by SCOTT C

Graffiti cleanup may be on city officials' lips these days, but Montreal's long-running international graffiti convention, Under Pressure, is intent on celebrating 10 years of bringing the graf community together through art and music. The yearly jam of graf writers, skaters and hip hop heads has become yet another fixture in the steady flow of Montreal festivals that locals look forward to every summer.

Now, while you might expect a milestone like this one to come with some bells and whistles, event organizer Sterling Downey explains how things have changed. "It's like surfing," he says. "Sometimes you catch a good wave, and sometimes you have to wait. In 1999 and 2000 we had sponsorship from Absolut Vodka, and that made it possible to secure specific locations that would ensure that people would be able to experience the artists, but it's different now. Although the community now comes to the event regardless, it's just not prime time for businesses to be investing in graffiti culture. It's been 10 years. Maybe they're bored, but we're still here."

Making it happen

Perhaps the best way to gauge the event's growth and progress over its long history is by reading Under Pressure Magazine, a publication borne directly out of the event's success over the years. Focusing on local and international graf writers, the magazine has been instrumental in letting people know exactly what's been going on in Montreal, while providing a first look at Montreal artists and musicians. Even if the event has become smaller, the reach of the publication has only helped to spread the word.

"It's the hip hop and graf community that make this happen," Downey reflects. "Under Pressure is a public company, and everybody who comes out to support are shareholders in the event."

With the announcement of new initiatives that will see Montreal pouring new money into cleaning up graffiti around the city, Downey says he is skeptical. "Sure, let's clean up," he comments. "It's just going to reappear in a few months and they're going to have to clean it all again. I would like to personally invite the City of Montreal and councillor Helen Fotopulos to this year's Under Pressure event. Graffiti is not gang-related, and you don't have to be a sociologist or anthropologist to know that. Kids and adults are a part of this culture, and the more educated everyone is about it, the better it is for all of us. Educating people is the beginning. Then we can talk about what we can do to make things better for everyone involved."

What's on

Meantime, the event has actually downsized from the usual 115 writers from all around the world to a modest 80 artists, and has shifted its focus a little more to the musical side of things, due in part to the fact that the City of Montreal no longer helps to fund the event. Fortunately, there is more than enough talent to go around, and Montrealers will be able to take all of that in over Under Pressure's four-day run.

You can check out selected works from the Kops Crew at Foufounes (87 Ste-Catherine) on Wednesday, August 10, where they'll take over the walls of the downstairs bar, while on Friday, August 12, there's a vernissage for artists Presha and Bjorn at Sub V (5666 Sherbrooke W.) starting at 8 p.m., with live painting by Axe. On Saturday, August 13, head down to the Peace Park (1195 St-Laurent) for some live performances and a graffiti expo that runs from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Under Pressure wouldn't be complete without their annual Black Book Session, happening on Saturday, August 13 at 8 p.m. down at Off the Hook (1021A Ste-Catherine W.). Artist Press Pause will be doing some live painting on site, and there'll also be a T-shirt show featuring designs from Gene Starship, Mark Verhaagen, Other, Flow, Zeke and many more. The icing on the cake is music by DJ Skeptik, DJ Illo and of course the legendary Kool Herc.

This all builds up to the main event on Sunday, August 14 in the parking lot beside Foufounes where you can see all the participating graffiti writers at work over the course of the day.