WE SPEAK WITH BEO HAKE ABOUT MONTANA SHOP MONTERREY

Monterrey-based artist Beo Hake runs one of the most recently opened Montana Shops. An interview with him was something we’ve had pending for a while.

In October 2019, one of the latest Montana Shops to open was inaugurated: Montana Shop Monterrey. This opening was able to take place partly thanks to Pinturas Osel — the distributor that imports MTN products to Mexico.
To get a little closer to the context of this new official Montana Colors point of sale, we interviewed Beo Hake.

Who better to run this new Montana Shop than this street artist from the city of Monterrey, with a career spanning more than 10 years of painting in the streets? And while his testimony gives us an interesting glimpse into the history and curiosities behind this new store, be sure you don’t miss out on Beo Hake’s work.

How did the idea of opening a Montana Shop in Monterrey come about?
Pinturas Osel has been the national distributor in Mexico for Montana for over three years, and in 2019 they decided to open the country's third Montana Shop right here in Monterrey. This was so we could offer a wide variety of the brand’s products to the Monterrey public all in one place. Also, since Pinturas Osel is a brand that originates in Monterrey, it was natural for them to open a Montana store in their own city.

Could you outline the Monterrey graffiti/street art scene for us?
I’d have to say that there are few of us who frequently paint in streets, and this brings us to get to know each other and really take note when there is someone new who starts painting. The urban art scene is not very big, but it is constantly growing.

As for the graffiti scene, here in Monterrey we don’t have the problem of writers crossing or capping each other as much as I’ve seen in other parts of Mexico, and as a result there’s always a wide variety of styles on the streets.

Which graffiti artists and writers are the most prominent?

That’s a difficult question to answer since there’s different ways to rise to prominence, but the ones you will hear about the most are Tow, Acido, Real 3, Dose, Blast, Banger, Homie, Buster, Asero Rdz, among others.

In Monterrey there is the traditional graffiti of "ganchos" (hooks). What role does this movement play in street painting?
“Ganchos” are a unique style that was developed in Monterrey in the late 1980s. I think it is important to emphasize that it didn’t take its influence from New York graffiti or the hip hop aesthetic that was in fashion at the time. This unique style was created with its own rules, which has come to form a trend. Normally the tag is the initial of the writer’s name, and they alter their caps to make wider lines.

Which MTN products do you think are the most in demand or will be the most successful?
I’ve realized something that customers really like is the PRO line, because many of them hadn’t imagined that there are sprays for such specific tasks. In general, there is an audience for all the products, but the one they look for the most is MTN 94 because of the variety of colors available. After so many years painting, I remember how we used to find one or two cans from Montana and it didn't even matter if it was a color you wanted or not. You’d buy it and use it as little as possible because you knew you would never find it again. So, you can understand the pleasure I get from now being able to have the entire range of colors and no longer worry about any shortage.

Where is the store located, and why did you choose this spot?
The store can be found in the city center, two blocks from the Alameda subway station. This location was chosen so that the store would form part of the same premises where Pinturas Osel was already located, thus being able to provide complete customer service.

Does the store have any peculiarities? Does it offer something we can't find at other paint or graffiti shops?
We are currently setting up the second floor to teach workshops and open the space for exhibitions. In the store, visitors can leave their sticker on the walls and columns. Other than this, I think the biggest draw is that it’s the only place in town where you can find all of Montana’s products.

What have been your impressions of the opening event?
It was a very simple but enjoyable event. The artists were very happy to exchange some words with Jordi Rubio and discuss the pieces they had prepared for the exhibition.

Who participated in the exhibition?
Local artists with impressive backgrounds such as Dose, Andy Graves, Loers, Tow, Acido, Dones, Simon Barsiniestro, El Pura, Poni, Seif, Daner, Pront, and myself.

How do you think the presence of a Montana Shop will affect the local scene?
I’ve noticed that people use Montana products for a wide variety of projects, from architectural tasks, crafts, tags or bombing, to murals or collectibles. I think that thanks to the expanded presence of the brand in the city, we'll be able to see an increase in the quality and durability of wall pieces, and in other types of projects as well.