This is Disruption

Quint: The Angel in Jakarta - When Giving Up Leads to Breaking Through

• This is Disruption • Season 1

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Bonus Episode! 

Introducing Quint. This bonus episode captures a profound conversation with a street artist whose journey defies conventional artistic narratives and reminds us of the transformative power of creativity.

Quint transforms ordinary, often gritty and neglected urban spaces into places of beauty. His artistic journey began at age twelve with stencil art, though he wouldn't realise that until years later. After being expelled from art school for graffiti (there's some irony in this for sure) Quint embraced street art fully, adapting his approach when financial constraints limited his access to supplies.

The heart of this episode reveals a moment of divine right place/right timing that changed everything. During what Quint believed was his final artistic act before surrendering to conventional life, he spent his last money painting the streets of Jakarta from midnight until dawn. Though city workers erased his creation hours later, leaving him devastated, somebody had witnessed his work that night. Days later, this "angel" (as Quint calls him) reached out with an invitation to the Jakarta Biennial, launching Quint's career in ways he never imagined possible.

What resonates most in Quint's story is his remarkably pure artistic philosophy: "I'm doing art for my happiness. If people are happy too, it makes me even more happy." In a world that often complicates creative pursuits with concerns about marketability and reception, Quint's perspective serves as a powerful reminder of art's fundamental purpose. His plans for the future? Simply "doing better and doing more... just live your life and do art."

What a message. You can find Quint on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/quint.art/

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Speaker 1:

Hello there. You are very welcome to. This is Disruption podcast with me, your host Rua. This podcast brings you in-depth interviews with the fearless creatives in street art, graffiti, music, photography and beyond who boldly challenge the status quo, break barriers for others and share their work unapologetically. Each episode is a deep dive into the lives of artistic risk takers, exploring their motivations, their inspirations and their reasons for their willingness to disrupt societal norms. Some of these stories involve revolutionizing their industries, while others are pushing the boundaries of legality with their art.

Speaker 1:

Coming up on today's episode, I have a special bonus episode for you that I've had for a little while. I recorded this with my friend Quint back when I was just doing radio edits for Disruption. Before Disruption was what it became, I was doing 10 minute radio edits and some of the conversations were so great I want to share them with you, but it's not a full episode. So today you're getting a bonus episode of my conversation with Quint. This was recorded quite a long time ago, but Quint is so wonderful. His story is really genuine, authentic and beautiful and I think it's really worth one, and it's definitely a story worth sharing, even if it's a shorter version. You'll have to take Quint out for a beer the next time he's in London and hear his full story for yourselves. Out for a beer the next time he's in London and hear his full story for yourselves.

Speaker 1:

As always, these episodes are best enjoyed if you listen while you create something. This is a bonus episode of Disruption. I am sitting in East London with the absolutely wonderful Quint, who is an amazing street artist, usually based in Bali, but we're lucky enough to have him in London beautifying the streets of London with his wonderful art. I'm really excited to be here with you, quint. Thank you so much for joining me today.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for inviting me.

Speaker 1:

I'm really really, really pleased you're here. So I really am delighted to have the chance to speak with you and also to introduce you to a lot of people who might not yet know you but I know will fall in love with your art. So, quint, usually I have some sad questions, but we had a conversation recently and your story was so interesting that I just knew I had to get you on, had to let you explain it in your own words. So can you tell anybody who doesn't yet know about your work what is it you do?

Speaker 2:

So my work is about putting beauty around the street mostly really bad looking street wall or whatever so I want to try to make like everything looks beauty to me that is a great answer and that's actually how I found Quint.

Speaker 1:

I live in a really sketchy alley in East London and I came out of the alley one day and I saw this amazing artwork on the wall with Quint's signature and it was so beautiful and it really made the place look so much nicer and that's how I was first introduced to him and his work. So thank you for doing that.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for making the world a more beautiful place you're welcome when we spoke previously, when we first met, I asked you how did you get started in street art? Your story was so interesting that I would love for you to tell me and the world how did you get started in street art.

