Last week we introduced you to Augustine Kofie, a painter born of out L.A.’s graffiti scene, who was chosen as one of 6 artists to take part in the Lexus and Microsoft Fresh Perspectives project. Kofie is heavily influenced by L.A., where he was born and raised. He says in the profile video below that much of the technique he uses today in his paintings are things he learned while painting on walls in the early 90’s. Other influences also play a role in Kofie’s art. He told Geoff Carter in a recent interview that, “There’s so much out there, in the past… We live in an age where there’s so much new technology and new information, but there’s still so much old stuff that’s great, too. That’s my whole life, being a vintage futurist. I love my new stereo, but I also have a reel-to-reel player.”
Kofie also favors drafting tools over computer programs such as illustrator, it’s something evidenced by his website’s name of keepdrafting.com. Kofie works mostly in his LA studio, but he still manages to get out from time and time and remains a part of street art culture as he said in the same interview. “Street art is just a really tough art form for people to digest sometimes, and I’ve held with it and kept it and I really believe in it… There’s still a risk factor in doing it out there, and I’m well aware of it, the illegal activity of it.”
As part of Fresh Perspectives, Kofie created to the theme of “empower” and “escape”. While we can’t show you his finished piece for the “empower” theme, we can show you what he created sticking to the theme of “escape”, which for Kofie takes place in his studio with music blasting and the rest of the world shut out. Check out this artist profile, as well as his “escape” piece below.
Learn more about Fresh Perspectives and the Lexus CT Hybrid at freshperspectives.msn.com.