The Arcano2 Magazine is a great publication from Milan and Venice that has been providing photos, reports and interviews from the world of hip hop and everything that goes with it. At regular intervals since 1997 they give an fantastic insight to graffiti, breakdancing and rapping especially from Northern Italy, but also from all around the world. Initially launched as Arcano Revue and with the first volume in black and white, 12 issues have now been published, meanwhile each with 218 pages and 6 posters in glossy and color. The almost little books are true masterpieces with a wealth of good background information, extensive artist profiles and stories from back of the days. The Arcano2 team put a lot of heart and soul into creating this print medium and we can highly recommend it!
In an interview, we talked to one of the creators from the Arcano2 crew and a graffiti artist himself. SAT gives us an insight into the history of the magazine, he introduces the members and the concept and you also get information about his own development as a writer and MC. Included are lots of photos of Arcano2 and the individual participants, as well as a promo video that was created for the crowdfunding for an episode in 2021.
Introduction Video to Arcano2 by SAT – Crowdfunding Promo Film
Hello SAT, we are happy to interview you about the fantastic Arcano2 Magazine. Your platform is just fantastic and in the digital age you continue to produce great print editions of urban art. First of all, tell us and the readers what this magazine actually is. So what is “Arcano2” ?
Hi guys, first of all thank you very much for this opportunity, I am I happy to be interviewed. Going to your question: Arcano2 is, since 1997, a magazine of Hip-Hop Culture, which in each edition tries to represent as best and fairly as possible what are the current realities of the main disciplines that make up this fantastic culture. Which is writing, MC-ing, DJ-ing and B-Boying. I want to emphasize the expression “as fairly as possible” because we have always tried and will always try to give space and opportunities to represent ourselves to EVERYONE, not only to our friends and acquaintances, as a sad (and sick) Italian tradition called CLIENTELISM would like instead.
Now, of course, we also want to know how it all started. Tell us more about it. How did this project and this group around it come about?
We are a group of writers, dj’s and graphic designers from the Venice and Milan area. The magazine was born in 1997 as I mentioned above, with the initial goal of printing 300 copies in black and white on photocopied paper. But at the time there were already other magazines around printed in color using the offset technique, both Italian and foreign, and so we said, “Well, why not us?” And so the mythical issue zero was born, half in color and half in black and white, on coated paper, with a print run of 1,500 copies. The beginning was hard of course: we did not know anyone and it was not easy to distribute the magazine in Italy and abroad. I can unashamedly say that issue zero was a flop, but this pushed us forward, with the desire to do more and more, and to do it better and better. So, slowly, we arrived in 2024 with issue number 12, and with a magazine-book of 218 color pages plus 6 internal posters.
Let us now take a closer look at your great publications. You publish extensive works at regular intervals. They are not really magazines, they are almost small books or photo books. A new episode was recently published. Tell us more about it.
As I mentioned above, the issue #12 (and also issue #11, an issue that came out in 2017 and thus celebrated the magazine’s 20th anniversary) has 218 pages and 6 central posters, and in fact it is more than a magazine. We can talk about a real book. It all stemmed from the desire to do more and more and better, but also from the fact that, for the last two editions, we were literally inundated with thousands of photos from Italy and abroad, so we could only publish a magazine with so many pages, in order to give the right space to everyone and to represent all the scenes, both Italian and foreign, at their best.
In the media world a lot has shifted and changed to digital content, but I always like it to hold a book or newspaper in my hands. When I can feel the paper as I turn the pages. And that’s why I know that there will always be books and print media. Maybe not as many as there used to be and it has changed, but there will still be a group of people who value books, magazines and printed matter. Tell us something about why you also value it and why you decided to print a magazine. So a “print magazine”.
It is exactly as you say, yes digital has now conquered the world and taken over almost every space, yet there is still around out there a nice group of stubborn nostalgics who love paper: and among these nostalgics we are also part of the Arcano2 staff, convinced that there is nothing more beautiful than being able to touch paper, leaf through it, look at photos of the masonry and the beautiful big trains on paper, and smell that fantastic scent of freshly printed pages.
Now tell us a few words about yourself. So about yourself as an artist. What do you paint, what kind of art do you make and how did it develop that you became part of Arcano2?
