Graffiti Writer Celeb on Bombing, Close Calls, and Crew Life
Celeb, a graffiti artist of Bolivian American descent based in the tri-state area, started his journey in graffiti around 2007–2008 at the age of 15, drawing inspiration from local artists and films like Wild Style. He finds joy in painting on concrete walls and trucks, which he describes as refreshing. His most daring endeavor involved tagging near a police station in Philadelphia. Typically, he dedicates up to two minutes for a bomb and three hours for a piece. Celeb has had significant run-ins with law enforcement, including being released in Brooklyn and Poughkeepsie. Valuing quality over notoriety, he is affiliated with crews such as TVT, BLT, ASB, and MOK, and favors Montana Black paint. He values graffiti's presence in galleries and has showcased his work at the Brooklyn Beer Garden. The interview was conducted by Lois Stavsky alongside Giulia Shine.
Key facts
- Celeb is a Bolivian American graffiti writer active in the tri-state area.
- He first got up around 2007–2008 at age 15, starting with his local high school.
- He was inspired by Curve, Wild Style, Bomb the System, and Burning New York.
- He prefers concrete walls and trucks as surfaces.
- His riskiest act was painting across from a police station in Philadelphia.
- He spends up to 2 minutes on bombs and up to 3 hours on pieces.
- He belongs to crews TVT, BLT, ASB, and MOK, and is vice president of ASB.
- He exhibited two pieces at Brooklyn Beer Garden in a show curated by Werds, selling one.
Entities
Artists
- Celeb
- Curve
- Jick
- Sekt
- Mast
- Vet aka Share TMC
- Lois Stavsky
- Giulia Shine
- Werds
Institutions
- StreetArtNYC
- Brooklyn Beer Garden
- TVT
- BLT
- ASB
- MOK
Locations
- New York City
- Brooklyn
- Poughkeepsie
- Philadelphia
- United States