Monitor: The Futurists
Accurate City Living
Words: Luke Magnuson
If we are to believe the mainstream press, graffiti culture is back in vogue. Old school writers Stash, Futura and Goldie are doing nicely, and up-and-comers such as Banksy, Heavyweight and Future Primitive are spearheading new forms of urban art. In Berlin, Thomas 'Marok' Marecki's Lodown Productions crew leads the Euro pack. Lodown incorporates a super stylish magazine, covering aspects of fashion, music and cinema, plus the obligatory sneaker section; an equally stylish Web presence, incorporating streaming radio, Lodown TV and Ambush LD95, a kind of Flash animation battleground; plus all manner of books, rare vinyl and exclusive clothing.
Chiefly inspired by "Pop Art and the Bauhaus minimalism movements," Marecki is a follower of what he calls "constructivism," or "accurate city living." He formed Lodown to "shape a format that was different and to stand out from the magazine-scape," and concedes, "There are no boundaries concerning the way we approach any specific medium to transport the ideas of Lodown." When asked about the direction of graffiti culture, Marecki explains, "The train yard days are history for me, but people of younger generations still develop their styles there. I would say it's 'naivestreettypografy,' but there are a lot of new mediums to 'bomb,' by writing your name and expressing yourself. That is the essence of graffiti and all other art forms. The future is happening today, and will be set in words tomorrow."
