ACAMOCHI ART GERARDO YEPIZ
Gerardo Yépiz launched the first Mexican Mail Art website in 1995, his downloadable stencils revolutionized how a generation of young artists, from Mexico City to Tijuana, used street installation and graffiti as a critical forum. Known as Acamonchi, a slang term for piggyback riding in northern Mexico, Yépiz adopted the strategies of street art as the starting point for his fine art while also distinguishing himself as a graphic designer working with clients on both sides of the border including the Nortec Collective, MTV, Reebok,Vans, Adidas, Pepsi, Warner records, Osiris shoes, Tribal Gear, Obey Giant, Rioja Wine,Electra Bikes. Like his moniker, which, he explains “doesn’t really mean anything, it’s just a dumb, silly sounding word,” he uses humor to create graphic works of art that probe serious political and cultural issues. As hedescribes it, “poster illustrations or stickers are common resources of visual communication; in the hands of Acamonchi, and in combination with graffiti tactics, they become veritable terrorist instruments, and the activity becomes a kind of cultural sabotage.”
Acamonchi began his career in the mid-1980s as part of a cross-cultural underground scene in southern California and northern Mexico that was heavily influenced by fanzines and the skateboard-punk countercultures. Music developed his political awareness, and the history of Fluxus inspired his passion for Mail Art. His early work focused on images of the Mexican television host Raul Velasco and assassinated presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio. According to Acamonchi, Velasco represents the mindless entertainment provided by the Mexican media. He describes Colosio-shot on live television in 1994, during a campaign rally in Tijuana -as the Mexican equivalent to John F. Kennedy. Colosio’s face is a poignant reminder of political corruption and Tijuana’s notorious outlaw reputation. Acamonchi makes his point, however, with ridiculous images of Colosio in a cosmonaut helmet, Colosio crossed with Colonel Sanders, and a “Blaxploitation” Colosio just to name a few.
Recently, Acamonchi has focused his attention on painting. His densely layered panels and murals integrate his signature street graphics -posters, stencils, and graffiti -into abstract fileds of color. In this new work, Acamonchi experiments with painterly techniques using aerosol paint, ink pens, and more traditional pigments, Although his explorations are clearly inspired by street art, his distinctive visual statements are something new. “Post-graffiti Art,” as this kind of art was called when graffiti artists first began to show in galleries in the 1980s, does not encompass Acamonchi’s strong affiliation with street art radicalism, and articulate his serious painterly intent. Once again, Acamonchi is inspiring his colleagues as he explores new forms of expression. Rachel Teagle Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
Born in Ensenada, Mexico, in 1970, Gerardo Yepiz is a major contributor to the worldwide street art and graffiti scene. He is a graphic designer, silkscreen printer and visual artist who has exhibited in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the UK, France, Spain, Japan and The Netherlands. His work is closely tied to the international music and action sports industries. He is an outspoken vegan as well
as bike activist. Growing up in Ensenada-Tijuana was a uniquely strange experience. Fairly removed to what is commonly considered as authentic “Mexican”
and being overwhelmed by California’s influence, I came across underground subculture in the mid 1980s that became the outlet for my creativity and sociopolitical conciousness. Discovering “DIY” also brought my interest to reach out and to network internationally. Without feeling confined into geographical traps, I was able to gravitate freely, focusing on quirky and spontaneous nature of every day life. Feeling the urge to testify and to record interpretations, I
sought out to freeze ephemera, making the impermanent permanent, the intangible something anyone could grasp and hold onto.
I’m interested in the exploration of mass produced waste and urban environments. I experience its intervals and document alterations found in weathered mechanical patterns and compile them into humorous poetic compositions. This is also a very healing process. Filtering emotions while using discarded materials represents a new contemporary identity of what it means to be Mexican, projecting a daring vision of self and the internal struggle, breaking the mold and creating a brave new example for future generations.
2196 Logan Ave, San Diego CA 92113
“SAFA” BRIAN WAGNER
Who is “SAFA”?
The guy you thought your dad was when you were six years old.
Messenger-velo-crit-alley rider. You represent the perfect contemporary cyclist for us.
Recognize you in this definition?
Yes, I love bikes, I spent all my time as a kid riding, building bike handling skills. I’m confident that I can handle myself in any situation so long as I am on a bike. If an opportunity to do something with bikes comes up I always try to take it.
Which ones do you prefer?
I like long hills, racing up and flying down. Unfortunately there are not too many opportunities to race up hills so I’m trying to turn my body towards the track bike criteriums. It’s a really fast growing sport and I want to be part of it.
Being untouchable in traffic is something really special to me, not many people understand it. It takes years of doing it everyday ( busy messenger work that isn’t around much these days), to get to that level. I have a strange reverence for it, you can’t explain it to people, only know that a few others have it also. A secret brother and sisterhood.
Living in Mexico City has influenced the way you see “the bike”?
It hasn’t changed the way I see it, it’s amplified my belief in it.
