MontanaCans LOOKBOOK 2023 Issue #8
It's that time again to welcome the release of the Montana Cans Lookbook 2023 edition #8. There is no rewind button on life, making it all the more important to reflect on the year that was, and the things that happened during that period. The Montana-Cans Lookbook does just that and reflects on some of the highlights from the year prior. A moment to reflect on those things that may not have received as much shine as they deserved while being "in the moment".
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MCWhat was your favorite
MCWhat was your favorite Montana BLACK Artist Editioncan previous to your own?LAIAI don’t have a distinct favorite can because there aremany that I like. Especially those where the designincorporates the bare metal of the can and the color isvery metallic. I love those! I consider that they are allincredible, so I cannot say some names and forgetothers that also deserve it.MCYou seem to have a healthy thirst for travel. In youropinion, are you running to something, or running awayfrom something? What comes first, the destination, orthe reason to go there?LAIATraveling is my Number 1 passion! Well actually travelingand painting, so when the two things come togetherit is incredible. My parents have always loved to travel,so I started traveling when I was very young. Theyalways took me with them everywhere they went in theworld. It is like collecting, I need to collect memories ofplaces that I have visited and after visiting one place, Ineed another, and another, and another.I also believe that it is a very healthy way to escape themonotony of day-to-day problems. And as a bonus,when I travel I feel that I enrich my head and my personwith new experiences, cultures, smells, flavors, history,etc. It is super enriching, no matter destiny. It onlymatters to move my ass to the other side! I do not planto leave this earth until I have traveled over all of it!MCOf all the commercial projects you have worked on thatare graffiti based or related to graffiti, what were thebest and the worse?I do not plan to leave this earth untilI have traveled over all of it!LAIAI don’t know how to explain exactly which is the worst orbest. Many people valuable the best because of theamount of money or fame they have gained. Or the jobswhich made them the most famous within the game.For me, the best jobs are those where I have learned themost and was treated the best as a person. Even if I waspainting a freebie for example. Sometimes the best jobsare the worst ones. And the worst the best.I value the human treatment and interaction behind eachproject and I have participated in other so-called incredibleprojects in which I was left feeling empty inside whenthey were over. There were other projects with very littleto no budget that I would do again even now.MCWhere do you see the commercialization of graffitigoing? Do you think the artists are in control of theirdestinies or is business steering public art of this typein the direction they want it to go?In general, I think it’s great thateveryone does what they want withtheir work, I’m not one of thosewriters who thinks that when you sellyour work “you’re no longer real”.LAIAWell, I think the world is going a little crazy with this. Ithink businesses are running too much without knowingwhat they are doing. For example, they have managed tocall anything “graffiti” now. There are too many “Graffiti”festivals where the artists are muralists who have nevertouched a spray can, and none of them say “Hey! We aremuralists, not graffiti writers”, because it suits them. Soit’s a cycle that doesn’t end and it is expanding. Thisoften leaves the graffiti writer in a bad place becausethe world has now “learned” that graffiti is also a hugeface painted on a building with brushes. So why hire awriter to draw some letters?In general, I think it’s great that everyone does what theywant with their work, I’m not one of those writers whothinks that when you sell your work “you’re no longerreal”. I don’t care, I sell my work and I’m doing projects, soI’m marketing the work and myself. But I’m never going togo away from my initial values and the great respect Ihave for all of this that the writers like myself call graffiti.I think you can have control of your work, it’s just aboutaccepting or rejecting the right things. Even though businessesand institutions are directing this where they want.MCWhat is your favorite Montana Cap and can combinationand why?LAIAI always paint with Black and I only use two Caps. Themedium fat for filling, details, background, etc. And thestandard cap on the can for outlines and highlights.Nothing more. When I started there was very little variety,and I got used to it. I grew up like this. I don’t need more.Some interesting perspectives and a lot to think aboutfor any artists entering the commercial space with theirartwork regardless of their gender. We can assume thatmore artistically innovative and classic works are goingto come from the wonderful mind of LAIA. Will she everembrace the bubble background, and how will she steerher passion and career from here? Watch this space…26 Black Artist Edition/Interview Laia
Even though size isn’teverything, it doeshave its benefits ifyour an artist like LAIAand your work has toburn with only threecontrasting colors.Black Artist Edition/Interview Laia27
