Breakdancing and Fine Art with Rostarr

Romon Kimin Yang, aka Rostarr, is a painter, calligrapher, and filmmaker living and working in Brooklyn. He spent much of his early career focusing on painting and graphic design, blurring the lines between the two. For the past 15 years he has been more widely known for his abstract polymorphic paintings, sculptures, and black and white calligraphic drawings. Rostarr pushes all boundaries in his work, always striving to find freedom within style, medium, and form. He builds upon the visual language he calls "Graphysics," a word that exemplifies the geometric dynamism characteristic in his work. VICE recently met up with him in Mexico City as he prepared for his most recent solo show, Turbo Arena, at Anonymous Gallery. We sat down with him to discuss his style, techniques, and approach to art-making.
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[@SEThatered]

That calligraphy on the walls is just perfect. It has flow, depth, story, weave, it is a stand alone art object and it creates an entirely new wall perception. Truly a masterpiece!

[@tealkitten2588]

Waaaaay too many people are saying this is boring. It's really not boring guys, it's just not your thing. I usually hate abstract or modern art as its so easy to pass off a meaningless splodge as art but this guy is really inspiring!

[@megabarf20]

damn I can picture those patterns on a guitar...that would look sick!!!

[@Nicozeno]

So humble. Love to hear his conception of art and abstraction.

[@andrewyang1993]

This guy is freaking creative. And I think that making structured abstract designs is harder to come up with than just a good but regular drawing or painting. Bravo!

[@terminator6267]

This individual is what gives art a definition.

[@nincomboob2]

as a korean american graphic designer student and abstraction artist myself, i totally relate to rostarr. this was a good video

[@mentorpozhegu]

Yes this guy have talent and he knows how to mix with the situation where he is. Thank you for sharing

[@albertrochaisSLICK]

0:18 in my mind probably the most inspiring art piece I have seen all week.

[@holdmybeer]

One of the better artist featured on Vice imo.

[@TheDubGnosis]

vice always does a great job on setting a mood/ambiance. keep doin whatcha do

[@TUBESTEAKNIG]

the white on the wall looked so dope

[@Muxen92]

Like the style alot. The smaller hurricane pieces were beautiful.

[@minch333]

Beautiful! He has a lot of freedom in the potential of his style. Seems like he could go as abstract or as concrete as he likes with a painting, without loosing conveyance of the meaning behind it. Cool!

[@minchkybutbut]

i like the punching at the end and when he went 'tzatzatzatzatza'

[@GuidoNijhof1]

He got his own style and its sick

[@AttilaTheHutt]

the expression of oneself through whatever means they choose. you are not to judge what and what is not art.

[@dumyjobby]

I like wery much haw the wall is paint, it has such a grate sense of volume

[@SirHouseFly]

Fuck, it's so minimal and has so much depth. Awesome.

[@TESLAac130]

Absolutely Gorgeous.

[@The406344]

This guy's patterns are amazing :O that design is so good

[@fruhaa]

I'm from Lebanon and lived in Saudi Arabia... point is I think Arabic calligraphy is beautiful, it was more of a compliment really.

[@PsiClotron141]

Its brilliant..Love it!

[@denken_dunken]

The walls in that gallery were amazing! Now I know how I'm gonna decorate my living room! I actually prefer the art he put BEHIND the paintings! His GD work sucked, but some of his personal stuff really is incredible... :)

[@tehpwnerer117]

i also see those designs in my head, like he said he does

[@MsAvonforU]

I love Art, I am an Artist too, THis is awesome. I love it im glad i found this channel

[@Mat397]

It's really beautiful

[@4ringmaster]

I really enjoyed this.

[@greylynnjr]

Awesome!!very clear artist.understandable

[@HKstroller]

I don't care if this is art or not its just as awesome.

[@Placeholder209]

Damn that was seriously inspirational!

[@eliser.8718]

I really love this! His art is nothing short of perfect!

[@demesamarcclenn]

Ienjoy this vice article!:))

[@WretchedDrummer]

Amazing. Great guy too.

[@ReallyRedPanda]

This is breathtaking

[@TheyCallMeMrBigRed89]

I fucking love his work. That's so amazing I wanna be tripin and look at all his work that'd be epic

[@Theowest]

this is some great stuff.

[@alexdelker]

Dig it. Awesome coverage, Vice!

[@azzim94]

Wow. really inspirational :)

[@cyberdustzor]

that was really nice.

[@rallen568]

Hmm those are some pretty trippy designs.

[@Bubbalum]

Inspiring..

[@cannesberges5870]

the designs painted on the wall remind me a bit of arabic as well as tibetan alphabets beautiful!

[@jshmontoya]

Great work. To each his/her own. Another artist making their mark in this world. Go ahead & create something "better", or get on KZbin & complain...whichever.

[@leblanc22]

So dope.

