to work with boring people in stupid jobs that has nothing to do with graffiti just to raise money so I can do what I love. It is not only a waste of good creative time but also kills my inspiration so bad that I reach the point that I feel to retire and stay locked to a room for a week, sketching to find myself again.