VENTS137

Vents137 was born to a Corkonian family and is now based out of Bristol U.K. He’s been writing Graffiti since 1999 and geeking out on trains since the mid 80s. Vents’ work follows traditional graffiti methods, hand-drawn illustrations made with alcohol or xylene markers. His mural work is created freehand solely with aerosol.

Vents is too young to be old school and too old to be new school.” I’m basically treading water somewhere in the middle trying to juggle a mix of 70s and 80s cartoons with a base of 1970s New York graffiti. I represent TUFF crew, a likeminded family of my peers and mentors.” Elsewhere he can be found studying the works of Jay Ward, Ralph Bakshi, Vaughn Bodé, Jack Kirby, and Robert Crumb, alongside writing pioneers such as Cliff159, Billy167, Boots119, Tracy168 and Lee Quinones to name but a few.

This mural represents 40 years of experiencing cork, a far cry from an outsider, yet born on the other side of the sea. Deep in a heritage from both sides, life so similar yet so different. A youth spent in dusty back room bars, listening to stories from my grandma of a bygone age. The illuminated bar lights on the walls outside, the melee of cheer and excitement contained within. The black booze, the white puffs of smoke, those crisps!

Introductions to wall writing from names I’d never meet to those long since gone. Friendships and lifelong connections spawned from spray painting graffiti pieces across the road in White Street Car Park. I spent many nights and long days painting in here, up ladders and my last piece of graffiti I was involved in painting there is still there as a reminder to all the residents of the new housing of the history that car park represents.

The area of South Terrace and White Street car park is one of the oldest graffiti halls of fame in Irish graffiti history so my wall is a nod to corks history but also the history of this area and the artists who have come through such as Conor Harrington, Maser, Aches and James Earley. Every visit over the years brings a new madness but a warm sense of home.”

Photographer Credit: Clare Keogh