Today’s “Best Of’s” come from a
terrific group of people including Blek Le Rat, Eko, Prism, Jason from Vapors
Magazine, Chun 1, PMH.

Favorite Event of 2003:

Blek Le Rat: On the first of january 2003 at about 7 o’clock in the morning, I and Jurgen Grosse from urban-art info in Berlin, stuck a big poster on the mythical place called “Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin.” Sybille and Alexandre, were also there. It was kind of surealistic. We were not more than 5 people, protesting against the war. The poster stayed in the place for about two months. One morning it then disappeared ..





Eko: (from Ekosystem.org)The birth of my son Merlin.



Chun1: WOM + SCA crews jointly exhibition (in japan.. saw the pics in a japanese magazine.. stoked!!!)

Prism: (from Strencilrevolution.com) Empty Show 2, Camberwell (http://www.sattastudio.com/_temp/stncl/media/empty_show2/empty_show2 .html)

Jason (from Vapors Magazine): Splash Festival (Chemnitz, Germany) Friendly Fire Tour (Germany), Stereo Skateboards Artshow (S.F.), Agenda Trade Show (San Diego)

PMH: The First Finders Keepers event. The best summer street party ever, and i was one of those responsible. It, to me, marked the beginning of summer, the beginning of finders keepers, my first art show, my new direction in my new style, made new friends and basically was so off the hook it hurt. aside from that, i guess seeing legenday band ‘radio birdman’ live was cool, even though it looked liked a band of jimmy saville lookalikes, but cool never the less…

Favorite Artist of 2003:

Blek Le Rat: Charles Edward
from CUE, L’Atlas from Paris France, She one, Adam Neate ,SO6 from France,
Banksy.

Eko: Wim
Delvoye and his machine to make real shit

Chun1: With
One, Kid Acne, Totem2, Sawasdeeeee

Prism: SYNC and href="http://stencilrevolution.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=8809&papass=&so
rt=1">Reka One

Jason: Man, I’m gonna have to go with
Seen. He’s a classic and a person that will make the art history books. This
year he diversified a bit and really flipped his style while staying true to his
roots. The fact that he is able to adapt to current trends without losing an
ounce or respect or stray away from the essence of his style keeps me his
biggest fan.

PMH: if there is one artist who sums up 2003 to
me…..who has constantly been killing it in a new and unique way, and that
epitomises 2003 for me….well i think its…..well i dont think there is one to
be honest. there were some highlights but nobody that jumps out to me now.
george bush or tony blair for being con artists??? actually come to mention it
ive been knocked out by swoon this year - big up swoon!!!!!!

Favorite New Artist of 2003 (an artist who you did not know of last year):

/>Blek Le Rat: CUE, L’ Atlas

Chun1: Esow

/>Prism: Medium

/>Jason: Freaklub. I love dem’ freaks. Big shouts to Wooster and Eko
for turning me on to them. I’m not gonna front, the internet sites turn me on to
nuff artists.

PMH: probably David Choe. truly one of
those people who makes you think about throwing in the towel because you think
youll never be at that standard, but then you turn round and it boosts you and
raises your game 10 notches higher than you thought possible. did i mention his
arts super dope? well it is. Check out his books, cursiv and bruised fruit.
Bruised fruit is better, but cursiv is still 100% times better than most shit
out on art book shop shelves.

Favorite Piece of Art of 2003:

/>Blek Le Rat: Charles Edward from CUE (law of the jungle) and SO6 (his
work about the derelicks from paris)

src="http://www.woostercollective.com/images/people-for-peace.jpg">

/>

/>Eko: This href="http://www.ekosystem.org/0_Images/Streets/italy/le_cover_7.jpg">piece from
Le cover crew from Italy was one of my favourites.

Chun1:
Sever-Totem-Esteme.. fucking nice! respect!

Prism:
That’s just way too hard. Here’s a photo of my latest stencil instead!
/>
Jason: Our issue 19 cover by Freaklub.

src="http://www.woostercollective.com/images/19-cover.jpg">

/>PMH: There is not one piece individually that i can choose, because
there’s so many. could be chimps output at the first finders keepers, whoever
goes round doing stencils under the name ‘SHANKSY’ (the make of a british
toilet), i thought some of the regular suspects output was awesome - kaws,
hecox, kevin lyons…, whoever did the outkast sleeve with the photoshop picture
of andre 3000 as a studly horse, some new peter blake joints…sorry too many to
even start listing

Favorite New Product of 2003:

Eko:
There were 2 kind of people in 2003, people wearing Flying Fortress T-shirt
and the others.

Chun1: Pocky Banana Choco! yeah!! For
Monkeys!!!