I am a writer, and I write SAT, an acronym that stands for SENZA ALCUN TIMORE (in English: “without any timor”). My first contact with Hip-Hop Culture was through rap in 1988, when together with my crewmate SLOG175 I was recording demos in my parents’ garage: so I started as an MC. Then in 1992 I started to approach the discipline of writing, which I had always enjoyed while watching graffiti in rappers’ videos or on record covers, and I started like everyone else with the first tags and rotten pieces and then, apart from a break from 2004 to 2009, I practically never stopped painting. My stylistic inspiration was almost immediately New York, thanks to the fundamental influence of the two original Milan-Treviso crews PWD-CKC, who first brought the New York style to Italy. I had the good fortune to meet CLOUT, a member from Treviso (near Venice) who was precisely part of CKC and who explained everything to me from A to Z. He teached me making sketches with SAT written on them, he showed me photos of New York, Milan and Treviso, and he introduced me to the bars-n-arrows stylistic technique, which is the basis of the New York style. Which then became Milanese, which then became Treviso, and which has come all the way to my home in Venice. All thanks precisely to CLOUT, whom I consider to all intents and purposes my mentor. As for Arcano2 (which, it should be remembered, was initially called Arcano Revue, and which, after some internal scuffles that led to the dissolution of the initial staff, became ARCANO2), I was fascinated by the (few) magazines that were around in the late 1990s, and I and my partners also felt like doing a magazine that represented the Italian and foreign writing scene. That was 1997. Today it is 2024, and the passion and desire to do all that are still the same!
Give us some more insight into the other participants and contributors to this legendary magazine. Who else is involved and what names should people know? Tell us a few sentences about the others on the team.
The other staff members are: SLOG 175 (writer and DJ), ZOR (writer and MC), FLOWS (graphic designer and writer) and IATUS (graphic designer and writer). Another important part of the team is MR.BLAZE BLAZETTI (MC and rap activist), who takes care of a rubric on the instagram account of Arcano2 that speaks about rappers and the rap scenes from all over the world. Through various “crossovers,” we are part of a variety of crews, the most important of which are KD (Kingz Destroy), DOS (Dinasty of Style) and NYSF (New York Syndrome Family). They are all top-notch artists but, first and foremost, they are among my best friends ever.
Have you also organized events or graffiti jams over the years? So something like an “Arcano2 Jam”?
Yes, we just recently did! The first proper ARCANO2 JAM took place on March 30th in 2024, with DJ NOIR’s DJ set from Prague, and live painting on canvas by SLOG175, ZOR, FLOWS, and SEOK. This was followed by the second ARCANO2 JAM that took place on April 13th in 2024, in Prague, featuring DJ NOIR, EURODEL and ORION, who is a historical writer and old-school MC from Prague, and lots of writers who created a broadside in honor of the 12th edition of Arcano2.
Above: The flyer and cover of issue #12 was designed by FLOWS – Below: SEOK from DINASTY OF STYLE for 20 years Arcano2
How exactly does it work with the photos in your magazine? Do you take them all yourself or can people send you photos? So if people read this interview here and are interested, can they send you photos themselves by email? And are there only photos from the Milan area or also photos from other places in the world?
When a new issue is in preparation, we start contacting writers via their profiles on Instagram and we ask them to send photos. And we do the same thing with the writers who will be then interviewed. I assure you that this process has a disruptive effect, because we get literally flooded with photos from all parts of the world, not just the Milan area. Everyone can send photos and everyone can be published on Arcano2. As I mentioned in a previous response earlier, our goal is to give space to everyone and represent all the graffiti scenes of the world. There is room for everyone! So to the readers: Yes, you are very welcome to send us photos to arcanodue@gmail.com.
One more question about the concept of the magazine in terms of content. You wrote that you try to cover as much of the scenes and styles as possible. How far does that go? Would you say the focus is still on graffiti? Or do you also include streetart, or paste-ups, stickers, stencils and whatever else is out there now? Do you also include these works of urban art or is it more limited to the writing?
