Retna MSK Interview On VladTV
So the Retna MSK interview on VladTV kinda caught me off guard. Most, if not all, of Vlad’s usual interviewees are rappers, rats & snitches and behind-the-scenes type of dudes (and females) in the entertainment industry.
Retna, being none of the above-mentioned, seems to be the first artist Vlad interviewed. And it was a surprisingly good interview.
Retna (born Marquis Lewis in 1979) is a renowned contemporary American artist primarily recognized for his distinctive, large-scale street art and gallery paintings. He is a prominent member of several highly respected graffiti collectives, including MSK (Mad Society Kings), AWR (Art Work Rebels), and The Seventh Letter.
Artistic Style and Influences
Retna’s signature style is a unique, self-developed geometric script that resembles a secret language or universal visual rhythm. This original alphabet is influenced by various global cultures and artistic traditions:
Egyptian hieroglyphics
Arabic and Hebrew calligraphy
Gothic blackletter and traditional graffiti lettering
Incan and Asian calligraphy
His work frequently incorporates elements of spirituality and a desire to connect people through a shared visual language, often including messages or “roll calls” of other artists in his murals.
Career and Recognition
Lewis began his career as a graffiti artist in Los Angeles in the early 1990s and has since transitioned into the fine art world, where his paintings regularly sell for significant sums. He has exhibited his work in major cities worldwide, including London, New York, and Miami, and his art was featured in the influential “Art in the Streets” exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles in 2011.
He is also known for high-profile commercial collaborations with major brands and figures, such as:
Louis Vuitton, where he designed textile patterns and painted store facades
Nike and Chanel
Justin Bieber, for whom he designed the cover art for the 2015 album Purpose
MSK Crew
MSK stands for Mad Society Kings and is a world-renowned graffiti crew based in Los Angeles. Retna has been a leading member of this collective since his high school years, and the crew is recognized for producing high-quality, large-scale street art and murals globally.
Hopefully Vlad stays on track with the artist interveiws, especially artists of this caliber.
