Following a brief stint alongside Brad Downey and Vhils in Lisbon, Portugal as part of the ongoing and impressive Crono project (featured here and here), MOMO arranged a short stay in the UK before heading back earlier this week to his latest base in security-challenged New Orleans. For want of a more appropriate euphemism, it was an interesting few days at the AM London residence. The artist’s arrival overlapped with a visit by Christian Coinbergh’s “Gang of Three” from Stockholm – the latter in town at the tail-end of London Fashion Week for a couple of editorial shoots for China’s Vision magazine.
We can safely say MOMO’s first night was one of extremes in terms of Shoreditch venues frequented, going (perhaps in the wrong order) from a glamourous, pretentious and aspirational hotel / private members club to a clammy, cigarette smoke and graffiti-filled ‘check-you’ve-still-got-your-wallet’ basement hosting a DJ battle. They say that “if the music’s too loud, you’re too old.” Well, AM hereby confirms with a gentle, fuck-you defiance its proud crossover into geriatric status.
At one point during his stay, MOMO took out an X-ACTO blade and scratch-tagged a banana while sitting in the restricted confines of a typical London kitchen. However, by the following morning, that piece of fruit had mysteriously vanished. We had bowl and spoon, Special K and milk – but no banana. Bloody ephemeral art! On the plus side, we did manage to follow MOMO to Old Bethnal Green Road where he found an ideal backdrop for his latest abstract paste-up. Check out the work-in-progress shots after the jump.
MOMO's pre-prepared instruction package
Old Bethnal Green Road, in London's East End
"What the hell are you doing?"
Text and photographs by Patrick Nguyen.