Arcano2 is a Hip-Hop culture magazine. With due respect to the other art forms you have mentioned, streetart, stencils, etc., they are kinds of urban art which are on the street, but actually they are not part of the Hip-Hop Culture, so they hardly find space and coverage in Arcano2.
How is the graffiti scene in your area at the moment? What’s it like in Milan and the north of Italy? Is there a lot of painting going on and are there nice events? How do you feel about the situation at the moment?
In our area we are about ten writers, some of whom are very active on train and bombing. Of the situation in Milan and northern Italy I know very little because I have completely isolated myself from the rest of the Italian scene, and I keep relations with few writers outside of those who are part of my crews. However, in general I am very critical of the Italian scene, which in my opinion is dominated by writers who paint not out of passion but according to the likes they can get on Intagram or Facebook, which may be a lot (the likes), but their pieces look like shit. This state of affairs, combined with the fact that I have had various bullshit over the years and lost several friends, has made me very bitter, and has led me to isolate myself a lot from the writing world.
When you go painting yourself, where do you prefer to go? What are the best places to paint graffiti around you? Are there legal areas where you can spray freely? If other writers come to Milan or Venice, which places would you recommend to them?
My favorite place to paint has always been Bissuola Park in Mestre, which is also known as Albanese Park. It is a park with several areas where we can paint safely thanks to the permits issued by the municipality. This is by far the best place currently to paint in Mestre, and where we usually bring guests from other cities. A footnote on the subject of painting alone: I often go out and paint alone, and it is something I love very much, because I can do my piece in peace at my own pace and time. Conversely, I don’t really like painting in company at jams, because I get nervous easily if I feel I’m being watched, and I start making a lot of mistakes, from making the outline to coloring or mistakes with the final outline. These are all stages in which I need the utmost calm and concentration, otherwise the piece comes out shitty.
And some more information for writers who might visit Italy. Where can you buy spray cans and graffiti equipment around Milan and Venice? Which stores can you recommend?
In Venice now there are no more specialized stores where you can buy sprays. In Milan, on the other hand, the choice is very wide, but I would like to recommend Astrofat in Milan, which is both a store and a website. There you can find sprays of all brands and every kind of cap possible and imaginable. The store managers are also always friendly and helpful, but above all very efficient: a package usually arrives within 48 hours.
Let’s talk briefly about a special work that I find just outstanding. It’s the “World Peace Wall” as a tribute to PerOne FX, which was created together by several great artists. The wall is super awesome! Have you also been involved in it? And could it be described as a kind of an “Arcano2 production”?
I am familiar with the project but have not been fortunate enough to take part in it. As you have rightly written, this is an incredible production, a work of art of the highest level. I wouldn’t know whether to describe it as an “Arcano2 production”, however, I know for sure that it would be an honor for us to have the opportunity to publish it in a large size in our magazine.
Here is another question about a special artwork. Namely the back of your new cover. It’s not graffiti, but a fantastic one that reminds me of mangas and fantasy comics. You can see a mystical humanoid creature with plant hair like a Medusa. It’s very beautifully designed. Tell us more about this work and the artist.
The artwork was created by our friend GIORGIO FINAMORE, a Venetian artist who has been collaborating with Arcano2 for years on the back covers of our magazine. His style is precisely to harmoniously develop human and nature elements or biomechanical elements, resulting in visionary and dreamlike works. The latest productions feature retouching done with video graphics, but I assure you that this talented artist is capable of creating amazing works of art even by making simple use of a BIC pen.
You always organize big release parties with music acts, live painting and everything else that goes with the publication of your magazines. A nice jam in honor of the new release. But have you also organized exhibitions for the magazine? So something like a photo exhibition or a look behind the scenes or something like that? You’ve been doing this for a really long time now and a lot has happened over the years.
Actually to tell the truth there are not that many parties we have organized for the launch of the magazine. Something in the past, in the 1990s, and something in 2024, with a jam in Italy followed then by a jam in Prague that was a great success. The photo exhibition with an official presentation and an inevitable “behind the scenes” was actually in the works, and everything seemed favorable to its realization, but then the project foundered and nothing more was done with it unfortunately. Let’s hope well for the future.
You wrote that you started out as an MC. We’ve talked more about the magazine and graffiti so far, but tell us a bit about the music and your MC work. What do you like about it and how would you describe your style? Do you still do it at events? And do you have any music online?
