The Chop Shop Kickstarter

Unbelievably rad things are happening in Canberra!

Introducing, THE CHOP SHOP.

Sancho Murphy from the Dirty Laundry and Pat Rose from Coy are uniting forces to create a home for Canberra’s street culture unlike anything ever attempted before! Taking an abandoned warehouse in the heart of Braddon and turning it into an space made for street artists, musicians, skaters, creatives, designers and all manner of cool people! And they’re doing it all to support the artists, not themselves! So how about you show your support and chuck some pennies to their Kickstarter, it’s a very reachable goal and all contributions come with a treat; one of a kind skate boards, limited edition shirts, tickets, stickers, parties and more! Get Kicking Canberra!

Teaser Post Before all the Goodies

Last week I attended a private paint sesh featuring some of Canberra's best street artists. I can't yet reveal what we were all up to, but I thought I'd give you a little teaser in the mean time. Just believe me when I tell you; something great is coming to Canberra.

Oh oh ohhh, there's so much more to come! Keep posted baby~

The Coy House

Canberra's freshest clothing brand Coy dropped one of the most memorable house parties for their brand's launch at the end of last year. Decked out with live painting, free booze and sweet tunes throughout the night it was an impressive event pulled off by the brand's creator, Pat Rose.

The venue was the Coy House, a once ordinary little house in Lyneham with lush (read: overgrown) gardens and a spacious deck. The party kicked off a warm Summer afternoon, with sunshine flooding the garden; the sideways fridge full of Magners and sangria bathtub went down a treat.

The party featured some of the best street talent Canberra and beyond has to offer; Houl, JRB, King of Nothing, Mr Manok, Sancho, Bugz, Abyss .607, Walrus, Voir, Sprinkles, Wyrm, Goodie, Roskoe, Oh Jessie, Mim, Jess Mess, Alycia and Hams. Each artist had a wall on the inside or outside of the house to do their things to with the help of MTN Australia.

The result was a house with such a diverse range of art (not to mention that amazing party), with spontaneous collaborations happening, it was hard to not become inspired by all the creativity flowing.

Coy is undoubtedly a brand to watch, with a party so huge straight off the bat, there's no signs of slowing down from the brand. Best bet is to grab some fresh, hand screenprinted threads from their website or Sancho's Dirty Laundry when they reopen.

Video produced on the night of the party. Watch it, you won't regret it*.


*Unless perhaps you're prone to seizures.

Mr Manok Interview

Tell us about yourself and what you do?

Well, I create art under the moniker Mr Manok. I like to dabble in a lot of different mediums, I never really like to stay still, I make stickers, posters, I do traditional art, digital art, t-shirts. I made a resin toy one time; that was cool! I just like to do a lot of different things and try everything out to see what I do and don’t like.

How did you get your start?

My start-start? My real start? Happened in 2010, I entered this t-shirt competition that my friend sent to me. They really liked my design, but in the end they chose this really wack design. The design was really shit and it won. They just ended up printed mine anyway, and I didn’t even know any better cause I was 16. I was like ‘Oh my god, they’re gonna print my shirt!’ But in the end they just gave me two of my designs and that was it, they sold the rest. So I wrote an email, I was like “Why you tryin’ to step on the little fishes?! I’m only 16 and still in high school! You takin’ advantage of my stupidness!”

But from there, I just kept winning, at school I kept getting all the high grades. I was very competitive in the art world there. My teachers just kept asking me if I had anything online, ‘cause people were like ‘I wanna see your stuff’ and I’m like, ‘I can’t show you!’ So then I made a Facebook page, and then I found out about Art not Apart and went to that. I met Juliette Dudley, and I was also in a class with Ash Peak, which was pretty cool. Then I was like ‘Oh my god, what is this Us Folk thing?’ And then I went to the exhibition!

Oh my god I’m really ADHD with this interview!
I went to the Us Folk exhibition; that was the first time I was in a real-real exhibition, one that I didn’t have to pay to be in. After that Juliette gave my name to the people at La De Da, so I did an art battle there. That’s how I kinda stuck my foot in the Canberra art community, ‘cause I met Sancho.. Eeeee! And then Voir, and Eugene, and that was pretty rad. And then it kinda grew from there.
I was like, ‘man! I need to do more shit!’ so then I just started doing more shit! I was like ‘I really need to pick up my game!’ and then I’ve just picked up my game! Picked up the ball and just running with the ball. Run Forrest Run!

