Graffiti to Graphic Design - Kings of Evolution Part 1 - 123Klan Interview

The self proclaimed title of ‘Graphic Sniper’ comes suitably to mind when I think about the artists that comprise 123Klan, Scien and Klor. They have been keeping me on the edge of my seat for some time now with their inventive characters, killer logos, and seemingly hard to get fashion collaborations with labels such as Stussy and Adidas. They are the ultimate example of graffiti artist turned graphic artist that has taken the scene by storm, while still staying true to their roots. Originally forming 123Klan as a graffiti crew in 1992 in France, they now run as a creative studio in Montréal specialising in character illustration, branding, toy design, and touring the world speaking at conferences. With a list client list with the likes of Nike, Adidas, Lamborghini, Coca Cola, Stussy, Sony, and even Nasdaq, it becomes clear how much the graffiti style has infiltrated the maintream martket. Style really is their message…

We spoke to Scien and Klor about the transition and evolution of graffiti to graphic design. This is what they had to say…

GR: How does your background of graffiti lettering have an impact on your use of typography in your corporate graphic design projects?

Scien & Klor: For us it is the same thing, except maybe that a font should be more legible than a graffiti piece, and of course, it will depend from a client’s brief as well but like graffiti, the font or the logo have to end up with a certain visual impact, to spread a message or simply to sell something.

GR: It seems a lot of contemporary illustration, vinyl toys, logos etc. draw from the style of graffiti characters. Have you had the alter your style for the mass market? >

> Scien & Klor: We hate that word “Mass market”, in our creative studio we conceive everything we do with passion, heart and intelligence. Somewhere we are all taking part of the mass market, but we are not vegetables or sheep - all ready to consume the same products. Usually, the success of a product is due to its quality, communication, price and distribution. From our part we focus all our energy to the visual aspect of a product, that’s why we work into fashion, video games, communication or vinyl toys. We are some kind of visual entertainer, we work with our hearts, brains but also by respecting people and our selves first. We would never create something that we don’t like. We can conceive some very limited productions as tees or toys, as we can do an international ad campaign for a big brand but we will always create something we’re proud of first.

GR: As a collective you seem to have a lot of creative control over your projects, Is this something that is emphasised?

Scien & Klor: Yes we do, We can’t create anything if we don’t have a good relationship with a client. We are the opposite of mass marketing, which consists to study people like lab rats to see what they will prefer to consume. We are the risky business, which consists to surprise people to come up with something they never thought about. By experience, we never failed in any of our projects and all the people who we worked for, really appreciated the work we did. Because like everybody else, nobody likes to feel like a mass marketing target or even a lab rat.

GR: How was it do you think you were able to get to a postition to do this?

Scien & Klor: It’s a daily fight in the name of quality and intelligence. >

> We are the sons of Lou Dorfsman, Roger Excoffon, Savignac, Dondi, Neville Brody, The Designers Republic. We mean by this, that we will alwayz do our best to deliver the best to our clients. But to get this, you have to let us to do our job.

GR: The graffiti scene is well known for heated rivalries between crews and painters, have you found any of this same hostility amongst designers?

Scien & Klor: Yes of course but it’s not about graffiti or design, it’s just about human being and their old sins, like envy jealousy etc… At least people think and talk about you.

GR: You have been quoted as saying “Perhaps graffiti is less forceful than design, because design does not have to be read”, In that sense do you find graphic design more challenging?

Scien & Klor: Yes of course, the great thing about graffiti it is its impact on the streets, but most of people don’t like graffiti, simply because they don’t understand it. In a city you have probably less graffiti than advertising, and most of it is certainly uglier than certain graffiti pieces. So to come up with something that gets an impact on people in this visual jungle, it is a real challenge. Usually the same old receipt alwayz work: intelligence, quality and originality.

GR: When you put up pieces now - is it as care free and creative as it once was, or is there a feeling of responsibility to be coming up with new ideas to build the 123Klan branding?

Scien & Klor: We paint the same way it was back in 1989, always with a couple of friends, for free and of course we paint what we want, when we want. >

> We have no branding, or maybe one, which is to give our best in everything we do, but this could work for anything else as well.

GR: How much has 123Klan grown from a graffiti crew in 1992 to a design firm in 2009? Would your office closely resemble Wieden+Kennedy for example?

Scien & Klor: Well, nothing was planned at all, it just happened, our creative studio is strictly the result and the hard work of Mrs Klor and Mr Scien. Maybe one day it will be big like Wieden+kennedy but it is not on our plans for the moment.

GR: Thanks for taking some time out with us at Gráfica Real, on a leaving note - whats in the near future for 123Klan? Any planned trips to Australia?

Scien & Klor: We would love to come back to Aussie, we have many friends there, like Lucas @ Refill mag, Dmote or Murray and Andrew at design is kinky. We wish we could come back sometimes with our kids there, especially to escape few weeks from our freezing Canadian winters…

If you would like to see more of 123Klan’s work I highly recommend having a browse around their websites. Here are some links:

www.123Klan.com
123Klan on-line store
Myspace - Scien
Myspace - Klor

Read part 2 of ‘Graffiti to Graphic Design - Kings of Evolution’ featuring an interview with Aske from Sicksystems. These guys are unreal… If you enjoyed the interview with 123klan you will love Sicksystems.