00:00The walls of Johannesburg breathe with colour.
00:03A living canvas where two Graviti artists write their truths with spray cans.
00:09First up, Ted, who discovered Graviti in the stillness of lockdown.
00:14Graviti followed me in the streets during lockdown.
00:17The roads were empty, everything was open and I could have nice fresh air and just express myself in open streets.
00:24Then there's Floyd, who's got hip-hop in his veins.
00:28Graviti is like a child of hip-hop, right?
00:31It comes from that movement and culture.
00:35So for me, Graviti was always like, you know, it was always the other aspect of hip-hop that contributes to the expression of youth.
00:46They've never met before, but now they're painting each other without even looking.
00:51When they're done, their artwork will meet on two sides of the same wall.
00:54Hey, what's up, bro?
00:55What's up, man? How are you doing today?
00:57I'm good, bro.
00:59I'm good.
01:00What's your name?
01:01My name is Pat.
01:02Pat?
01:03Yeah.
01:04That's Floyd, bro.
01:05Easy Floyd.
01:06Pat and Floyd went to art school, but they weren't about following the rules.
01:11They took the Graviti route, which didn't get a thumbs up from their friends and family.
01:16How would you describe or say, like, Graviti changed your life?
01:21I was mainly behind a computer screen.
01:24Okay.
01:25Doing graphic design allowed me to step out into the bigger world.
01:30Graviti's got its battles, and these two have fought their fair share.
01:34Yeah, culture really is quite stigmatized, you know, for painting.
01:38Yeah.
01:39Even in the times I've been arrested for painting a wall, the police will ask you, why are you
01:43doing this?
01:44Just put both eyes on the wall.
01:46And have you been arrested?
01:48Yes, I am.
01:49For painting.
01:50For painting.
01:51That's interesting.
01:52I've never.
01:53Really?
01:54Yeah.
01:55So one of the things I would do in my neighborhood is that I would go in the daytime, right?
01:59And then I'd find an abandoned space, you know?
02:03And one time police did stop.
02:05They were driving past and you won't guess how it went.
02:09They were just like, hey, what are you doing?
02:11And I showed them my sketch and they were like, oh, that's interesting.
02:16And then they drove on, you know, and left.
02:19And that changed my whole perspective because I was like, oh, okay.
02:23Let me try doing this more, you know, daytime rides, you know?
02:27And would you say, do you know anyone else in your family who was an artist?
02:32None at all, man.
02:33None at all.
02:34So you can't trace maybe, yeah.
02:35I can't trace it, man.
02:36You're a very small family.
02:37Yeah.
02:38I'll be in the process of extending this family.
02:40Thank you very much.
02:41Okay.
02:43I like that.
02:44I like that.
02:45I found myself a very supportive partner.
02:48That's good.
02:49I'm in the same boat, you know?
02:51Yeah.
02:52My partner's also very supportive, you know?
02:55Three hours of listening, sketching and peeling back layers.
02:59Now it's time to face the person behind the voice.
03:03Yeah, I'm done.
03:04Are you done?
03:05Ah, fantastic, man.
03:06Let me greet you, bro.
03:08Look.
03:09Look.
03:10Ah.
03:11You made a cartoon of me.
03:13I like that.
03:14I like that.
03:15So I got a hint.
03:16You got a cap.
03:17So I tried, man.
03:18Yeah.
03:19First impression, I mean, that was fun, actually.
03:25You know, it's very reminiscent of the process of being a graffiti artist.
03:31You know, you end up, you do sometimes meet people you've never met before in any case,
03:35and you guys just jam, right?
03:38Ah, my thoughts were really painted.
03:39It was fantastic, you know?
03:41I didn't think I would get a portrait in my lifetime of myself.
03:45And I love the profile you use, you know?
03:47The side view profile was used a lot back in the days, you know?
03:50And I appreciate it a lot.
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