Baby Vape

I created this image in a response to a world that worships technology it is called "Welcome to the world" a popular social media statement used when posting a photo of a new born online.
I lived in a world like many that didn't rely on smart technology call it a simpler time if you will. Born in 1985 myself I had the pleasure of a childhood free from internet bullying, likes , followers or snap chat. It wasn't until I was 11 that I had even heard of this bit of technology that could connect people all around the world. I used the world wide web myself to look at Graffiti. As an 11 year old boy it was perfect for me and my friend Dan to learn about this subculture. In Bristol Uk we had a strong scene of graffiti artists all painting under the main motorway into the city. A place where the walls were lined with colour, names of the graffiti artists and once "A Mickey mouse smoking a spliff" one of the more legendary works that most Bristolian's from that time remember.

We had been on the internet and understood that we needed some content if we wanted to contribute to this new age phenomenon. My friend Dan had said we should make a website to document the graffiti from our town. Armed with a disposable camera each we both went down to one of the least desirable places the city had to offer (syringes, excrement,rubbish) we photographed each side of the motorways walls. Studying all the art work as we went what an adventure for two 11 year old boys. Once the 32 images were taken and the camera was full we left to get them put into the camera shop and waited patiently for the results. When the photos came back we had our very own reference to this mainly hidden art world.
This one trip to take photos shaped the rest of our lives as Graffiti artists I'm 32 now and have painted my name and art work across Europe, Australia and Asia and continue to make art on daily Basis I also somehow managed to get A miniature train with graffiti of Dan's into the Tate Britain for the Turner prize 2017.

My friend Dan is no longer with us but in the time he was alive became one of the most notorious Uk graffiti artists.
Nobody could have predicted this trip to the motorway that day would get us hooked to spray paint for a lifetime. It was the lack of technology at the time (disposable cameras) that made us seek out this Art work but ironically it was to try and create some content for the early days of Graffiti on the Internet.
Now the internet is full of Graffiti and Street Art and people are uploading images of this subject almost constantly. If I could look back 21 years at my 11 year old self and talk to him and Dan what would I say? Would I warn him of a time in the future when technology has taken over and people are mostly glued to their screens?, would I say beware of this thing they call the INTERNET!!!.... No I would probably just say ENJOY YOURSELVES BOYS AND TRY AND NOT RUIN ALL OF YOUR CLOTHES WITH PAINT.