Carbon Festival has without a doubt been one of Team Invurt’s favourite events over the last few years – showcasing some of the world’s most successful creatives at the top of their game. Each year we have been so impressed with the line up and the management of the event, so we are super excied to hear Carbon is back in 2015.
Invurt has attended and covered every Carbon event since it’s inception with a live blog and photo coverage of each event. There are soooo many great memories from the last few years; including meeting some amazing artists and people, the fun times and shenanigans at the after parties, as well as battling epic hangovers the following day and trying to operate a computer and cover the event. haha, all part of the fun.

For anyone that doesn’t know, a Writers’ Bench is a spot where writers congregate and watch their art running on the cities train network. Typically each city’s bench would be at a major station where most, if not all, of the train system would pass through. For example in NYC in the 70’s and 80’s it was 149th Street in Upper Manhattan, or in Melbourne it was Richmond station above the intersection of Punt Road and Swan Street.

For 2015 Carbon has changed it up a little. This year the guys at Carbon are hosting Carbon X – a series of free forum events celebrating what Carbon does best creativity and design. The inaugural event is Carbon X – Writers’ Bench, an exploration of global graffiti culture. The event is presented by Adidas Superstars and supported by Ironlak. I am very excited with the line up, some of my fave writers of all time, I can’t wait to hear what they have to say…

There is also an after party schedule for later in the evening, more details below. We know this will be one hell of a party based on previous years.

MAKE SURE YOU RSVP ASAP – Given this is a free event it is highly likely to fill up very fast. They recommend you get there as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

About Carbon X: Writers’ Bench

At a time when the term ‘Street Art’ has reached mass saturation and become the politically acceptable descriptor for art on public walls, Carbon X: Writers’ Bench explores the precursor movement of Graffiti. This debut Carbon X event draws together a panel of graffiti writers, artists whom remain attached to an often maligned, but hugely influential art form and sub culture. The Writers’ Bench panelists include pioneers of the graffiti movement alongside contemporary contributors active today.

Carbon X: Writers’ Bench Forum unites the creative community in recognising the achievements of these outstanding game changers, inviting them to share their experience with the public. The Writers’ Bench panelists will collaborate with graffiti writers from the Ironlak Australia crew to create an installation of work that will be unveiled at the official after party event following the presentation forum.

Carbon X: Writers’ Bench presented by the Adidas Superstar Supershell, supported by Ironlak Australia, along with partner Art Series Hotel are hyped to announce the impressive speaker line- up:

FUZI UV TPK (FRA)

Fuzi is a pioneer and founder of the ‘ignorant’ school of graffiti. This discipline was created in the streets of Paris in the ’90s with an emphasis on naive abstraction and visual freedom. Since those beginnings the style has evolved and spread globally, ushering in a new era of expressive graffiti. His practise has evolved to encompass tattooing, a discipline that’s rooted in the same bold linework that’s integral to graffiti style. Now his inkwork is sought globally by the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Diplo, Justice, and Os Gemeos.

http://www.fuzi-uvtpk.com/

KET (USA)

Alan Ket has been instrumental in the graffiti scene since the subway era of ’80s New York City. As well as being an artist he’s a longtime advocate for the culture – acting as a photographer, curator, and documentarian. He has worked as a visual consultant for major brands including Moet Chandon, Sprite, and MTV, and assisted with curation on MOCA’s blockbuster exhibition ‘Art In The Streets’. His personal work has been exhibited across the world, and he’s still a massively influential figure in the global graffiti scene.

https://www.instagram.com/alanket/

MERDA (AUS)

Merda is an icon of the Australian graffiti scene. He is a stylistic pioneer whose contributions to the graffiti form reverberated not just locally, but globally. With an unparalleled vision and a diligent work ethic, Merda advanced the art form with unprecedented technical developments to the form that stretch back to the late-80s. He’s recognised worldwide for his contributions to the culture.

https://www.instagram.com/m_e_r_d_a/

NEMCO (ITA)

Born and raised in Milan, Nemco has been active in the graffiti world since 2003. Having been active in all facets of traditional graffiti culture, his work has expanded to encompass his twin disciplines of photography and fine art. Nemco’s graffiti is inextricably linked with the concept of the line, and his supreme skill in illustration is reflected by the manner in which he approaches his work. His visual output is celebrated for its unique take on graffiti tropes, and his subversive execution of space and form.

https://www.instagram.com/nemcouno/

MICK LA ROCK (NL)

Active in Amsterdam since she was 13 years old in early ’80s, Mickey (AKA Mick La Rock) is an integral figure in the development of the European graffiti scene. Her work has taken her across the world, and during her travels she’s had the opportunity to paint alongside many first generation subway legends. Not content with her technical mastery of traditional New York styles of graffiti, she has progressed to minimalist abstraction graffiti – pushing the limits of what’s possible with letter structure.

http://www.micklarock.com/

Who: CARBON. MERDA, FUZI UV TPK, NEMCO, MICK LA ROCK and KET.
What: CARBON X – Writers’ Bench.
When: 15th of August 12-3pm.
Where: Museum Theatre, Melbourne Museum. 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton.
RSVP: http://bit.ly/1hgS9ek