Graffiti pleases the soul, street art pleases the pocket!

Yo! We all know HROM, not the neighborhood but the only graffiti shop in Skopje and the main man Cvetan Nedelkovski!
He has been around for a long time in the graffiti game, had successful exhibitions and besides this, he’s a good person and loyal to the game.

1. When and where did you first get up on a public surface?

Around 1996, my first wall was with Strajk, on the river bank in Skopje, beneath today’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I was helping him. I still love this wall to paint.

2. Does your name have any meaning? Where does it come from?

I’ve changed few names in the past years. Am writing Hrom since 2010. Representing the area that I come from in the city. Place where everything started. Also my fave color cHROMe. I named the graff shop also Hrom.

3. What kind of books, movies, music or art is inspiring you right now? Who do you listen to when you are painting?

Because I live out of graffiti and run a business I need to be updated what is going on worldwide scene. I follow a few interesting sites and magazines for fresh updates (ilovegraffiti; rail7; worldsbestever; juxtapose…).
Am listening to different genres of music while I sketch: rap, funk, electronic, indie, depends on the mood. While I write on a wall I don’t listen to music, I like to hear the sound of the can and mixing balls.

4. Any preferred surfaces?

Nope, I paint everything that I can get and I’m always thankful.

5. How do you feel about the movement of graffiti and street art into galleries?

I don’t have negative thinking about it. It’s an additional option for the graffiti writers. People who appreciate graffiti or street art can get a piece of the art for their homes.

6. Who are your favorite graffiti writers/artists these days?

My friends are my favorite graffiti writers, people that I write with, people that I meet on my journeys, these people are my true graffiti heroes.

7. Have any particular cultures influenced your aesthetic?

I can say skateboarding. I still love the graphics of the skate decks and the stickers. True magic.

8. How do you feel about the role of the Internet in this scene?

The Internet has a big influence in today’s graffiti scene. With five clicks you can see what is going on everywhere. Young writers can learn styles and techniques much faster, make friends and travel. They can learn tricks and tips of the trade easier. What we have lost with the internet is the uniqueness that every scene used to have. Nowadays most of the graffiti art is the same all over the world.

9. How has your work evolved in the past few years?

I still try to have that old-school flavor in my work. The letters in graffiti need to be readable – at least for me. I try to distinguish between my graffiti work and my illustrations. My work is always evolving.

10. How has the local art scene changed in these past few years?

Not much is changed on the local level, except new names popping up. Funny thing is that new names are doing almost the same things as the old dogs and yet get big props. Also, graffiti and street art are becoming more and more commercial which can be a good opportunity for writers to earn a buck and at the same time discredits the basics and freedom of graffiti writing.