What does money mean to you?
I think money is a fascinating display of human ingenuity and a testament to our times. For money we sell the best of ourselves. For money we give up our dreams. For money people kill, betray, steal and lie. For money, wars are declared, people are oppressed, prisons are built and nature is destroyed. Because of money the world is as it is: divided, bloody, in pain, hungry and threatened.
I am a very restless person and there are many sources from which I draw for inspiration. I am passionate about typography in any format. From a very young age I was interested in sign painting and my work can be found in cities like Madrid, London, Mexico City, NYC, San Francisco… among others. I also love graphic design applied to new technologies. I work with CNC’s, 3D printers, laser cutting, etc. Perhaps what attracts me most to graffiti is not its aesthetics, but its concept. While advertising in public space manipulates our minds, graffiti enriches it, and that is truly inspiring.
I started painting graffiti as NEKO, which means cat in Japanese. Stray Cat, or gato callejero, is one of my many aliases.
The idea of drawing on cash came about organically. Money is one of the best surfaces for writing graffiti. I have been intervening in banknotes of any denomination for more than a decade wherever I go. At first, it was just for fun. I saw it as another strategy in my repertoire to have my name reach more places. I would never have imagined that people would collect them, and much less, thanks to social networks, more than 10 years later I would connect with people sending photos of the bills I’ve touched via email or direct message.
Others have started drawing on money after seeing my work and I love to see that! I have not been the first to paint on money and I hope I am not the last either. If my work inspires another to make art too, that means I have done my job well. I am grateful for the people who support me by buying my art, writing positive comments or liking my profile. But I also understand that there are people who completely disapprove of what I do. It is art and therefore everyone is free to interpret it as they want.
My job is to generate questions. I don’t expect any particular effect. I believe that art is a universal language and a fantastic vehicle to meet all kinds of interesting people wherever you go. It has opened a multitude of doors for me, it has taken me to places that I would never have thought I would visit, and it has enriched me with unforgettable experiences. The important thing is not where you want to go, but the path itself.
Disfruta del viaje, Enjoy the journey!
-NEKO.
