Every organisation that was built up on passion and a love of what they do, finds themselves more and more pro-active in their work each year. Montana Cans is no exception as we strive to make the best cans on earth. But that is no excuse to reflect on all the extra curriculum activities like collaborations, festival, project and artist support that happen through the year as well. After all this helped create history.
The Montana Cans LOOKBOOK gives an outlet to remember, reflect and reward those who deserve a little extra attention with some extra glow of the spotlight. With great pleasure, we announce the online release of the Montana Cans LOOKBOOK 2019, looking back at some of the highlights of 2019.
This edition delves into many projects such as the Montana Cans limited edition cans that featured Mina & Bruce (plus interview), Felipe Pantone, Most and Flying Förtress. We reminisce on the cool collabo's we were involved in with Happy Socks, Good Guy Boris and Reebok Sneakers. We get re-inspired by feature articles on artists IMAGINE, THE LONDON POLICE, FRAU ISA, 1010 and 1UP CREW. We take a look at some of the urban art festivals that raised the bar even higher like METROPOLINK, POW!WOW ROTTERDAM and the THE BERLIN MURAL FESTIVAL. With eyes wide open we scratch under the surface of some alternative disciplines within graffiti culture. The spotlight gets turned on ABSTRACT LETTERING, GRAFFITI ON FREIGHTS and CALLIGRAFFITI.
We share some knowledge on the new products like the Montana BLACK INFRA colors and Montana BOLD marker line, which took the industry by storm. Just as the special moment that was the grand opening of the MONTANA STORE VIENNA with our industry partners CONCRETE, did. All this and more over 160 enthralling full color pages.
The artist actually
The artist actually known as… 1010 (Ten Ten). The name, the word, the numbers. It all sounds as mysterious as the artist himself, who by choice tries to stay anonymous. Most readers today are spoilt with a gamut of information when they read an article about a contemporary artist. And the lack of information makes 1010 the artist, and his art work even more intriguing and appealing. So what do we actually know about 1010? The internet tells us he was born in 1979 in Poland, moving to Germany when he was 8 years old. And that he now resides in Hamburg. In an interview below he tells us he did his first pieces in 1994. This must mean he was 15. We know first hand that Montana-Cans is a proud regular supporter of his work. His work is inspired by his old Amiga 500, cartoons, fantasy novels and comics. And the breakthrough year when his iconic wall portals surfaced in his art was 1994. It is not just his designs that are illusionary. With a clever twist of decision and fate, 1010 happily uses the Montana GOLD fluorescent colors, knowing that all fluor colors fade faster and have limited life spans against UV exposure. As the sun takes control these fluorescent colors descend back into the portals as the color tones do themselves. Illusively drawing us in further. Over recent years his popularity has exploded, as has the complexity of his artworks. A now global artist, 1010 worked at the MontanaCans supported “STADT WAND KUNST” (SWK) festival in Mannheim, Germany. The festival which has run since 2013 initiated by Alte Feuerwache Mannheim, has seen the contents of many Montana GOLD and Montana BLACK cans emptied upon the grand facades of the Mannheim streetscapes. With 16 world class murals already on it’s list, 1010 became an honorary part of the 2018 addition to this massive open air gallery. With a prolific international gallery presence as well, 1010 is in no way limited by size or scale. His illusionary black holes and organic dissenting portals move visually into a 3rd dimension that doesn’t physically exist. They function just as well in the studio as they do on the street. Whether it be on paper, canvas or any other substrate, acrylic paint, water color and even pixels in the digital realm are all tools to create for this diverse artist. We had the chance to ask 1010 a view questions—interview on the next page! 128
