Today we introduce you to a fantastic artist from Uzbekistan, who has been upgrading and changing the walls in the streets of his country for years with terrific urban art. This article is about INKUZART and his beautiful, reflective and also provocative artworks on Uzbek facades.
Some artworks look like they were done in some kind of stencil style, but INKUZART does all his paintings from scratch purely with brushes only. Also really cool are the videos that are available for many of his artworks on his Youtube channel. Some of those videos are included here, but there are many more, check it out. In fast motion you can see the creation process and you can follow how the artist proceeds the colorful doings till the artwork is finished.
We talked to INKUZART in an interview about his creative world and his messages. Below you can find the written conversation peppered with several images of his great works. As always, all contact info to the artist and his channels are linked at the end in the Infothek.
The art which you do is stencil like, sometimes small, but sometimes as well in very big format. How do you create the artworks? Since you don’t have any gradients or transitions in the colors, but this stencil style, you can certainly make the works with all colors and materials, right? So also with brushes or other instruments.
Mostly or I can say almost all my artwork is done with brushes. First of all, I am doing some outline with pencil on a wall. And after that I am drawing with brushes according to those lines, but I am trying my best to do it as fast as possible at night. As I am drawing with brushes, there are not only pop-art styles, but also artworks with a reality to transitions. You can see that for example especially on my artwork named “The Brown Eye” or “Einstein”.
Your artwork is simple but provocative. You transport critical messages in your works and make people think and question. There is not a beautiful bird painted with a lot of different colors. It is stencil with mostly a lot of black and easy lines, but your works have certain statements and give the observer impulses. You paint criticism, but also motivate others to perceive more critically.
I would really love to show to my nation a mirror to the reality in my artworks. Of course, it is a risky thing to do, but the problems of the society are above my threat.
You live in Uzbekistan and spread your artwork all over the country. Sometimes large and obvious, sometimes small and hidden. Are there more urban artists or graffiti sprayer in the country?
I would really love to have more street artists in Uzbekistan, but unfortunately there are only a few, and most of the other existing artists are working on commercial basis.
Are there any legal spray sites in Uzbekistan? So really officially allowed places where you can spray?
In Uzbekistan doing streetart is prohibited by the law. And there is no kind of open place for artists anywhere to draw legally.
How did you get involved with art in the beginning? When did that start? And when did you think, ok, now I will also do this on the street too?
In fact, I dont have an art education, but from my childhood I used to draw with black pen on a paper, and sometimes I am still doing that. During the pandemic period, I also wanted to experiment to paint on a wall and go beyond the paper. I also wanted that all the others could see the artwork as well.
Are you more a single wolf who paints alone or are you also in a group, a collective or a crew?
I paint alone. Because what I am doing is dangerous. And drawing with a group could be against to my position. So for me it is better to do my thing by myself.
What happens if you are caught by the police while painting?
As it is illlegal in my country, I will be arrested for vandalism. It is up to the circumstances, but if they want, they can just remove me. But I dont want to think about it.
What about the population and their perception of urban art? Do other people see it at all and how do they think about it?
My streetart is recognized in society, but most of them are removed by the government quickly, because it is causing a resonance among the people.
In which places in the country have you painted and where can your artworks be found?
Most of my artworks can be found in the Chilanzar disctrict in the capital city Tashkent.
You also make stickers and have put them in many places around the world. There are even some at the pyramids in Egypt.
This was the promotional video of my NFT collection. The reason why we have sticked them on vary occasional places was to admit that Uzbeks are everywhere in the world.
You also designed characters for the stickers and created them digitally.
I wanted to create typical Uzbeks on various variations, and it was all done in similar variations only with the simple basic program Windows Paint, haha, lol.
You have come to the decision not only to paint for yourself, but also to stimulate other people with your art and make them think more about issues. Do you think it has an effect?
All of my artworks on the streets are causing a resonance in society.
Do you think art can have an effect to wake people up politically as well?
I believe that the effect is not in doubt and I think that my works of art are kind of causing domino effects.
What about the provision of color materials and cans? Are there any stores or ways to get spray cans where you live easily?
It is not a big problem and you can get equipment and material easy.
Are there other artists who have influenced or inspired you?
As I have no art education, I dont know much about other artists, but from foreign artists I really love works of Leonardo da Vinchi.
INFOKTHEK
Artist: INKUZART
Website: https://inkuzart.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkuzartanonymous
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkuzart
Twitter: https://twitter.com/inkuzart
Telegram: https://t.me/inkuzart
Opensea: https://opensea.io/inkuzart
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@inkuzart6
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