Graffiti Piece

The 1990s were a golden era for hip-hop. In Bologna, Italy, a teenager named Filippo Fero fell in love with the entire culture.
Where else could he find art, dance, and music all in one package? He originally started out with breaking, but like his father, he had always drawn. So when an older graffiti writer brought him along on a job, he was quickly hooked.

Filippo’s style is classic — he aims to stay close to original graffiti. At the same time, he always strives to add something uniquely his own, like connecting letters in ways he hasn’t seen before.

The challenge for the piece he created with us was the shape: a nearly square door. Not the most typical surface, since graffiti pieces are usually more rectangular, like a word. Although it was a challenge, he appreciated it. Filippo had to figure out new connections, more overlaps, and different movements in the letters. It’s precisely this exploration of style that he loves most about graffiti. He sees graffiti as a study of style. In theory, you should be able to write any letters and people would still recognize that it’s you — because your style is unique. How you draw the letters, how you make them move, how you connect them — that, according to Filippo, is the true essence of graffiti culture.

Filippo encourages all young people to find their own passion. For him, hip-hop culture has always been something to fall back on. It has given him goals to reach, a sense of belonging, and guidance throughout his life.