Speaker 2:

In street art. Actually I started stencil art a long time ago, since I was very young, like 12 or 13, but I never realized that it was stencil art. So I was doing it in the school and then that's my first stencil. I just remember that time. After like a couple years in the stencil art and then I was like, oh, is this not my first time? I mean like my first time is a long time ago. So, anyway, I start with after I do that stencil, my first stencil. I don't even think about it anymore. So I start with the graffiti that time because you know, teenager like doing, like to put their name on the wall, like to be like recognized and everything. So I start doing graffiti. Until so I went to the art school. I still doing graffiti that time.

Speaker 2:

So I put my first graffiti in the art school. He got me kicked out from the school and then I was like, okay, so it means I have more time to do it on the street now. Yeah, since then I just like doing street art and then after a couple of years doing like graffiti. And then then you know graffiti is you need more money, you need a lot of money to buy paint. At that time I was like you know, like doesn't have a job, you know, I just kicked out from the school and then, like I'm just like a street boy, and then, as soon as I ran out of money, I think about how I can make street art. But I can make more art with a small pane, something like that. Ok, I do trans-tensile. So yeah, since then I start tensile. It's around 15 years old.

Speaker 1:

And can you tell us about the fateful night that changed your life?

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, this is my like, I don't know. There is a moment I feel I used to be a musician and then, like it's almost, like it's really close to be a real musician, I got a contract or whatever, and then I just lost it All of that With some reason. And then that time Maybe I don't know, because it's not really popular in my country, but depression, I think I had depression at that time. I just don one time I was like okay, like this is the time that, because I lost everything, I don't have any more money. And then I was thinking, okay, this is the time that I should come back to my mom's house. You know, like I don't have money, money, I don't have place to go anymore.

Speaker 2:

So I spent all my money that night to paint, really in the central of jakarta, to paint my art there. So I start 12 o'clock at night and then I finish at four in the morning and then at 4 in the morning, and then I don't even have the picture of them because I don't have phone at that time. But my friend coming and start taking picture and then he was like ah, my phone is low-bat, why don't you stay in my house? And then in the morning we can come back and take a picture. So I do that. I was so excited because it's like in the morning we can come back and then take a picture. So I do that. So I was like so exciting because it's like in the really central of jakarta and then, when I come back, uh, these people was erasing my art, you know like, it's like a like the last layer there. So I see them with the roller, you know like, and I was like shocked.

Speaker 2:

That time I was like shocked and really like I don't know. I like almost crying. And then like my friend like can see me like you know like how, how stressed I am. And then he said, like okay, so I take you home because, like my friend doesn't want me to, something happened with me. And then like, okay, like, okay, let's go home.

Speaker 2:

And then the time I I went back to my mom house and then like I say what happened with my life before? And then like, okay, you can stay here. You know like, and then, couple days after that, someone called me and then he said we are doing a Biennial exhibition, jakarta Biennial exhibition, it's like. So we're doing street art too, you know like because they're doing like art everywhere in Jakarta, but they want to. It's their first time to do like try to invite straight artists.

Speaker 2:

And then I was like I'm a little bit like angry. What these guys want, you know like I'm already like give up about everything. And then he said like no, no, no, no, I just want to talk like. And then I said like how do you find me? How do you like? No, because our office is close to your art school. And I was like okay, so when I talk about your art, and then like a lot of people know about, like, what you're doing before, because like, yeah, because we hire a lot of students from the art school, your art school. Okay, and how do you know my art?

Speaker 2:

And then I was there when you paint in the central of Jakarta. I was there, I saw you painting, but I'm too, too drunk, like because I was coming back from pub or whatever. But yeah, and then, like I come back the next morning or the days after and then it's gone. Yeah, I mean like he just want me like to do my art and whatever. So, and then he invited me to the office and then like yeah, he's he, oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

And then I said again like I don't have money at all now, so I don't, I don't know how to paint. And then he said like we will provide you everything, and said, okay, okay, okay, then, like, let's try. So I met this guy and then they said like we will provide you everything and said, okay, it's okay, let's go. Okay, then like, let's try. So I met this guy and then like, yeah, it's happened. And then since then I was thinking, since then, like oh, someone like people like my art. You know, I just like that, people like my, maybe I should do this, you like I should keep doing this. And then since then, like it just happened, you know, like he invited me to go to Europe to do like a exhibition, like group exhibition, and then I was like, okay, okay.

