Street Art Profiles: FL00D
Street Art Profiles is a series profiling the artists who make our communities beautiful and inspire us to think, move, create, love and learn. Do you ever wonder how they create the stunning murals we see? Or what inspires the art? Learn more about the artists behind the walls in this Runstreet special series.
Check out FL00D's new mural on the Lower East Side on Ludlow and Stanton, at Prema Hair Salon.
I first stumbled into FL00D's art a few years ago when a rough breakup landed me in a small tenement room in the Lower East Side, one of my favorite NYC neighborhoods. The room had no AC, no WiFi and some unexpected critter friends in the apartment. I spent a lot of time wandering the streets, and avoiding my hot box. As I shuffled down the graffiti-filled alleys one night, I came across one mural that both haunted and inspired me. It had a Snow White depiction and a coffin and a sign that said "For Here There Is No Place That Does Not See You. You Must Change Your Life." As I dealt with the dramatic ending of a tumultuous relationship, and also grappled with my place in NYC and the world (my usual bi-yearly existential crisis), the words and images of the mural stayed etched in my mind. I found myself passing by the artwork often. I needed the haunting reminder to change. I also found solace in the mural, and felt like I somehow wasn't alone when I was by it. In fact I felt less lonely by the mural than I did among the throngs of people out drinking and enjoying the LES nightlife.
Fast forward a few years and a few neighborhoods later, and I am lucky enough to interview this amazing artist whose subversive signs and thought-provoking murals continue to keep NYC on its toes. Here is the interview, thank you FL00D:
The first FL00D mural I saw haunted and inspired me during a lonely, challenging chapter in my NYC life.
What got you into art?
In addition to murals, you can find FL00D's sticker art around NYC.
I grew up across the street from the double R elevated subway line, so I grew up watching cartoons n graffiti, the excitement of seeing a new piece on a train was so inspiring.. It's what got me into art.
“I’ve been working on pieces about love lately n loss of love, what is it, how do you get it, is it real, is it for me, can I get some or no?? It’s more than that but yeah I’m deep in a dark love forest.”
Your art captures NYC so well. Are you from New York?
Yeah I grew up or down, however you wanna see it.. in Astoria, Queens.
What was your first street art piece?
When I was about 5.. my first pieces were on my apartment walls with anything that sprayed - I'd grab things from underneath the kitchen sink like spray oven cleaner. I'd mostly try to spray characters. My mom ended up hiding all that stuff from me.. so I then moved onto drawing on the walls of Hoyt Park underneath the double R train with crayons n pencils.
What have been some of your major influences for your pieces?
Influences on my pieces is just life, my internal connects just trying to solve things, make sense of things. I just go about my life n the floods always come.
Your art reflects the contradictions and complexities of modern life, NYC and love very well. How do you come up with ideas for your pieces?
It's the only way for me to truly feel like I'm doin me.. doin what I am, I've never not made art, I can't remember a time.. it's been from early early childhood.
FL00D's American Nightmare posters deconstruct beauty, consumerism and the fashion industry.
As a writer I really appreciate the words in your art and how you can say so much with just a few words...have you always incorporated words in your art?
I just wanna connect, I really do, It's the best shot I have at communicating with the world.
What inspires you to create?
I've been working on pieces about love lately n loss of love, what is it, how do you get it, is it real, is it for me, can I get some or no?? It's more than that but yeah I'm deep in a dark love forest.
What have you been working on lately?
Always!! Always working on something, been trying to get a Walter Scott sculpture done for almost a year now.
Can you tell me where your new piece in Gowanus is?
The piece is called my love song gone wrong n it's across the street from the Bell House in Brooklyn.
For more on FL00D and his work, check out his website and Instagram.
New FL00D mural in Gowanus, Brooklyn.
