HimBad: An Exclusive Interview with A.I.M.O.

First, I must tell you that I love your work. I find some of the creatures terrifying, others friendly and some, well, simply lovable. Where was the first wall you painted? First wall I painted was abandoned factory in Ghent Belgium with ROA. What is your favorite medium to use?

I like using bucket paint (latex / emulsion ) with a roller attached to extension poles / bamboo.

Then I like to go in with spray paint. That's for big murals . Otherwise I will use what ever is on hand. I also like to use the medium of imagination .

This is very important to my practice.

I do not use google image search . I do not print out a photo and laminate it and paint from that.

I do not paint with my phone in my hand constantly looking at reference material .

Once I start working on a wall I look only at the wall and watch what comes out. I never use a grid system to map out proportions, or refer to a sketch, or use a projector and colour in. I am completely free hand I do not even use edges of paper for cuts.

I do not use stencils . I get to a wall and I let the moment dictate what I paint. I am constantly amazed and grateful that people consistently put their trust in me. When people commission a wall or a painting they don't ever know what they are going to get . It's so funny. It's like buying blind . Who does that? Ha,ha,ha,ha, but Thank You!!!

This is the legacy that Himbad has left at the Eneida M. Hartner Elementary School in Miami. Photo by @SprayingBricks.

Any specific color palette you are drawn to?

I like bright colours but again I use what I have , the piece usually directed by what colours I have around. These days in terms of spray paint I'm into all the weird off tones and more complex colour palettes . But really depends what I've got on hand to use. I can use 2 colours in a piece or 200. How do you like your pieces to interact with your viewers? I like the idea to inject a bit of fantasy in their lives . I like to try make archetypal images that will invade people's subconscious . Sometimes I wana make them as terrifying as possible so mother fuckers don't paint over them ! 👹usually depends on my mood AND my life situation or the situation around the wall . If it's near a school or a community I'm unlikely to make something too scary.

I like the idea of making people smile too . There is enough misery in the world . But saying that . Sometimes I like to inject some subliminal metaphors . You won't catch me being too literal.

The HimBad house in Camden has this wonderful piece of HimBad's work.Photo by @SprayingBricks.

Have you collaborated with other street artists? If so, with whom?

Too many to mention . And a lot more to come . Sometimes it's funny when you don't share a common language but U can still communicate via the painting you are constructing . I like that .

What art hangs on your walls? In my studio only half finished paintings of mine or notes or sketches , which inevitably get added too by visiting friends / vandals. What cities do you enjoy painting in most and why?

Anywhere hot! I'm into graffitiness 😂😂😂 working on a big 3 story roller piece with 20 metre length of bamboo really gonna make you sweat, haha . I'm done painting in the cold . Not saying I won't do it again but last year during the snowpocalypse in New York I had to shovel 30 square meters of snow to get to the wall . I thought I was gonna have a heart attack! Chiangmai was a lot of fun AND the people there are really nice . People would keep coming past and bring me drinks and snacks and beer! Also they seemed really really happy to have my art there. Other places it is not so well received . I was painting in London recently and a passerby accused of damaging the wall, hahaha! London and New York people don't really give a shit . Other places I notice I'm made to feel a lot more welcome. In fact I'd say those are the two hardest cities .