Version En

Ceet Fouad, 39, is a jack of all trades. Over the years, Fouad has built an impressive portfolio showcasing work from his days with his home town crew, Trumac extending his talents from DJing to graphic design from his one true love of graffiti. Fouad hails from Toulouse, South of France but originates from North Africa. His interest in graffiti and his career in graffiti took 5-6 years to initiate however once the wheels were in motion, nothing can stand in the way of Fouad and his artistry. We caught up with Fouad to get a deeper insight on the inner workings of his graffiti mind:

What does graffiti represent for you? Painting on the walls, canvas, train.
When I first started to graffiti I didn't think about what the audience could perceive from my work but the more I got into it and the more experience I got from it, I realized that through graffiti, those that liked my work understood what graffiti stands for. And of course in time, my work represented an expression of that understanding. Graffiti to me is like a representation of what I like to call "the ego-less man", this meaning that every graffiti artist can find a wall and paint a piece of himself on it for display without any fear of a curator undermining their work or passing judgment. If the audience liked your work, in a sense they like you, the artist. Of course, one has to understand and appreciate that you cannot please everybody and not everyone is going to like your work however, you will undoubtedly find one that does. Who knows that one person could turn out to be a property developer and hire you to paint ever wall in the building!

What would you like to say to those who don't understand graffiti? Don't be afraid. Open your minds. Take in someone else's view, consider someone else's perception of the truth, realize that from another's point of view or angle, the truth may look different. But to shut yourself off from not even considering that there may be another path to the truth is silly, foolish. We are all players of the same game called life. The difference between you and I are the different versions of the game, so you could be playing the 80s version but with me, when you're part of the graffiti world, your game is always the one thats one step ahead. Always got to be ahead of the game. [smiles]

Where would you like to see graffiti in 10 years time? Back on the streets where it started and originated from.

Where do you see yourself then in 10 years time? The same. [laughs] More graffiti, more art and more expression of myself through my artwork. I am concentrating all my efforts and strengths into my two artistic passions which are DJing and graffiti. So hopefully in 10 years time I am doing those two with perfection and ease.

Now looking back on your work, you've clearly matured in your artwork. Is there any difference between canvas and graffiti to you? Yes of course. Not just on a technical aspect but on an emotional and mental aspect as well. When you do graffiti on a wall, you are rarely doing one on your own. So it's a big group of us mixing colors together, exchanging mindsets, where we're at on our space of the wall and where we are progressing to. I guess the best way to describe it is an orgy of artists only without the actual sex! Now when I do work on canvas, I'm more centered, focused and meticulous. Because every inch, centimeter and millimeter is mine, a representation of me, I work very hard to make sure that its a true and accurate depiction of that.

Which do you prefer to work on? Graffiti on the walls of course! That goes without saying! But my finest work is on canvas. And when this is your bread and water sometimes you just gotta put your brothers aside and concentrate on number one. As much as we all would love to sell a wall, that belongs to the streets, it belongs to the community so I do have to be realistic and that's where my canvas work comes in.

What words of wisdom would you like to say to the younger generation? Hey you there, listen. The only way to do something, whether it be in the world of graffiti or DJing or any kind of art form, you have to be patient. And this is very important. Being patient and focusing, especially on finding that one style. When you have found that one style, you then have to be patient in the perfection of it. You have to be able to grow with it, it has to be able to grow with you and take on new technologies and hurdles that life takes on. This is really really important because this one style is and becomes your bread and water.

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Version Fr

Fouad Ceet, artiste graffiti d'origine marocaine, né en 1971, Il passa son enfance à Toulouse ; très tôt il montra des aptitudes pour le dessin et les couleurs, et dès la fin des années 80, il a choisi le graffiti comme unique activité et approche les différentes techniques picturales, notamment le dessin et la calligraphie. Autodidacte, Ceet a su développer un style propre à lui, un mélange de 3D, d’abstrait et de figuratif. En 2002 Ceet a l'opportunité de se former en peinture à l'huile et à la sculpture. Cette nouvelle méthode enrichit son travail actuel de nouvelles possibilités.

Utilisant différentes techniques de peinture, il a su se détacher par son style et ses techniques des autres artistes graffiti.

Aussi sculpteur et designer, Ceet a réalisé des partenariats avec de grandes marques comme Adidas, Prada, Lancel...

Ceet a participé à de nombreuses expositions comme la Biennale d’Art Contemporain de Hong Kong, Lyon, expose au Musée d'Art Contemporain de Vienne, Musée du Centre National Jean Jaurès (Castres/FRANCE), etc... Quelques unes de ses œuvres ont été acquises par le Musée d'Art et Traditions Populaires de Paris.

Après avoir fait le tour du monde et peint des murs et trains dans les 4 coins de la planète, Fouad Ceet a décidé de s’installer en Chine où il trouve une grosse partie de son influence actuelle. Ceet a aussi décidé de promouvoir son art qu’est le graffiti en Asie. Son seul but étant de peindre et de créer en utilisant l’espace public pour s'exprimer avec ou sans permission.

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