Graffiti artist Alec Monopoly: It’s important to keep changing

SINGAPORE — Dressed in a T-shirt, black pants and wearing a toothy grin on his stubbled face, you would never know that the man who walked in through the glass doors for our interview was renowned American graffiti artist Alec Monopoly, whose contemporary works are highly coveted by the rich and famous.

In fact, you would probably walk right past the 29-year-old on the street, and that is just the way he likes it. The only indication of his identity was his worn black top hat and a red bandanna tucked securely in his pocket, which he swiftly whipped out to tie around his face when this reporter said she needed to shoot clips of the interview.

We were speaking at new restaurant Raven at Chijmes, which he co-owns with two others — his former clients-turned-good-pals. But beyond legal reasons, remaining anonymous allows him “to be free” and to paint wherever he likes, he said. “Socially, it’s great, too, because I can take off the mask and the hat and I can live a normal life ... I can live two different lives.”

While the “regular person” side of him is one who pretty much chills over coffee or lunch, he gets into his “Alec Monopoly mode”, which he describes as one that is “very high energy”. “When I’m painting graffiti mural in the studio, I’m moving a million miles a minute, I’m working on everything and running around, I’m always moving.”

You can see Monopoly’s famous touches all over the restaurant and the nightclub next door Rakes, which the trio also own. A white piano there was entirely painted over in layers, first with graffiti lettering spray-painted on it, followed by his signature Monopoly Man and Richie Rich characters, and black raven motifs printed on with acrylic paint, before the work is sealed with resin.

The process took him four days. Over at the men’s room of Rakes, an entire wall has been given the same treatment, covered entirely with wild splashes of colours and motifs.

Why the Monopoly Man and Richie Rich? He said these characters serve as inspiration for people to work harder to try and acquire wealth and prosperity. While he started out using these motifs as a social commentary of what was happening in Wall Street and the consequences of greed, it gradually transformed into a symbol of positivity, he added.

“I’ve changed a lot as an artist. I feel that it’s very important to always be growing and developing and changing; that’s what makes art interesting. You’re not just doing the same thing,” he said.

Still, he prefers to leave it to people to interpret the characters and murals themselves. “For me, I like to leave my messages open, I think that’s the beauty of art — that people can draw their own conclusions.”

Monopoly is well aware that graffiti is still not widely accepted worldwide, so don’t expect him to test the boundaries in Singapore. “I’m very respectful of the cultures and the countries that I visit. Here in Rakes, with the big walls inside, I’ve been able to express myself in ways that are positive ... rather than being destructive and causing trouble out there,” he said.

“I do that at home. I save that for when I’m back in America,” he quipped.

The New York-born artist, now based in Los Angeles, has worked on several high profile collaborations, such as with W Hotel, Rolex and EDM artiste Avicii. The recent partnership with Forever 21 saw the launch of a limited-edition collection of apparel and accessories, where the brand’s Times Square store was also wrapped entirely in his artwork.

But, has he gone and turned a gritty art form into something too commercialised? Monopoly feels he has instead “bridged the gap”. He used to be like many graffiti artists, who didn’t care about money and just wanted to focus on their work in the streets, he recalled.

“But, Andy Warhol had an amazing quote: ‘Business is art’. So, to become a successful artist you have to be good at business as well, and marketing to reach new audiences. And that’s why I’m here today,” he said.

Ultimately, Monopoly said he simply wants to take graffiti to the next level. “Art is all about being original, pushing the boundaries, doing new things ... graffiti is evolving in a way where it’s accepted.”