A city, a street, buildings. An artist needs nothing but imagination to carry out street activities. What is street art? Can art be illegal? An artist who creates under the name Truth answers these questions in “Purpose” only.  

What does it mean to be an industrial artist?

I must admit that nobody has ever called me like that, but I guess you mean the materials I use (xps, pcv) and the place (a city)…

What are you inspired by?

Practically by everything that surrounds me. In my works I refer quite often to constructivists. Also, minimal art is for me a mine of knowledge of the form and colour. Mainly Donald Judd. He was one of the first to demand that his works were displayed in some selected places. He even bought a building to do so, I have whole cities at my disposal. So this is some kind of continuation, refreshing the context, some attitude.


What are „street actions”?

In public space, among passers-by and city dwellers.

How can you manage to install your works on city buildings, and why there?

I try to act with confidence. With a ladder, at daytime I approach selected buildings and signs. The more confident I am the less visible I am for the city guards, the police and passers-by. My girl-friend or my mate always help me by keeping guard.
It is about the graffiti context, about marking some territory in a city – tags on buildings…


What are the opinions of your works?

Mostly favourable, but many people see only aesthetics, judge in terms of pretty and ugly. And this is the biggest problem, I think…    

Why one can’t find information about you on your website? Why do you go by a false name?

Because of the illegal character of my activities.

You graduated the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław?

I haven’t graduated yet. I am studying industrial design, which is different from other courses at the Academy, such as painting or sculpture. It is more concrete, more practical, at least I think so…


What is your cooperation with galleries like? Is it important for you? You showed your works in „Entropia” Gallery in Wroc³aw – can street art be closed within four walls of a gallery?

I treat galleries as places to show documentation, to present the actions themselves. I don’t show street works in galleries. It wouldn’t make any sense, the context would be lost. „Entropia” Gallery is a unique place in Wroc³aw and they helped me a lot.  

You are from Wroc³aw, in your opinion which Polish (and European) city is the most interesting as a source of inspiration?

Inspiration is everywhere, everything depends on how well you know a city. The more I “dig” into it, the more inspiration and fresh places I find.


Do you consider yourself a resourceful artist? Can you earn a living from your artistic activity? What, according to you, is enterprise in culture?

I can’t earn a living, I treat my projects as experiments. I don’t want to create a new label, but in the future it would be nice to be able to realize new projects without money worries…
What is enterprise in culture? Hmmm… I will answer when I graduate the Academy and start earning my living [smile].

Are you preparing an exhibition now?

Yes, I am preparing a small presentation, but at the moment I can only say that I am going to present the documentation of my works I made this weekend in Warszawa…   
http://www.truthtag.com