... If you live in Cape Town and more precisely in Obz you would have come across Gabriel Hope's work... I love writing about local artists and local brand and I must say It feels very different to post about someone you know, it's more personnal I guess...
- Gabriel,when did you do your first stencil art piece?:
"I think end of of 2008 saw me doing my first one (that one of the Girl with the balloon adapted from a Norman Rockwell painting)...so I was about 15/16 I suppose. Lots of people obviously thought I was copying Banksy but I would just like to say, that in all honesty, I didn't even know Banksy existed when I started.
People tend to forget that Banksy is not the only stencil artist out there."( Well said!)
People tend to forget that Banksy is not the only stencil artist out there."( Well said!)
-Tell me a story:
A story you say...hmmm...well around late 2009 a German art dealer landed in South Africa hoping to check out the local street-art scene. He couldn't find anything that he thought was worthwhile and was about to leave but dropped by Obz as a last hope. There he found a work of mine on my father's showroom door(136 lower main road Obz). He rung the bell and explained that he collected street art and wanted to buy the door with the artwork on it and ship it back to Germany! My Dad, keeping a cool head, gave the art dealer my number and I ended up getting commissioned 4 works that now sit in this art-dealer's collection alongside works by Banksy and Obey. Getting paid in Euros wasn't too terrible either!"
- What do you want to do when you grow up? ( and I love the answer to that question):
"What to be when I grow up when I grow up...well, firstly I hope I never grow up, because at the moment, being 18/19, I'm having the time of my life (as corny as that sounds). I could honestly stay this way forever (or a really long time). But when and if I grow up, I think architecture is what I seem to gravitating toward...but we'll see, maybe I'll become a fireman, or a policeman and catch good-for-nothing vandals putting up stencils...hehehe."( Makes me want to be 18 again!!!)
Gabriel is also the drummer in a band called The Liminals... Haven't had a chance to see them play yet but from what I see on their FB page they are not short of groupies....
http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/pages/The-Liminals/157215137312
http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/pages/The-Liminals/157215137312
