Daytime Throwies with Mute

Recently we featured the graffiti artist Mute on the Youtube channel and everyone loved his theories so we decided to get in touch with him for an interview. We decided to ask Mute a variety of questions in our new video "Day Time Graffiti With No FEAR - Mute Graffiti Interview”.

Question 1: When we featured you in one of our videos, people really loved your throwie. Can you tell us a bit about who you are, the crews you're in, what got you into graffiti to begin with and when you began? 

Mute: I’m mute I'm not actually mute I can talk but I've been riding mute for about 4 years now it would have been like 20 20 when I got into graph I remember watching a graph Doo and you know it just got me invested I went down like a rabbit hole of just graffiti started watching a bunch of documentaries and just all sorts of content about graffiti and I just love the whole idea of it that's what really got me into it and after watching those videos I started noticing graffiti everywhere you know on my way to school I would see it all the time and I I wanted to get into it it was really like unlocking a a new world almost and so I I remember in English class pulling out a thesaurus it's probably the only time I've ever used a thesaurus and I I would just look through that book for a name and I remember coming across the word mute and I just as soon as I saw it I knew it was perfect I just knew it was me you know?

Question 2: In the one clip you shared, you rocked a daytime spot. When you first started writing did you always have nerves of steel or were you really nervous and scared? If you did initially get nervous, how did you overcome that to the point where you're doing daytime spots? 

Mute: I remember when I first started doing graffiti you know just hitting those tables and those chairs in school you know I definitely got nervous but I think um you know just that confidence comes with time you know just getting up more and more really helps and um you know. start small you know I started with stickers in those populated areas in the city you know then I started doing tags and those tags got bigger and bigger and bigger then I started doing those hollow throws and honestly no one really cares people are busy and you know every once in a while maybe someone will stop you know especially if I'm doing like a full throwie people might stop but honestly, people are just curious and often they won't cause too much problems you know sometimes you might get a negative reaction but it's really not that common you know cops might pull up but it's as easy as running away there's really nothing to fear you know fear does keep you safe but uh too much fear will stop that progression so I think you know you just really got to push yourself and just send it really.

Question 3: I've watched each of your videos, you have a good range of work between throwies and straight letters, and a good range of spots between roof spots, typical walls, storefront gates, and so on. What is your favorite kind of spot to rock, and what do you prefer, tags, throwies, or pieces? 

Mute: My favorite spot to hit are definitely those roller doors just hitting them with throes I think throes are my favorite thing about graffiti honestly you know it just represents someone's style more than more than anything in my opinion my tags are pretty mediocre to be honest I like to keep it simple like I I love the readability of it.

Question 4: You've nailed your throwie down to a science, and it comes out clean every time. We all know a large part of that comes with experience and hitting walls, but is there any other tips you can give to new writers to help them land that consistency with their work? 

Mute: I think there really is nothing better than practice when it comes to you know trying to get consistent throwies but no one wants to hear that practice makes perfect I don't know any really secret tips honestly maybe just slow down a bit I've noticed like beginners that they're always trying to go so quickly but if you really slow down and let your muscle memory build your throws will come out a lot cleaner if you really think about what you're doing um with your throwie and tags as well just slow down a little bit and it will come out way nicer.

Question 5: What’s the average night out bombing like for you, take us through from the top before you leave the house. Do you already know the spots and walls you're hitting?

Mute:Before I go painting you know I always get my cans ready obviously but I I'll pick out the color you know I usually have like four colors you know two blacks two whites I'll shake them up and I'll change all the Caps to New York fat caps I love New York fat caps and I I use them for all my cans when I go bombing but uh I usually don't know the spots that I'm hitting I sort of Just Wing it every single time you know when I go to the city I'm honestly lost every single time I'm terrible with roads I sort of just figure that out as I go but I kind of like it that way

Question 6: I see you're from New Zealand, what’s the graffiti scene like around there? How rough is the competition, and hows the law enforcement when it comes to writers?

