You were first known as a graffiti writer...
What drove you to paint trains when you were younger ?
It’s just when I did my first train I kept wanting to go back after that. It was the winter of 1982 and I was in Junior High School. I was already writing but guys in school offered me to paint trains with them. So I told my mum I was staying over at a friend’s. They told me to meet them at 8 in front of a candy store. None of them was on time, so I waited around for 4 or 5 hours that the group gather. We finally went to Brooklyn in a CC train layup. We only did the insides of the trains. I was so small at the time, they had to push me inside the cars and out of the layup afterward. The wall was so high I thought we could never get out !
Then I painted trains from 1982 to 1986 and stop until 1988 when I showed up again for two or three years.

When did you realize your work was drawing attention and lead you to commissioned works ?
I started art related works in 87, I was 17. I did stuff for the Beastie Boys and it really helped because they were big at the time. I was into graphic design and cartooning and had older friends I could always ask for help and direction like Haze. Thanks to that I did things like The Source logo.

Why did you decide to keep your writing name for your commissioned works and then switch to your civil name ?
I did not really think about it at the time, I just did it. But now I just basically use Reas as a company name. I made the switch when we did Street Market with Barry McGee and Steven Powers in 2000. We used our regular names as a distance to our graffiti that was all over the show. I kept like that since then.

How did you end doing the cover for an Iggy Pop album ?
A friend of mine was working at his studio. She saw Street Market and had the coloring book. Iggy Pop saw the book and thought "We could use one of these images". So I met him and he told me he was in that kind of images. I listened to the album and worked around it. He picked up that girl with a gun on her panty. First the label was against it but he told them: "Hey, I’ve never said anything, but for this album, this is what I want". And they let it go !

In Europe, you are best known for your graffiti and your art, but you have also worked for TV...
Do you still do some animations these days ?
I already had two shows showcased: Minoriteam and Crank Yankers. I was working on a new show until the middle of last year. It was another puppet show supposed to involve Kanye West. I designed all the puppets and the production company did the pilot. And then nothing ! It happens all the time with TV... But I still work for that kind of stuff !
I also make animations for art. I always create a few ones for every show.

Looking back at your subway cars from the ’80s , there was a lot of fun in them, as if you didn’t care of being a technic master...
And it feels you kept that style in your paintings and drawings with all the direct lines, stains, etc.
I can still do some technical stuff. But maybe my personality is showing up more like that. I kinda like when it’s crazy !

You have been busy lately exhibiting around the world. Is this new show at colette in the same line or did you take a new direction ?
There is new stuff for sure. The last two shows were about war and always with red, pink, blue and black. I definitely added more fun, crazyness and colors for this show.
Before I started this war thing I was into painting weird situations... but I’m not done yet with tanks and stuff.

It’s going to be 10 years since you did the ground breaking exhibition Street Market with Barry McGee and Steve Powers...
Do you plan another chapter ?
I don’t want to speak too fast, but yes we do think about it. There’s nothing sure at the moment, we’ll tell if everything goes right.

You have also recently been the curator for a group show in Denmark where you featured a selection of the New York art scene... Is it something you tend to do more?
The guys at V1 Gallery asked me, so we did it together. But honestly dealing with less artists would have been easier. When it comes to be at one place at a certain time with my artworks, I can do it. It’s hard to deal with other artists ego. It’s easier for me to just do me !

Do you already have some exhibition planned in the future ?
I have a few things, but nothing 100% confirmed so I will tell when it’s the right time. I would like to do some more zines and coloring books for sure. We’ll see.

Thanks Todd.
Is that finished already ? We didn’t talk about Moebius !

Do you want to ?
Yes I love Moebius... I don’t have all his comics but when I grew up all the kids around me were into his stuff. So its one of my favorite French things.

What else do you like about Paris or France ?
I’m gonna give you my top five: So Moebius is #1. I like a lot this graffiti writer Pum, the FMK guys (Supe, Diego & Seb) have a really good style too. I also like Jonone. When I first came to Paris when I was 17, it was cool to meet a New Yorker who settled here. Appart from graffiti, I have to admit, I’m a big Croque-Monsieur fan. The one they serve at Hotel Amour is simply amazing. I tried another one at Le Louvre and it was a pure disgrace to the view !

Could you live here ?
I definitely could spend some time here. Now that I came back and visited a bit, Paris is in my top five cities. And L.A. downgraded again !

Photos © Amaury Choay pour La MJC