WUNDERUS X PROBLAK : The Capsule
From his early teenage years to the present day, graffiti artist Rob “Problak” Gibbs has been utilizing a plethora of tools in producing his greatest work. Each vibrant dreamscape, whether it occupies a whitewashed interior brick wall or spans up to 76 feet of an outdoor facade (such as the newly unveiled “Breathe Life Together” mural in Boston’s Dewey Square), Gibbs has credited each brush, spray paint can, and construction lift in making his art come to life.
Gibbs’ creative journey will be the premise of an upcoming documentary by Boston-based film production company, Wunderus. With production ongoing and the film release set by the end of this summer, Wunderus and Problak have teamed up to create an extensive merchandise and apparel collection for the documentary’s crowdfunding campaign. Each contribution to the campaign will be reciprocated by exclusively designed and curated perks, from t-shirts, to VIP screening tickets, to a personal painting from Problak himself.
From rejuvenated logos to hand-drawn illustrations, each graphic and motif of the collection carries significant meaning. “I was thinking we needed to stay connected to three things: graffiti, Problak, and the mural…I wanted to stay true to his roots. He considers himself a graffiti artist, first and foremost,” says Mushen Kieta, founder and director of Wunderus.
The boombox graphic (drawn by Kieta and featured on a t-shirt and sticker) gives a nod to the boombox depicted in “Breathe Life Together”, blown to oversize proportions behind Gibbs’ daughter, Bobbi. Another illustration of Bobbi can be found on the front of a different t-shirt, complete with Gibbs smiling alongside his art supplies on the back (drawn by artist Randy Price).
Another shirt features a picture of Gibbs’ weathered 1999 driver’s license, reminiscent of contemporary hip-hop promotional marketing. The back headlines in emblazoned script “PROBLAK BREATHING LIFE WORLD TOUR”, complete with a list of “shows” where Gibbs’ murals are located.
The reworking of several spray paint brands were tied into the collection as well, effortlessly intertwined with Problak’s image.
“There’s a lot of spray paint manufacturers that have built their brand recognition to the point where if they’re seen by different artists, they know what they’re looking at, even if it’s just icons and logo designs,” says Kieta.
A graphic of three spray paint cans featuring Problak’s name as their brand was an ingenious way to relate iconography with Gibbs, complete with safety precaution details on the back of the shirt and hoodie. “The brands worked perfectly with his name. From MTN Black and Ironlak to Problak.”
The final design, which can be found on t-shirts, socks, and a water bottle, depicts the paradigmatic red oval and refined color wheel of spray paint brand Krylon, sticking to the goal of maintaining Problak’s roots.
“With Krylon, it was a little different. Krylon is traditionally one of the most recognizable spray paint cans. You see it everywhere…it’s inexpensive, so a lot of the time, it’s the first can that a lot of graffiti artists pick up,” continues Kieta.