Mute:

New Zealand is pretty tight just because New Zealand is you know so small but yeah the graffiti scene's really close I think from what I've seen and it's it's really chill it's a really cool Community really strong culture there's a lot of competition when it comes to the art scene there are some insane artists in New Zealand so there is a lot of competition when it comes to the art scene the law enforcement you know it's pretty mediocre like it's what you'd expect the law enforcement to be I guess I haven't really you know experienced it too much but uh the fines are pretty heavy I think it's like $200 a tag and that adds up you know they put it all in the system and they'll make you pay that and if you don't they'll take it out your paycheck so you got to really make sure you don't get caught uh that's what I've I've heard at least but I don't really know too much about it.

Question 7: Graffiti will take you to some strange places, sometimes graffiti artists come around some wild sights, and even more wild experiences, whats the craziest memory you have catching spots, lets hear a story.

Mute:

I think the the craziest memory I have doing graffiti is uh I remember I was just looking for rooftop spots this was when I was just riding solo at you know and I was just going into random buildings going into elevators and just hitting the top floor seeing if it was unlocked or easy access and I remember going into this one building going up to the top floor and it was unlocked so I went out and had a look and the door closed behind me and I uh I didn't realize but I had locked myself on the roof you know so I I went to check the door and I could not get out and you know I didn't even paint any anything up there you know I was like what am I going to do the door's locked so so I messaged a few of my friends you know to see if someone could come out and help me but no one answered so I was just stuck on this roof I remember sitting up there for like 20 minutes just thinking like what am I even going to do with myself here I ended up um I had to climb off the roof onto another building and I had to climb down onto the balcony cuz it was like an apartment building and I went onto this apartment sort of balcony and I dropped down from that balcony to another balcony and it was like five floors of balconies and that hurt it hurts your upper body going down there and like once I got to the last balcony like it was a massive drop so I had to go down this there it's like an I don't know what it wasn't the gutter pole but it was just some random pole that came outside the wall and went straight down so I had to go down like a fireman but my upper body was like so tight Ti from going down these balconies you know when I slid down I couldn't hold on you know this pole tight enough so I ended up getting some insane ground shock and I could like barely walk and I think that's like the craziest story I have and the worst part about it is I never even painted anything on the roof so I did all of that I got stuck and I managed to get down and I never even painted anything up there that's what annoys me so much about that I think that's the craziest story that I have.

Question 8: Have you ever had a run in with the cops, chase stories or arrests doing graffiti? 

Mute:

I've been chased a few times but I don't really have any you know crazy stories often when you're in the city you get away pretty easily um just because you know there's like a thousand people to run into and you disappear just like that there's so many side streets that you can get lost on you know and they just con catch up.

Question 9: Graffiti can often seem like it's hectic and nothing but chaos, however, for many of us, we do this for the enjoyment, love of the art, and during all of that, we meet some of the closest friends we'll ever make. Do you have any memories that really stand out as being your favorite, doesn't have to be anything crazy, but a story that makes you grateful or happy to be a graffiti artist. 

Mute:

I know personally I have a lot I know a lot of you guys in you know watching this video likely have a lot if you want leave them in the comments down below and share it with us but I was really interested to see what mute would say about this I think something that makes me grateful you know and happy to be a graffiti Rider is that my Christmas cards my birthday cards you know my you know Mother's Day cards that I make they're better than All My Siblings I got the greatest cards mine are way more interesting you know they're just getting these bought ones from you know the warehouse they got lame ass cards I got some custom-made you know perfect they just way better you know I think I think that's something that makes me happy to be a graffiti Rider siblings are lacking that's why I'm the favorite!

Question 10: Last question, what’s next for Mute, and is there any social media, crews, or anyone you'd like to shout out?

Mute:

I've really only hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to doing graffiti you know I'm yet to hit my first train so I reckon the next thing I want to do is hit some trains I want to hit more buses more trucks you know and it's on for life so I want to do everything um when it comes to Graffiti um I want to do it all yeah shout out to everyone in New Zealand you know keep getting up.

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