Written by Bria Evans
When the term "art legend" is referenced, it is a rare occasion to hear a female name generate among the names that are called out. We have all heard of Banksy, JR, Andy Warhol, Basquiat, and so on, but do you know the world-renowned graffiti artist, MadC? If you do, wonderful but if not, then that’s why I’m here. MadC is one of the art world’s top living legends as she has used hundreds of walls on this earth as her personal canvas for her masterpieces. In fact, one of those masterpieces includes a 700-foot wall that she completed on her own…without any help. Yes, her mind-blowing artwork makes her mad but it is her humble aura, which defines the line between the madness and Claudia.
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Bria: How was your life growing up as young Claudia in Germany?
MadC: I was born in Germany, but I actually grew up in Ethiopia. I loved living there; I loved the people, the nature and the weather. Germany is my base but I never really felt at home there. That is probably one important reason why I travel so much.
B: What influences did you have that led you to the world of street art?
M: I started painting and drawing at a very early age. Creativity was always an important outlet for me. When I heard about the graffiti subculture, I realized that this was a unique chance to involve my talent in painting with a subculture that gives you an identity. And I think identity is what every teenager is looking for.
B: The “500-Wall” is one of your most famous pieces, but what other pieces do you consider your best work? And why?
M: I'm never completely satisfied with my work and therefore I don't have a best piece of work. However, I can see my own progress and that's where I see the 500 Wall as an important piece. It was a wall where I transferred my canvas work to a very large scale. In this work, I tried to catch the emotion of painting and at the moment that's more important to me than showing characters or stories.
B: What do you use as your muse for creating art?
M: Silence, space (my large studio, going outdoors...) or motion (driving my car or flying to places)
B: How did storytelling become the core focus of your artwork?
M: I love books and have been reading since the first grade. Now I listen to audio books while I'm painting. Books can transport you into new worlds and have the power to make you forget reality for a little while. I wanted to do the same with some of my walls. But as I already mentioned, right now I try to get to the core of the emotions rather than the story. That's a bit more challenging.
B: Has the graffiti art community changed their reception of female artists from when you first started? If so, can you describe the transition of female artists from your own journey?
M: I believe so. But I never focused on the gender thing. I tried to be accepted for the artist I was/am and not as the woman. And usually the way you approach people influences the way they approach you in return. So I never had big issues or problems because of it. But in general, I can see that there are more girls painting now than there was 15 years ago. That way men are also getting more used to it and don't make an issue out of it.
B: What has been your biggest triumph in your career so far, either creatively and/or personally?
M: I have been working extremely hard for many years. Nowadays I am able to paint every single day and on top of it, I can pay my bills with it. I hardly make any compromise in life and can just live the life I always wanted. I think this doesn't happen to many people and I'm very grateful for it.
B: Some artists can separate their alter egos from their personal lives, and then, there are others who don't have personal lives because it’s consumed by their alter ego. How do you separate MadC from Claudia?
M: Even though MadC is there every day, I do have a personal life separated from it. This is mainly thanks to my closest friends who are not any artists or graffiti artists. I can easily travel without painting and just experience a country from a different point of view than the artist perception. The same goes for talks with my friends and family. I think this is very important or it would be much harder to get inspired.
B: One of the unique things about you is that you didn’t just learn art from the streets, you actually earned a Masters degree in Graphic Design. Does it benefit an artist when they combine their design talents with a formal education? Do you recommend it or not?
M: I actually don't really know how much the Master degree helped me on the way. I already painted a lot before I studied and I learned more from observing my surroundings, from understanding how objects and images work or how colors are combined. When I studied, I just learned observing from a professional point of view, but I honestly think that it isn't a necessary step for other artists. What I learned at University that helps me in my daily life is working within set guidelines, how to approach projects and how to document them as well as how to make them happen at all.
B: Typography and letter fonts are the core of the graffiti art culture, but you upped it a level when you wrote books that truly highlighted their significance. Why did you deem it important for people to gain exposure to typography?
M: I think fonts are incredibly important without people really realizing it. Just imagine a handwriting and how different it can be. If some unknown person sends you a note in curly handwriting, you will immediately have a feeling for the personality of this person. The same counts for the graffiti culture. You can clearly make out the personality of a graffiti artist through his/her pieces. In our society graffiti has been misused as a tool for politicians and to make negative propaganda. This is why people stopped looking and just saw it as dirty scribbles. I wanted to hand back a key to people to open their eyes and see all the creativity and emotions that are locked inside letters. That's why I made Street Fonts [typography book].
B: Are there any aspirations you want to achieve either inside/outside of street art that you have not brought to fruition yet?
M: I want to give street art a chance to have more acceptance in the classic art world. There's quite a lot of other artists paving this way right now as well. I just think it will give the generations that follow an even wider range of possibilities. They can either keep it in the streets and have a totally different day job, or they can make art their life through graffiti and street art. Just to have this choice is a wonderful thing I think.
B: As a living legend in the graffiti art culture, what is your perception of the profound history that you have made in this world so far?
M: My world is like a playground where I find new places to play with all the time. I don't think about myself in the graffiti culture or in the big picture in general. I don't think this would be good for my ego or my art. It's important that I focus on my ideas and that I want those ideas to come to life. When you start thinking about pleasing others, selling or becoming famous, your art will become lifeless and random and it definitely won't make you happy.