Traffic can be ridiculous here, there are so many people in this city. Everyday I see people so frustrated, losing it in their cars, while a perfectly good solution cruises past their window. I like cars for specific purposes but a lot of people using them in the city have no reason to be in them. It’s as if once you get into one you immediately lose sight of other options and become really selfish to others around you, it makes for a horrible environment. Bikes are a much happier option.
Bikes also gave me the opportunity to travel, making money on them and having messenger events and friends around the world to go see. At the moment in Mexico it’s hard to make enough money to keep traveling. Racing the big crits, with the help of my sponsors, has allowed me to keep seeing the world.
For those two reasons, a societal and a very personal one, I love bikes.
How did you approach the world and culture of fixed gear?
I never really paid it much attention. My bike world has always been the messenger world. Track bikes were a part of that world and eventually I got my own and have been using it ever since. I don’t care what other people ride, I make sure I’m happy with what I’m on and then everything is ok. I suppose fixed gear culture has got a lot of people on bikes and that is a good thing.
You are a member of a great team as Leader Bikes.
How did your collaboration and how it feels to be part of it?
I got on to Leader Bikes USA team after I won the Wolfpack Hustle Civic Center Crit. I’d been waiting a long time to race at one of the crits and finally had the chance to attend one, I made it count.
Right from the start it was more than just a sponsor, friendships were formed. I don’t see Leader as a company that sponsors me, I see it for the people who are behind the name, the friends that have helped me through tough times and shared the good times with me.
We have a really solid and happy team. The old guys are racing and training stronger than ever and the three new recruits, Deg, Tobias and Raul are all serious contenders at crits and bring good vibes with them.
Alonso is the captain and he does a lot of work behind the scenes, we have new team sponsors and some cool projects coming up.
It’s a good place to be right now, I’m really happy with the team.
What are the goals you want to achieve?
In which competitions you will be involved?
I’m going to all the Wolfpack and Red Hook races this year. Unfortunately with the bad luck in Brooklyn the Red Hook series is over for me, I really wanted to place well in the series. I’ll be gaining experience in the rest of those races and knowledge of the course for next year.
I’d like to defend my title at the Wolfpack Civic Center Crit this year. Also try to do more road racing, but it’s hard to do here in Mexico City.
Last year you have take part of R.H.C. in Barcelona, Europe.
New places, people, food and social relationship.
What are the differences with the United States? Your feelings about them.
I’ve always moved around a lot so I’m comfortable wherever I am. You can find nasty places and people in every city on the planet but I always find good times. I’m always with my bike and meeting with people who ride bikes so I get fast-tracked into their city and community.
I’ve been to Europe a few times before, for me it’s one of the best places to be in the summer. Barcelona is such an outdoors city, I love cities like that, where you feel you should be outdoors enjoying the world.
I think drivers in Europe are more used to seeing and being around bikes, they’re much more patient. We’re not in the way, we’re part of the journey.
You can’t get five kilograms of breakfast food for ten dollars though, but maybe that is not a good thing unless you’re a bike racer.
We hope to see you soon in Europe. When in Italy?
I’ll be in Italy for the first time when I travel to Madrid for the Red Hook Crit in October. See you then, save me the couch.
Photo courtesy of Robert Sanchez
https://instagram.com/safabrian/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SAFABrian
Ivan Ravaioli
Ivan introduce yourself to our readers.
Hello everyone! I’m Ivan Ravaioli, I’M34, I was born in Faenza, but
from 2006 I live in San Fior(tv).
I’m married to Katia and I have a 7years old son, Kevin.
Which is your background? and from which discipline do you come from?
Since I was 8, I can consider myself a rider, after all the young
categories, I had the opportunity and the possibility to ride for
three years in professional teams:
2003 Mercatone Uno
2004 Barloworld
2005 Saunier Duval
and from 2006 I’m an amateur rider.
How do you get in contact eith fixed gear?
Last year, a friend of mine, Omar Presti, talked to me about this new
category and then I tryed.
I loved it, from the first moment..so last October we decided to join
the last stop of red Hook in Milan.
Nyc Usa 25th of april! First try RHC, first place! Tell us your
feeling, before and after the race.
It was incredible!!.. maibe I’m not so original..I know.
After my second place in Milan in 2014, my ambition had a bit increse,
but I could not expect the victory, even because I landed in Usa, due
to some problems at work, at 12.00 a.m. of the same day of the race!
New look and new team for you this year, which are the sponsor that
supports you?
Our team was born last winter, we are friends(..) from a long time..
one night we were talking about fixed and suddenly we had the idea to
create a team and join all the race of Redhook!
This project has been possible due to Giacomo Preo, the director of
Bahumer beer, and other sponsors like:
MEM
KNIFE
SELLE ITALIA
TONY SPRAY
EUROVELO
Tell us your next goals for the future season.
My goal for 2015 is to be the winner of individual chart of red hook
and to be in the chart also with my team.
Thank you Ivan, for the time spent with us, we’re sure we’ll see you
as a protagonist this year!
do you want to add something?
