The Banksy of surfing: this man follows the World Tour and paints illegal murals on the way...
Inspired by the surf legend that is Larry Bertlemann, BERT is the anonymous artist behind a collection of street murals based on the ASP World Surf Tour.
In the same way that Bertlemann brought the street culture to surfing
through his skating manoeuvres on the waves, BERT is taking surfing to
the streets.
Stoked by all things surfing and funded out of his own pocket, BERT
follows the tour and paints a street mural for each one – hoping, a) not
to be caught and b) to use his paintings to speak to the surfing
community.
2014 BILLABONG Pipe Masters
“I grew up in the streets as a skate punk and on the beach as a surf
rat. Growing up pushing horse shit on a mid-west farm would be the
perfect start for a BERT documentary, but that is not the case. I’ve
lived on the coast my entire life,” he told Mpora.
“Surfing runs deep. Unfortunately my home town was not supportive of
the skate scene. I was forced to quit skating or learn how to get away
with it.”
2014 Slater’s Blank Canvas
“Over time I learnt how to hit the spots I wanted while slipping into
the shadows when I needed. I carry that knowledge over to my street
art.”
“I don’t do graffiti. Where graffiti is freehand, street art is more
graphic design orientated using stencilling, stickers and wheat paste.”
“Fortunately for me I have a solid background in traditional art
which allows me to illustrate stencil reference rather than relying on
photos.”
2013 Peniche, Portugal
“I started the ASP World Tour murals because I am stoked on
competitive surfing. Plus, the live webcasts allow me to watch epic
waves from all around the world when I am stuck in front of the
computer.”
“I sketch as I watch. Sometimes ideas come at that exact moment but it’s mellow and never rushed.”
“Every contest winner is painted. It’s at the point now when the boys
on tour look forward to a trophy, some cash and their mug painted in
the streets.”
2013 Volcom Fiji Pro Cloudbreak
“I have a shitload of ideas just waiting for some of the others to
win their first fucking contest! I wish Taj would win a fucking title.”
“I have a shitload of ideas just waiting for some of the others to win their first fucking contest!”
“I’m stoked that Medina won 2014 in a manner that buried any doubts about his ability.”
“It seems now like I’ve done a shitload of ASP murals. I’ve
successfully made it through two years with at least one piece per
contest. I’m up to somewhere around 35 pieces.”
2013 The Air Heard Around The World
“The location is the most important part. I look for blank canvases
that house the art comfortably. You want ample exposure to passers-by,
but also want to avoid the buff-man.”
“The best locations are found in the grey area. That place between in-your-face and never-being-seen.”
“There are some epic graffiti covered slabs of concrete leftover from
battles on the French coastline that would be epic to paint a piece on.
I see them every Quiksilver Pro France and dream of the opportunity to
surf and paint there.”
2013 J.O.B and Poopies North Shore Shenanigans
“Most my pieces are painted over, but some are still riding. It’s the nature of the game.”
“I’ve never been caught. But, there are surfers who agonize over
every heat and there are others who just say fuck it and surf as if they
were the only person on the beach.”
“If I was the latter, I’d be done for. My shit is on lock. If
millions of eyes are open, I’m going to be visible during the blink.”
2013 BILLABONG Pipe Masters
“I choose my locations based on the community. I am not going to put
up a piece of a dude wearing a pink jersey standing atop a pile of
severed heads with a tiki, a wood dagger and Kelly Slater’s head in hand
in bum-fuck Idaho.”
“The community would be completely confused. I choose communities with ties to surf industry and culture.”
“Because people interpret art differently: if someone sees my work
and is stoked, good for them. If another sees it and pukes, that shit
will go viral on the internet. At the end of the day, I am an artist
working his ass of.”
2013 Brett Simpson’s Doorstep
“I really don’t hear much negativity though. I see pieces that ride
for a long time. That tells me the public, or at least the property
owner, is into it.”
“Vandalism is an outdated term that needs a new definition. I am not
rewriting the rules, just adding footnotes. My voice can be loud if done
right.”
“The internet has allowed artists from all over the globe to expose
others to their work. The fan base and culture is incredibly connected.”
2014 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
“I’ve sat back and watched people show up to my pieces minutes after
posting photos on Instagram. They take their own photos and post them
and before I know it a fucking snowball is tumbling down the highway
101.”
“It’s pretty sick that people appreciate what I am doing.”
“During the first year of the project Dustin Barca hit me up after I
put up a piece of him knocking out a dirty Monsanto executive. We met up
and I painted the piece on his house.”
2013 Barca Knocks Out Monsanto
“The boys on tour are stoked by it.It’s pretty rad and I appreciate
when they reach out. I also thing its pretty rad when WSL fans reach
out.”
“Those who are really stoked on the tour, or just surfing in general,
identify with my art, and my stoke on competitive surfing.”
2013 ASP Exec’s: See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil
“I definitely feed off my fans and I’m super amped on all of their positive vibes.”
“But really, I just want to travel the world surfing and painting. I am just looking to paint the endless canvas…”
