Interview with REE

Interview with REE

Oral history recorded for the Bronx Aerosol Arts Documentary Project on April 6, 2023 with Ree (Fred Vilomar), a pioneering graffiti writer and artist. REE is a Dominican immigrant raised in the South Bronx. In his oral history, Ree talks about immigrating from the Dominican Republic with his mother and four siblings in 1967 and growing up on Daley Ave. He speaks about his introduction to graffiti, his development as a writer, his personal "golden years" of graffiti writing from 1975 to 1977, and his decision to stop racking when he turned 18 to avoid felony charges as an adult. He speaks of "Chino Malo" as a major influence to his graffiti writing and his ventures getting in and out of train yards and tunnels. Ree details an incident where he was struck by a train while he was still in junior high school. He also speaks about his future exhibits with other pioneering graffiti artists and his continued work on canvas today.

The interviewer is BUTCH 2, pioneering graffiti writer and community historian for the The Bronx Aerosol Arts Documentary Project (BAADP), a project of The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.

This oral history is brought to you through the support of The New York City Council Cultural Immigrant Initiative.

2023.04.06

English

OH-BAADP.20230406

MP4

00:58:06

The Bronx, NY

Video