Interview with Steve ESPO Powers

SEPTEMBER 24th, 2009 at 2:46 PM

Steve Powers is a New York City artist who at one time wrote graffiti in Philadelphia and New York under the name ESPO - Exterior Surface Painting Outreach. He was most well known during the late 1990s for his conceptual pieces as well as his role as the editor and publisher of On the Go Mag. ESPO’s work often blurred the lines between illegal and legal. Pieces like "Greetings from ESPOLand" utilized the style of the Asbury Park Billboards and appeared to be a legitimate billboard. In December 1999 Powers was arrested for vandalism after he participated in a protest conceived by Joey Skaggs, against Rudolph Giuliani’s attempt to shut down the controversial art show at the Brooklyn Museum; he charged that the arrest was politically motivated. A New York Times editorial criticized the Giuliani administration for its secrecy in the case, but dismissed Powers as "a noodge and self-promoter", one of those deliberately annoying characters whom most of us could do without. His studio art currently sells for as much as $20,000. He is the author of a book on graffiti’s history, "The Art of Getting Over", as well as the graphic novel, First and Fifteenth: Pop Art Short Stories. He has also designed clothing for Marc Ecko, Nike, Calvin Klein and now Carrot Clothing...let’s hear what he have to say...

Steve, for our readers that aren’t as familiar with your work, can you please introduce yourself? Are there any special projects your working on at the moment?

My name is Stephen Powers, I paint signs. I opened a church/bar titled the Church
Of The Open Tab in St. Louis, and I am working on painting a love letter across 40
rooftops in west philadelphia. I’m writing a script for a film we’re making along with
the project, and I’ve been painting 10 hours a day. Hopefully I can maintain this pace
until I’m 100, or payday, whichever comes first...

Is there a way that you think your work has evolved?

In terms of evolution, my work is now crawling back into the swamp.

What do you listen to while you work?

Preferably A rowe CD 100 jukebox.