ANIMAL showcases a different street artist regularly in our feature, Scratching the Surface. This week, we profile Magda Love.
Name/Alias:
Magda Love.
Decade you were born in:
Oh the wonderful ’70s!
City you currently live:
Brooklyn, New York.
Drugs or natural highs?
Natural highs have always being very powerful for me. I have learned more and more on getting high on little moments and gestures. I think imagination is the ultimate trip.
How did you get your name?
My real name is sooo long, so I decided to take Magda — that is a part of Maria Magdalena — and Love is just pretty obvious if you come to know me well. I am a lover, hopelessly in love with love. I am a big believer. Love has such a tremendous force to move things in this universe; it has personally moved me to create my favorite art, and do the most wonderful and craziest stuff in my life. One of my closest friends said to me that it sounds like a porn star name and I thought, even better!
Why do what you do?
At this point of my life I really have no choice. I have always being inclined to create and express myself. I am happy when I am making art. It is really a necessity for me, sometimes an obsession. It isn’t really what I do, It is who I am! I have this universe of emotions and need to spread them around. I think putting that out to the world inspires people to feel, to be more sincere about who they are, to care for each other, and hopefully expressing themselves too.
How does your mother feel about your art?
My mother is such a lover, I really got it from her. I think she misses me like crazy, but she is very proud of me for pursuing my dreams and building my castles. She is my biggest supporter and teacher. She holds it against me If I don’t go back to Argentina at least once a year, though.
Are you making a living off your art? How’s that working out so far?
I have had some good runs lately, thankfully. This city has become so damn expensive. I have an 11-year-old son, so the ups and downs can be pretty nerve racking. I am always hustling.
Fuck the art world or embrace the art world?
Fucking embrace it or embrace fucking it. Your choice. The art world like every world has wonderful individuals and lots of shady people too. I have had some shitty experiences and some great experiences as well. I feel the key is to find people that believe in you vision and have integrity to follow through with the promises. I have had terrible experiences with money and galleries but I am a wishful thinker though. I learned that is important to work with people who knows what they are doing.
Do you bring your smart phone into the bathroom with you? Why?
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. For example, If I want to get on Tinder and my son is around, I can’t open it in front of him, he is too smart. Not bathroom selfies though.
Do you ever feel like giving up?
No, never! I am too stubborn. I feel exhausted sometimes but there’s always a force inside that keeps me going.
Suggest an artist to follow.
A fantastic human being and friend in Mexico, Farid Rueda. He is crazy talented and he has taught me so much about spray painting and technic.
