Tagging the width of Manhattan:Q&A with Momo

Last November Momo tagged the width of Manhattan by using its landscape. He dripped the paint for two miles across downtown from the Hudson river to the East river. The scale of his piece is easily beating landscape art maestro's work such as Robert Smithson's Spiral Getty. For me, his piece is way better because it's transient and more substantial because it's his name, not whirly trail of rocks. So I emailed Momo for Q&A. My coworker Dan warned me that the chance of getting his answers might be slim because the guy's unpredictable... Wrong, Dan! I got his answers, Yaay! But he was still right... He hijacked my Q&A.


Milton rewrote these questions for me, to spur my beleaguered creativity -Momo

1: Did you really tag the width of Manhattan or is that just photoshopped? I also heard that there have been sitings of your line in other major metropolises?
The tag is real & it took only two nites (& 10 gallons of paint). The photoshopping took two or three months. This project was very popular.
Something similar was done in Germany this year by an artist I've never met
(!)

2: Are you gay?
MOMO sounds like HOMO but has nothing to do with my being gay.

3: Where is the most odd/cool place you tagged?
I lived in Granada Spain's Sacramonte (Sacred Hill); a warren of Gypsy caves mostly 500 years old. I painted this giant El Greco inspired piece there in the ruins that was visible from most of the city.

4: Have you got busted?
In tiny island Key West Florida, I was busted with two other friends, we're all shirtless with bleach blond hair in the mugshots, it was ridiculous.

5: EVR or Viva Radio
Viva

6: Tell us about your wife? Does she know you're gay?
My wife is fantastic, a singular inspiration, lovely and kick ass.

7: Why is wheatpasting so popular now? Are you "jumping the bandwagon?
There was a film shot in Williamsburg just last month and they installed loads of fake wheatpaste crap for urban scenery. Its really really funny!
Search "fakemoviegraffiti" at streetsy.com From the inside, you don't know what the general perception is- but it looks like they're onto us. I've been sticking posters since 99.

8: Tell us about the "Grey Ghost".
The "Grey Ghost" is an anti graffiti vigilante in New Orleans - he's been so aggressive he really is a graffiti minded outlaw like the rest of 'em.
Barely funded and rarely legal. I think he's a Southern Outsider Artist
type. See the story I penned here - with pics.

9: When is the last time you bought new shoes/underwear/pants?
HA! ! Yesterday I sewed one of my dwindling threadbare boxers... I've had these 5 years I'm sure, and one of em I bought used. Same with my shoes I guess. I discovered this powder in Spain that knocks down the odor. My pants cost $11 brand new so I was able to afford these just last year.

10: Why is your wife a vegetarian?
She wants to be able to kill what she eats.

11: How did you meet Milton?
We met in a special "fame" high school in North Carolina, more than half our lifetimes ago! We were a tight knit group, Smoking grass & four-wheeeling in the quarry mud, I'd get jumped in the shower singing Morrissey.

Thanks, Momo! Also very special thanks to Milton!
It¹s the best Q&A ever.

Watch the documentary of momo tagging using the width of manhattan.

Visit MOMO's world at www.momoshowpalace.com