Prism: href="http://www.biffleys.com/Novelty/pictures/instantsmellyshit.jpg">Shit in a
can

Jason: Oh, the Nokia sidekick. I get my email and
peep the wooster site wherever I am including international.
I also bought
a used Nikon D1 and somehow ended up with a Yashica T4.

PMH:
my spanking new arkitip DCs by evan hecox…black and pink is my colourway,
added with one of my fav artists, well its a sureshot formula that hits bullseye
with a capital B. runners up - amercian forces iraqi wanted playing cards, my
sisters new g4 laptop (ive been computerless for too long), salt and vinegar
snack a jacks crisps….oh and some arkitip free gifts - phil frost ball, ssur
drinks mats

Favorite Toy of 2003:

Blek Le Rat: my
PowerBook mac G4

Eko: Just like the last 4 years, my digital
camera.

Chun1: i only play with my ol’ dirty BMX =P
/>
Prism: Living Dead Dolls!

Jason: Hot Toys
SDU Hong Kong

PMH: my 400% KAWS chompers. kaws is another
great, but i wasnt feeling the rabbit one or the michalin man, but this came
along it hit my switches. my style is influenced by Heinz Edelmann who did the
yellow submarine art. I had a cache of old pyschadelic kids books from when i
was a kid and they are a big influence on me now, and this toy is clearly on the
same wavelength as me and i love it. its like if michael barrymore had a toy
that goes with his thoughts itll probably be a pair of water wings, so things
dont go down in swimming pools…

Favorite CD of 2003:

/>Blek Le Rat: NTM , Mafia trece, i am

Eko: I
haven’t been impressed by many records this year. Most of my favorite records
were mixes and compilations. Nevertheless Dizzee Rascal ( Boy In Da Corner )
sounded pretty new.

Chun1: Snoop Doggy Dog “Doggystyle”
(sorry i was captured in the ‘93.. )

Prism: Lars
Frederiksen & The Bastards

Jason: Dizzee Rascal and the
Rapture

PMH: favourite cd??? probably an old cd that gets
rinsed…manu chao ‘clandestino’ as i dont have many that dont skip regularly
and that pisses me off….i am a vinyl man and ive been rocking the new outkast
joint (its like the harry potter books - everyone in the free world rocks it),
new dirtbombs LP, new black moon LP, kitsune love,the darkness LP….
/>

Favorite Website of 2003

Blek Le Rat: I don’t want to
lie so wooster on first and definitively google

Eko: href="http://www.suprnova.org/">http://www.suprnova.org/

/>Chun1: href="http://www.mistercartoon.com">www.mistercartoon.com

/>Prism: href="http://WWW,stencilrevolution.com">stencilrevolution.com!

/>Jason: href="http://WWW.margretcho.net/blog">margretcho.net/blog Her blogs are
insane. catchdubs.com too.

/>PMH: www.popbitch.com for the
message board. beware no holds barred!

What do you most want for Christmas?

Blek Le Rat: Maybe the new power mac G5

Eko: A not too boring familly diner.

Chun1: finished the bloody midterm exam and go chillin’ with my lil’ Momo

Prism: I don’t celebrate Christmas.

Jason: A Nikon D type 24mm lens

PMH: a winning lottery ticket or a nintendo power glove

What is your New Year’s wish?

Blek Le Rat: as Tristan said? peas on earth?

Eko: Fuck 2003 !! It was so dark, we can only hope it will be a bit better (more peace, more love, more art), but i must admit i’m not very optimistic…

Chun1: peace, love and bombing!!!

Prism: Paint more. Party hard. Health and happiness.

Jason: I wish that our fucking magazine breaks even next year

PMH: may 2004 be bigger and better that 2003 !!!! and my my plans go better than…er..planned!

How will you be spending the Holiday’s this year? / What will you be doing for New Years Eve?

Blek Le Rat: I don’t know yet, i usually decide always at the last moment what I am going to do .

Chun1: Preparing for the exam.. damn i hate it. and my comrade With is coming back to Bangkok, we gonna paint some more then, yeah, surely show u guys the pic later!

Prism: My holidays will be spent relaxing, travelling and painting. On New Years no doubt I will be drinking and smoking too much, no matter where I am.

Jason: My daughter is having a New Years party with her friends and we are the “help.” Other than that I am going to be relaxing with family and plotting for the 2004 takeover.

PMH: well i;m at a pikey work that only gives us bare minimum time off so ill be at work most days…but hopefully it’ll be a haze of booze, mistletoe, mulled wine, scarfs and lots of food. new years ill be in bristol with my girlfriends family, slowly getting fuckered. sweet jesus, lets get rowdy….