Wildly passionate and distinctly knowledgeable about about sticker artwork, DC-based mostly iwillnot has posted two celebrated guides and has curated five terribly amazing expos on the topic. On my modern visit to DC, I experienced the possibility to pose a several queries to him and catch up a bit:
Considering the fact that you initially released me to the DC avenue art sticker scene about 14 decades ago, your contributions to the tradition have been great — expos, publications, giveaways and much more. What is it about stickers that attraction to you?
I adore that they are a fast and easy way to get a message — or just your identify — out there.
Can you explain to us a thing about your name — “iwillnot?” When did you receive it? And why did you decide on it?
I began applying iwillnot in 2009. It was a statement of defiance and opposition. I did not like what was taking place all around me. I could not support the route DC was having, notably in phrases of its gentrification. And I wasn’t satisfied with the way my neighborhood was evolving in the title of renovation and progress.
You experienced been pasting, accumulating and trading stickers for quite a few decades just before you conceived of curating your 1st Avenue Sticker EXPO at The Fridge DC. What enthusiastic you to launch this sort of a huge project?
It was a pure development. I, myself, currently had amassed a huge assortment, and I realized several energetic sticker artists out there. It was a way to share the artwork type that I enjoy with so numerous many others and to introduce these artists to a broader audience. Also, the streets in DC had develop into considerably less hospitable to stickers.
How did you at first get the word out? About a thousand artists have participated in your Sticker Expos.
At initial it was mainly term-of-mouth. We ended up a really restricted team, Skam, RWK, V0xx Romana…and a lot more. And social media, largely Instagram and my website, are critical to receiving the word out.
Your most the latest Avenue Sticker EXPO took put throughout the pandemic. Did that existing any unique problems?
Of course. It was demanding. Amongst the difficulties was getting and opening offers of stickers while we were being all worried with becoming infected with COVID-19…Just storing the boxes till we opened them was problematic!
Your second reserve, Unsmashed, options over 1200 colored images of stand-on your own stickers from artists throughout the globe. How did you choose which stickers to include things like?
I took just one sticker from every pack that I had been given for the 2020 Expo. Just about every of these stickers was then photographed by fellow sticker artist Cheer Up, who also did the layout and design and style for the ebook. It advanced into the ideal industry tutorial that can effortlessly link anyone to the sticker art community.
Sure! It is best! What’s ahead?
SMASHED 2. is underway. It will cover the previous two EXPOs, the showings at the 2020 Outsider Artwork Reasonable and Tribeca Artwork Evening in NYC, the execution of the collage portrait and the phenomenon of sticker exhibits all over the planet.
What about EXPOs? Any forward?
In 2023, we will celebrate our 10-year anniversary.
Congratulations! I’m wanting forward to that!
Observe: Be absolutely sure to check out iwillnot’s web-site to buy his books and assorted items. And if you’d like to acquire a free of charge sticker pack, fill out the form on this web page!
All pictures courtesy iwillnot picture 2 capabilities El Toro and Chris RWK collaboration photograph 4 – a collaboration with Mr. Zimbro