Left's Interview
A second-generation graffiti writer, fashion creative, and entrepreneur, Left has spent years carving his signature mark across borders from South India to Dubai. In this candid conversation, he reveals how a chance encounter at a beach launched his artistic career, why he prefers action over overthinking, and how street culture serves as his ultimate declaration of identity.
Q. Your journey spans graffiti, fashion, and entrepreneurship. How would you introduce yourself and your creative world to someone discovering your work for the first time?
I am Left, a graffiti artist from Malabar, Kerala, based in Bengaluru and Dubai for the past five years. I am one of the second-generation graffiti writers in India, and I have had the opportunity to work with some of the finest artists both within the country and internationally. I believe in street culture and the exchange of knowledge and expression through visual language. The spray can is my medium, and I love leaving my mark wherever I go. I run a clothing label called LEFT WORLDWIDE, which is deeply inspired by graffiti and subculture. I have also started an IP called Gods Own Vandals, hosting graffiti jams and workshops to build the graffiti culture in South India.
Q. What first drew you towards graffiti, and when did you realize it could become more than just a form of self-expression?
I started drawing letters as a practice for calligraphy during my first year of college. I met a lot of artists and learned different kinds of styles, but graffiti was never one of them. Then one fine day, a graffiti artist named Akil came from Chennai to Calicut and painted a graffiti piece near the beach. I saw how quickly he completed it, which really inspired me. I took a train the very next week to meet him, and that was where my journey in graffiti began.
Q. As a left-handed artist, does being a "lefty" influence your artistic process or the way you approach your craft?
"Left" became my identity after I took up graffiti seriously. As a graffiti artist, you need a pseudonym. Since I am left-handed, I didn't think twice when I chose this name. It was a rare instance where I didn't overthink my decision, which impressed me because I am normally a heavy overthinker. As a person, I overthink a lot; as an artist, I think less and do more.
Q. Your work connects Bangalore and Dubai. How have these two cities shaped your visual language and creative identity?
Dubai and the Middle East have played a huge role in influencing my style. I can read and write Arabic, and growing up in Kerala, almost every family has an NRI connection. I am naturally inclined towards Arabic calligraphy, food, and culture, as well as the historical fusion between Arab and Malabari traditions. I feel a deep connection to this cultural fusion because both cultures share many striking similarities.
Q. Graffiti is often associated with rebellion and street culture. What does graffiti represent to you beyond its visual appeal?
It is all about leaving your mark, proclaiming that you exist, and shouting that you are cooler than the rest. Graffiti represents confidence to me. It is the pure happiness you get when you see your work displayed in a completely different light, like on a billboard. Ultimately, it aids in self-awareness and style-seeking.
Q. When you look at your older work compared with what you create today, what changes in yourself do you notice?
I used to experiment a lot with different styles to see what worked for me. Today, I am focused on seeking and refining my style across various mediums.
Q. If you could paint one wall anywhere in the world with complete creative freedom, where would it be and what would you paint?
More than specific places or walls, I would love to paint alongside living legends, wherever they are. For me, the artists always come first.
Q. When you’re not creating art or working on your brands, what is one thing, music, fashion, food, film, or anything else, that instantly puts you in a good mood?
I am deeply into cars. I study them, learn about them, and love to build them, in fact, I am looking to build one right now. Traveling is my favorite hobby as well. While I mostly travel to paint, I genuinely love traveling for its own sake and have visited ten countries so far.
Interviewed By Vanshika Gupta
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