So what’s the story behind your name?

I’m Filipino, but I don’t speak Tagalog; I only know some basic words. Manok was one of them. I know like ten Filipino words, Manok was my favourite because it meant chicken. I thought Mr Chicken was really funny; only the Filipino people would be like, ‘oh that’s Mr Chicken! Ha ha, Mr Chicken!’ and now it’s just, stuck with me forever! I can’t ever change it! I just thought it was funny... And everyone thinks I’m a boy.. I think I Catfish a lot of women on Facebook. Cause it says Mr and I’m like ‘Oh my goddd, I’m Catfishing all these womennn!’

I feel like people are the same with Sancho

Yeah! Cause Sancho’s a dude’s name!  Yeah! Cause I mean, I was also scared as well, that people would be mean to me if I used my girl name, ‘cause all my characters are really retarded. So like, me going under a different name gives me the ability to do whatever the hell I want. Like I can draw weird ass nips and shit like that.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Umm, cartoons, Pokemon. Other artist with similar styles, 123 Klan, everyone in the Weird Crew, Sheryo, the Yok, Canberra artists…

Which Canberra artists?

All of them!

But which are you’re favourites?!

Awhh, I’m gonna say Sancho. Hehe! Sancho. I like Sancho. I like Voir. I like Houl- I don’t want to miss anyone! I’m scared I’m gonna miss someone, so just put all of them! Just say all of them- cause, it just keeps me going, to be like, ‘oh they’ve put something out, now I have to put something out’. So that’s what inspires me. And.. VINYL TOYS! I like vinyl toys! And toys, and anything like that! I like ice cream. I like, I like, lollies! I like bright colours. And nipples. Just everything that’s funny to me! I like weird stuff…

What's next for Mr Manok?

I don’t know, I wanna do a branch apparel, like, do some trill wear, put my designs on clothing so I can wear it. I’m always like, ‘man I wish I had some, crazy ass, candy coloured clothing!’ I can’t find any anywhere. I think it’d be really cool if I just make my own.

Where can we find more of your work?

I’ve got a website, Facebook page, also have Instagram, but I hate Instagram!

Groovin After Party

Groovin the Moo was held in Canberra last Sunday, with a pretty sweet line up of acts and some paint done by Houl and Smalls it was a pretty wild day. Though the party continued well into the night at the after party held at the nearby La De Da bar with live UV painting and a sweet set of acts throughout the night.

Throwing down centre stage with UV paint looking a little like painting with glue, was Mr Manok and Tyrone. Despite the sticky situation the team both produced a pretty sick piece of work which rocked the wall amongst a huge crowd enjoying the dance floor.

The beats that kept the party going well into the night were provided by the Ansah Brothers. Suavess. Jemist. Nay Nay. and Fro & Mo.

pARTy Art Tournament

A few of Canberra's fresher creatives came out for the University of Canberra's Graphic Design Club run art tournament. Dubbed "pARTy" with a faulty neon sign on the poster done by none of that the steeziest kid in UCGD; Mr Manok. The night featured a prize ladder, endless cheap art supplies and free goon, so you know it was a good time. 

The grand prize of the tournament was a legit Wacom graphics Tablet, and there was also a raffle for some delish Mr Manok goodies (which you can also purchase with money from her website). Artists worked on a variety of surfaces (lots of plywood, really) and with a bunch of mediums, creating works from highly skilled and beautiful drawings to weird abstract sculptures that the misinformed may mistake for garbage (I'm talking of my own work of course).

In the end the Wacom prize went to film maker, Simone Thompson, whose lack of punctuality didn't hinder the quality of her work. Although all the work produced was pretty outstanding, other honourable mentions went to James Anthony, No Hope Kid and Andrew Eastern.

The pARTy continued afterwards at La De Da for another quality Messy Hands; Down the Rabbit Hole featuring neon body painting and oh so many sweet beats.