Based in Aachen, Germany, KEF! is a young artist who uses the walls of different European capitals to expose his abstracts looking characters, Kef and Kefline. Expressive and playful, these seem to appear inconspicuously with their curios looks and cheer up the most unexpected urban places.

Asked what his characters represent and what inspired him to create them, KEF! cannot explain concretely the process by which his inner voice speaks or what inspired his colourful murals:

My creatures show my inner world. You cannot explain it in words. Even I don’t know how I created it the first time. There is something that absolutely wants to come out. And it takes this form.

KEF! admires all street artists that express themselves freely and is really passionate about the underground aspect of street art that offers some sort of anonymity to the creator. KEF! also enjoys the temporary aspect of his works: some of them last for a longer period of time but most of them are washed away by weather conditions or passers-by.

I like simple stuff and all artists who do what they want. I think there is something about street art that makes it very underground – in the sense that the street passer only sees it but knows nothing about the author. All my paintings outside are for limited time, some of them are gone, but some are still there.

With the boom of street art nowadays, it’s hard to distinguish and to find the right terms to appreciate this type or art. The artist feels rather neutral about this aspect, but he definitely takes credits for his works.

At the moment Street Art is everywhere, its crazy. If it’s good or not, no idea. When I am painting outside, a lot of people ask me about my work and about my person. For me its no problem if someone knows who is the person behind KEF!, because all my works are legal.

Using a combination of techniques like spraycaps, marker, ink, and acrylic on walls, paper or canvas, KEF! benefits of an international exposure, his works being already exhibited on the walls of different European capitals.

I have wall paintings in Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Aachen, Mönchengladbach, Düsseldorf in Suisse and Croatia. There are different ways how I get the walls.

Asked whether he is trying to make a statement through his art or raise awareness towards some issue, the artist mentions peace and harmony as his main objectives of his art.

The most important is to compare peace and harmony in my art. These are words that people don’t use any more.

KEF! is one of those artists who wants to let his feeling and thoughts take a concrete form into his art. As his future plans he would like to spread his works on walls all around the world.

Everyone should paint what they like, spontaneously, without thinking about the picture. Emotion is a good word. Most people are searching a motive to paint, but it’s so easy to let out what’s inside yourself. For the future I’d like to make more exhibitions and spray walls all over the world.

We definitely wish KEF! good luck and hope to encounter his alter egos, Kef and Kefline all around Europe, in the most unexpected locations.

You can enjoy more of his paintings below and follow his latest creations on Facebook

Photos courtesy of KEF! Art/Exclusive interview for Mole Empire