Aside from the various demos I made with SLOG175 and other friends in my parents’ garage in the late 1980s, and a few songs recorded in a real recording studio in the 1990s, I abandoned MC activity for years, until 2014, when the flame returned and I started self-producing CDs in the recording studio of some friends in Mestre and Padua: thus were born STYLIN-014, TROJAN HORSE, a play on words with my surname which is precisely HORSE, and finally BASTARD WITHOUT GLORY (ENGLISH BASTERD), with a clear reference to Tarantino’s film. These are clearly non-professional products that I made just for fun, and of which I printed a hundred copies to give as gifts to friends. With the due clarification that I am only a beginner as an MC, my style is powerful and aggressive, and most of my lyrics deal with important issues such as poverty, prostitution, pedophilia, and all the problems and injustices that my country, Italy, suffers from, which in my opinion is not a true Western democracy, but a “soft dictatorship” led by the Mafia and corrupt politicians and devoid of any ideals.
You’ve been in the hip hop and graffiti world for a very long time, an old schooler. You have many years of experience and have also observed this world intensively. What are your impressions of the development of the scene in your home country? In the beginning, it was certainly a lot of hype and simply an energetic wave that spilled over from the USA to Europe. There was a lot of enthusiasm. But you also wrote a few critical sentences about the more recent developments. If you look back from the beginning to today, how do you think the graffiti scene has progressed?
As I mentioned earlier, it was all truer in the beginning because everything was more difficult: finding decent sprays to paint, finding spots to paint, finding trade magazines, getting to know other writers and making yourself known with the limited means available. But I remember that every jam was a real party, and it was precisely a great opportunity to make yourself known, meet other writers, exchange photos and phone numbers, and arrange to see each other again and paint in another city. Now everything is within everyone’s reach, sprays and caps are made especially for writers, and becoming famous is as easy as drinking a glass of water: on social media certain writers have thousands of followers even if they make rotten pieces. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not an anti-modernist, it’s good that certain things have changed and become more affordable for everyone. But one should never forget that passion and the evolution of one’s style always come before personal fame and success.
A new phenomenon that has just come along with the digital age is the internet and all these social media channels on which everyone can present themselves. On the one hand, these are interesting new tools that allow you to reach a lot of people, but on the other hand, these new media also have a lot of negative aspects. You have already described how many people are only interested in likes and that it changes things in terms of quality, idealism and protest. Tell us something about your view on it and how you perceive this.
I have already partly answered this in the previous question, but some additions. I see the new tools on the one hand as an excellent opportunity to get to know each other and spread one’s style, but from another point of view I perceive in them an extreme pursuit of form over substance, or if you prefer, of fame at the expense of genuine love and passion for culture. Like all things, the internet and social networks have their pros and cons. And it is up to the intelligence of individuals how these powerful tools are used. In the part about how to send us photos and how we connect with writers, it also shows an example for good and helpful usage of social media.
What are the next plans? When will the next magazine be published and what dates should readers mark in their calendars? Are there any graffiti jams coming up in the near future?
Our plans are to continue to release Arcano2 in magazine-book format, to represent as many writers and as many scenes as possible. I don’t think we’ll be able to do a new issue before 1 or 2 years, for technical but mostly financial reasons. It’s not easy to recover printing and shipping costs in a short time. But for us of course quantity doesn’t matter but quality: few editions, but big and powerful ones. As for jams, there is something big in the near future in the near term, but for now it is only a “project on paper,” so I prefer not to give you too many details about it yet.
INFOTHEK
Hip Hop Magazine: ARCANO 2
Email: arcanodue@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arcano2magazine
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcano2magazine
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@arcano2400
Artist: SAT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sat_nysf_dos_kd
Artist: SLOG 175
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danilo175kingsdestroy
Artist: ZOR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fab.bountybee
Artist: FLOWS
Artist: IATUS
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iatus
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salvatore_lavieri
Behance: https://www.behance.net/salvatore_lavieri
Artist: MR.BLAZE BLAZETTI
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@arcano2400
Photo & Video Credits: ARCANO2 CREW
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