Bip Apollo

Bip produces work internationally as a large-scale muralist, street artist, and an occasional animator. BiP does not consider his spray-painting, stenciling, and wheat-pasting to be traditional graffiti, as graffiti artists focus on perfecting lettering styles, spreading their brand and other common characteristics of graffiti. According to Bip, "traditional graffiti writers would be infuriated to hear his work called 'graffiti'".[2] Likewise, Bip has claimed publicly that his work is not committed to graffiti for graffiti’s sake but rather, dedicated to a spirit of resistance to skepticism and estrangement, so as to positively change the way people interact with their environment.[3]

In 2011, Bip allowed Kimberly Chow, a 2009 Yale University alumnus and former Yale Daily News reporter, to interview him and witness him in action painting a piece that visualizes the origins to his creative work. According to Chow, the name, "BiP", as an abbreviation of "believe in people", is a manifesto in response to a theme the artist discovered repeated throughout his deceased childhood friend's journals.[3]

Bip's spray-paint and stencil murals began popping up during nighttime hours around New Haven beginning in October 2010. Early in his career, Bip illegally painted buildings and spaces around Yale University in New Haven.[2] One of his highest-profile paintings in New Haven is a large smiling portrait of Anne Frank located outside of Partner's Cafe, a bar on Crown Street, a nightlife district.

During this time, reactions to Bip's work were polarizing. While his illegal work was celebrated by some city residents and journalists, some city officials condemned his works as acts of vandalism. Abigail Rider, real estate manager for Yale University said:

Our position on graffiti is that no matter how beautiful it may be (and most of it is far from beautiful) it is an act of vandalism which if not promptly removed sends a signal to people in the area that the owners and residents of the area think it’s not worth it to maintain their property. Graffiti makes people feel unsafe and attracts additional vandalism. The key to controlling graffiti is to remove it quickly and completely.

— Abigail Rider, real estate manager for Yale University[2]

City spokeswoman of New Haven Elizabeth Benton, on the "Encurbagement" project of BiP, said:

The City of New Haven and the arts community strongly support public art in a way few communities in the region can match. But murals or stencils on private or City property without permission is vandalism. The City can’t be in the position to support certain acts of vandalism over others based on the interesting nature or attractiveness of the messaging.

— Elizabeth Benton, spokesperson for the city of New Haven, Connecticut[2]

Despite such negative reactions, Bip persisted. After he was invited to produce a mural at a lumberyard, NBC Connecticut speculated about his identity and intentions.[4]

In what is confirmed from news articles to be 2013 or 2014, Bip relocated to a permanent residence in San Francisco, California.[5] After re-location, Bip discontinued painting illegally and began to paint gigantic murals with permission. In 2015, Bip completed a 7-story mural in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, depicting a man examining his own heart under a microscope.[6]

The following year, Bip created a 5-story mural in downtown Oakland, California, of an elderly Oakland resident listening to a heavy metal album.[7]

Bip followed this growth with a string of large buildings throughout the Bay Area and by 2018[8] had become synonymous with the West Coast street art revival.[9]

Bip's most well known mural is a 2017 5-story building for the San Francisco Westfield Centre, known as "No Ceiling",[10][11] depicting a young African-American resident with artificially large muscles.[12] In 2018 Bip announced plans to continue with up to ten additional buildings in San Francisco.[13]

Starting in 2015, Bip began to travel aggressively, painting for international museums and public art festivals while maintaining total anonymity. Beginning with an eight-story mural for the Museum of Krasnoyarsk, Russia,[14][15] Bip followed with a tour of South America sponsored by Montana Colors Spraypaint[16][17] as well as a four-story mural for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, Taiwan.

Throughout this time, Bip continued to wear a mask that has become a part of his public persona.[18]

In a 2017 interview with reporter Jonathan Curiel of San Francisco Weekly, Bip reflected on the changes brought on by international success as a young artist.[19]

• Bip Apollo on Instagram