Speaker 2:

So yeah until now, like I'm survived. Art saved me.

Speaker 1:

I love that. What an inspiring story. So for context, can you tell us who that man was?

Speaker 2:

I cannot tell you who that man his name, but he has a gallery in Berlin. It's like a street art gallery in Berlin. He invited me for a group exhibition one time in Dusseldorf. It's not even in Berlin. I just sent my art to him. He's my angel. Actually, I know some angel in my life, the one who saved me. A lot of angel in my life.

Speaker 1:

That's beautiful. I don't believe in coincidences and I think, for those few short hours that you were painting, the few short hours that your last ditch attempted art and being creative before you give up, was meant to be seen by somebody, and it just so happened to be seen with somebody with the influence and the means to sponsor you and to lead you to the artistic life and the creative life that you're able to live now, and I just think there's something so special in that story.

Speaker 2:

I think it's yeah that it should be. You know, like that is how it should be. You know, To me I'm just doing art for myself. You know, like, I don't even think about people's opinion. If I'm happy, I don't really care about people. If I'm happy, I'm happy. I'm doing art for my happiness. But if people happy too, it makes me even more happy. So, yeah, I just keep doing what I love. That's it.

Speaker 1:

That's exactly as it should be. I'm a really big Rick Rubin fan. Do you know Rick Rubin?

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

I love Rick Rubin.

Speaker 2:

He's a producer.

Speaker 1:

A producer, yeah, and his whole theory is make it for yourself, make it because you need to express it, and if other people like it, that's a bonus, and I really believe that. And something that I'm really interested in is where does inspiration come from? What inspires you? And some of the things I paint come to me really randomly and I can't stop thinking about them until I make them and get it out of my system and then I can move on to something new. So I'm really interested in where the source of creativity and inspiration is for people. Where do you get your inspiration? And I would love to know what inspires you.

Speaker 2:

My inspiration, what inspires me? I mean, like, everything can inspire me, you know like, especially from everywhere, from any time. You know like, especially from everywhere, from anytime you know like. But mostly it's like when I see the street, the people walking on the street. That's my you know inspiration. You know like, I got a lot of inspiration from that.

Speaker 1:

From real life.

Speaker 2:

From real life yeah.

Speaker 1:

And so that's a great answer. So, quint, unfortunately, as always happens, the good times end too soon, so can you tell? Me not just yet almost. Can you tell me what's the agenda for Quint 2024?

Speaker 2:

My agenda is doing better and doing more. I'm just like I'm hoping that I can still do my art and then I'm still hoping that I still can get more inspiration, something like that. It's really easy for me. My agenda is really easy Just live your life and do art.

Speaker 1:

I love that. Be better, live your life, do art. I love that. Be better, live your life, do art. What a message. What a way to wrap up and to take away. Quint, it has been such a pleasure talking to you and it is so wonderful, not only to see your artwork around London. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Speaker 1:

Thank you and for getting to know you has been really wonderful and it's been a pleasure. So thank you so much for your time today. Sama sama, it's been. You're welcome. Oh cool, sama sama. Thank you so much and I'm really looking forward to seeing what's next for you, thank you.

Speaker 1:

There you have it. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode of this is disruption. If you've enjoyed today's conversation, make sure to follow the podcast and never miss an episode. You can find us on all major podcast platforms Apple Podcasts, spotify, etc. Also on YouTube. Stay connected with us on social media. You can find the podcast at thisisdisruptionpod on Instagram and TikTok and you will find updates and snippets of upcoming shows. Until next time, keep challenging the status quo, embracing your creative spirit, and be brave. Go and create. Thank you, and see you in the next episode.