Thank you for this interview! I hope to see you in Milan in October,
to make a toast all together maibe to my classification..with a
bahumer beer!
Photo courtesy of Chiara Redaschi
cargocollective.com/chiararedaschi
A visit to Rapha San Francisco
RAPHA SAN FRANCISCO
Photo courtesy of Claudia Ferri
Made Exclusively for FHTN
DTONE JEAN MARIE COMPPER
Painter, illustrator
French
Born on july ,10th 1971
From an early age, Dtone, the self-taught artist has always had an overwhelming passion for art.
He has followed an art education from the age of twelve years in graphic arts and is pursuing studies in designing for advertisement and figurative narrative.
In the 80′s, Graffiti and Tag reinforced his passion for painting.
Inspired by the anatomical drawing, pop art, iconography Ethiopian and comic, the artist particularly appreciates the mix of genres.
From the 90’s Dtone started adopting another approach aiming at encouraging the viewer to own a piece of his work.
Today Dtone can be considered to be a complete artist, a perfectionist and curious, who retransmits in his canvas his visions of the world,
He is also an artist who does not seem to be content with status quo and ready-made thoughts, he likes to question everything and plays with the viewer. Finally he is very interested in lending to the history and theology, and uses pictures and symbols to provoke questions about the origin of things.
https://www.facebook.com/dtone.art?fref=ts
DOSNOVENTA SEOUL | CHRISTOPHER RABADI
Sponsors
Dosnoventa Seoul
IRD BETULLA PISTA | MARIO PAZ
SPONSORS
LEADER BIKES RENOVATIO | “SAFA” BRIAN WAGNER
SPONSORS:
Leader Bikes
Selle Italia
FSA
Brotures
Vaiven Bike Shop here in Mexico
Frame: Leader Renovatio 2015
Seatpost: Woodman Carbo SL Plus (31.8mm)
Saddle: Selle Italia Flite Team Edition
Stem: Thomson X2 (120mm)
Bars: Zipp (Vuka Sprint, I think)
Wheels: Brotures Custom for Leader (Based on Brotures Shred 45mm wheel)
Fork: Leader I806 full carbon
Crankset: FSA Carbon Track
Pedals: Shimano Ultegra
Chain: KMC SL
The frame was made in collaboration with Patrick Thames of Pedal Con. (http://www.pedalconsumption.c
All photos by NVAYRK (http://www.nvayrk.com/)
Made Exclusively for FHTN
UNKNOWN BIKE Co. TYPE I | LUIS K ESCAJEDA
Sponsors:
Unknown Bike Co.
God & Famous
Roadrunner Bags
Coates Cyclery
Mobbin’Monday
Moe Adams
Hi Moe!! A Presentation to the readers of F H T N.
My name is Maurice Adams from Brooklyn, New York but everyone knows and refers to me as Moe.
You’re part of the team Affinity Cycles, one of the most important and famous company of fixed gear culture. Tell us about your collaboration, projects that you have both.
I’ve known the guys over at Affinity Cycles for a few years now, and as of lately, they decided to pick me up to be a part of the Affinity Cycles team considering their rebranding and new beginning so to speak. In regards to the latest project or collabs that was done, I was able to shoot for a few days with my friend Father Tu. We were doing a promotion of the Affinity Kissena and reintroducing the company to the world. To touch on the topic of other projects and and other potential releases , there is not much to say except we will just have to wait and see what else Affinity has up its sleeves.
To begin, God and Famous is literally my adopted child. I met Kenny ( the brains behind G&F) in its earlier months when it was very new to the cycling world, I saw the potential and whole heartedly lived the vision of the brand, as a result, I’ve been here ever since. God and Famous is a life style cycling brand based in New York City with a main priority and focus of promoting cycling through the eyes of us cyclists. The goal was and still is to, allow people to have a glimpse of what cycling means to us over here in NYC. As young as the brand is, roughly three years old; we have been seeing growth in what we have been doing, whether it’s on a personal level in regards to developing as smarter, stronger cyclists, or as a whole. The upside to our personal growth is that God and Famous grows with us as a company, and in turn it depicts what we experience on a daily basis as cyclists through the brand. It never remains stagnant. As we evolve, the brand evolves, it grows with us.LOW | CHRIS YANG
Sponsors
Black Fixie Team
Track Or Trick
Lockedcog
SF Sprints
Cycling Time
Model Description Low Bicycle Track Standard 51cm
Chris Yang FACEBOOK Profile https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001361096225
Photo courtesy of Chris Yang | Y.C Tang
Made Exclusively for FHTN
CINELLI VIGORELLI CALEIDO | MANUEL VELEZ
Cinelli Vigorelli Caleido
https://www.facebook.com/manuelvelez01?fref=ts
Photo courtesy of Frank Oquendo (Riding)
Manuel Velez (bike check)
Made Exclusively for FHTN
“Safa” Brian Wagner Leader Bikes
Photo by NVAYRK