[@MotherBEARmakes]

Great artist, anybody know some of the music used in this episode?

[@Hboogie182]

This guy is legit.

[@kabukichaos]

Amazing work!

[@AlexanderFresco]

Very nice art

[@jamesthom6701]

6:14 the more you look the more faces you see, pretty sick man!

[@demesamarcclenn]

Good art!

[@rolo1052]

'Hipsters gonna hip'

[@offbeattrain1]

VICE MUST DO A DOCUMENTARY ON BILDERBER GROUP 2013, spread it

[@wesleymiles96]

For sure!"

[@ctfletcher4701]

on psychedelics any shape can be seen as a face..i think it activates the facial recognition system

[@50Sane50Crazy]

agree!

[@OnlyRelaxingMusic]

Interesting!

[@jacklondon4344]

Stoned while watching this....I keep thinking, 'Why is the dog whisperer painting?'

[@Curlyhairedasian]

yea this guy is hella deep

[@alexandertilba6542]

To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed through words, so to convey this so that others may experience the same feeling - this is the activity of art. i forget who .__. you are wrong.

[@FLOMOSAPIAN]

hey, wheres the break dance at?

[@SymbolZN]

Sick.

[@rolo1052]

True facts

[@eelexa]

If he ever came out with an affordable wallpaper line..

[@FunkMobbMack]

Art can save the world.

[@EmbraceTehMartian]

2 million subs!

[@eddievulcan8628]

lol. your attempt to extrapolate who i am as a person based off of one comment is both funny and flattering. although I can see why you would think so, my response in defending art as not just a premeditated vision does not mean I am a huge fan of this guy's work. however, simply put, his work is aesthetically pleasing, but I prefer a little more substantial meaning at the core of the art I truly like.

[@aajazzg]

song at the end sounds sick, is it bbng, anyone?

[@incubusoul]

What is the song at the end ?

[@pixelmouth]

what is he talking about bring back with him @ 3:24

[@HCR420]

It's like your eye defines art?

[@jongarzamx]

Can you explain it to me?

[@andrewyang1993]

Thank yaw

[@CaliberBeats]

I doubt that.

[@cannesberges5870]

what is art anyways? Does it have to be classical, perfect looking and understandable/relatable????

[@jongarzamx]

Ok, first reply that actually make me think, thanks... You got a point, that doesn't matter, the issue is how good is it. I still think is not good enough, forget art, not even as a pattern design, I've seen better from more humble designers, mexican designers. As a mexican I guess that's the reason this bother me.

[@LAURADUFFYxx]

sick! (:

[@CapyDiff]

Than why is it when I draw a line on a piece of paper, I don't sell it for thousands of dollars. I perceive it as the greatest drawing showing how linear the average human's life is and people think its just a bland line.

[@MotherBEARmakes]

Or anything that's alike?

[@pacovl46]

Is that Jason Statham on that bike at 0:47? ;-)

[@oscar58383]

I know

[@88roro11]

art will save the world :)

[@andrewbanderas5595]

wow your amazing lookin, yeah Arabic cuture is amazing

[@dkennell998]

You know, I've never really considered myself the sort of person who appreciates art... but man, the stuff vice covers just sucks me IN.

[@KrazyNinjaPanda]

What exactly the fuck was he doing at the last 10 secs of the vid LOL

[@ImJulia95]

Art is defined by peoples opinions, so they don't like it, who cares, personally i love it, but if there wasn't a debate over art, or something in it to talk about, would it be so interesting?

[@eddievulcan8628]

also, since you strongly believe i "can't understand" art, please enlighten me so that i may join you in the modern age.

[@NormanRockwellsbiblestudy]

I believe he meant to say "2deep4me"

[@pirateking888]

Finally, they interview an artist who doesn't drawing shitty ironic "art"

[@lllexoduslll]

It's definitely art. The real issue is how good or bad this art is.

[@cozymoggele]

I'm sure a vain hipster would have an avatar. Also I use the words "blatant" and "closemindedness", and am no a hipster. I don't see what those things have to do with being a hipster anyway...

[@xxborzuxx]

SIIICK

[@UnseenK]

Vice covers some pretty shitty pretentious art, but this guy is fucking good.

[@BboyCorrosive]

As did the majority, sadly, because that was the name the media gave it, check some interviews with the pioneers and you'll see how it was hijacked and re-branded during it's commercialization :) Just a shame that name is still being used by people outside of the scene even with all the knowledge out there today.

[@pierseM]

hes so high

[@a3ads]

His art is very similar to Arabic type. Google it. Its nice to see were he got his inspiration from lol

[@Punisher0015]

retna is his hero, lol

[@Freddan0]

RETNA BITE!

[@dalesexton2185]

I guess he is just like Retna

[@AdventureswithASTRO]

My grandmother could do that! But she decided not to