Since we´ve posted News about numerous bus paintings in Norway several times, we decided to interview the man behind this project. Thomas runs a company called ASKER FARVEHANDEL and the Mailorder GRAFFITI.NO. He is an artist himself and well connected in the world of Graffiti. Every year Thomas hosts international Graffiti Artists such as MADC, CANTWO, SOFLES, SLIDER any many more to paint wonderful and always themed productions on Busses. The interview with Thomas and a nice selection of painted busses please find after the jump!
Hi! Please introduce yourself!
My name is Thomas and I coordinate the Asker Farvehandel graffiti team from Norway
What´s the idea behind all these busses painted through the years?
This is a long time tradition (for generations) in Norway. When kids finish high school, they team up, pimp buses and drive around in them partying for a month. It kind of reminds of Spring Break that goes on at Daytona beach in Florida, except that in Norway there is included teams of competing buses. Large parking lots are filled up of around 50 buses with large sound systems and crazy kids partying all night in different towns.
The kids take this celebration extremely serious. They have custom made clothing created for their theme, and often they even print cover name logos/clothing to disguise what their real concept is going to be. Famous DJ´s and rappers perform on top of their buses, and at the end of each party there are judges presenting different awards.
Basically it´s a celebration, but its also a competition about having the coolest bus of the year. That´s where we come in and help the kids pimp the exterior of the buses.
You paint busses as well? And what other artists are involved?
I finished high school myself in 1993 and painted my first bus back then. Through time I got more and more requests, and I´ve personally done about 250 buses over 20 years.
It used to be just me and one other guy doing this together. But through the years the requests kept increasing, so we started to invite international artists to help us. This year the team consisted of: TES, MadC, Epoxy, Sofles, Can2, Atom, Slider and Soten.
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How many MOLOTOW Premium cans to use for one bus? Approx?
We estimate about 100 cans on each bus, if they want detailed stuff.
The painted busses are running?
Yes of course! They drive around in the cities and on the high ways, playing really loud music. Usually you can hear the bass from their music a long time before you can see the bus comes rolling.
Even though this is commercial decorations, it still reminds me a little bit about painting trains. Since the buses drive around everywhere – they get seen all over the city.
Is this an ongoing project?
Unfortunately the buses are only used for one month. After that they are sold to next year students, who roller paint them white – before we change the bus into a new theme.
Cool thing is that its taboo to have a theme that somebody has had before you. So every year there are new concepts to work with.
Thanks for the short interview and please proceed with this great project!
Links to Asker Farvehandel:
www.instagram.com/askerfarvehandel
www.facebook.com/asker.farvehandel
www.graffiti.no/russebuss