Graffiti artists of “JNJ Crew”
The two South Koreans Artime Joe (Yoo In-Joon) and Jay Flow (Im-Dong-Ju) got to know each other during their two years of military service and quickly discovered a common passion for graffiti art. In 2001 they founded the JNJ Crew which is a graffiti design agency based in the very centre of the South Korean capital Seoul. Subsequently successful exhibitions and a wide range of commissioned works followed. Since 2006 they have established a close cooperation with sports equipment manufacturer Nike. In the same year, Artime Joe and Jay Flow also founded the Seoulmates Crew (SM8) in collaboration with half-Korean graffiti artist Mogi (Christian Yun-Song Meyerholz) from Germany. As part of the first Seoulmates Tour in 2007 Artime Joe and Mogi visited various European graffiti artists. In the following year the return visit in Korea was documented by a German camera crew. The Seoulmates Tour 2009 will take place in Europe and the complete Seoulmates Crew will pay visits to numerous graffiti legends all over Europe (e.g. Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark)
Graffiti style
With their vivid characters Jay and Joe link up graffiti elements with traditional Korean colours and shapes and thereby establish and transport their very own identity. By the hands of the JNJ Crew the art form graffiti which once emerged in the 1980s in New York is transformed into an expression of modern and urban yet very Korean attitude and lifestyle.
2001
-foundation of JNJ Crew
-graffiti performance at Korea Comics Museum of Bucheon
2002
- graffiti performance for MTV and Nike
2003
-winner of the “Streetwise” contest in Seoul
-numerous commissioned works for MBC (stage designs for performances of renowned musicians)
-documentation about the JNJ Crew on Korean TV (MBC)
- commissioned work for LG
2004
-commissioned works for Japanese music television
-booklet design for Korean HipHop bands
-performance at Korean Visual Design Festival “VISAK”, Seoul
-performance at POLO-Jeans 4 Year Anniversary-Event, Seoul
-first solo exhibition “Streetwriters” at “Style Cube Zandari”, Seoul
-performance for various TV productions (MBC)
- exhibition at “2004-Mania”-Festival, Seoul
2005
-commissioned works in Yoeng-Pyoeng Snowpark Resort
-Skin-Design for Cyworld
-commissioned work for “This-Plus” cigarettes (print advert)
-performance for N´GENE
-design for MLB strike CO-OP
-performance for “Seoul-Design” Festival
-performance at MTV 9 strikers_most wanted
2006
-close cooperation with Nike (print and clothes)
-snowboard design for SICAF