Between Walls and Words: A Conversation with Alhx

The following interview explores the intersection of graffiti, calligraphy, and cultural identity with Alhx, a writer and calligrapher of graffiti artists based in Tokyo. What began as a casual encounter at a graffiti shop opening turned into a deeper conversation about art, spirituality, and the connections between South African and Japanese cultures.

Fifi: Let's start with how we met. It wasn't exactly a planned interview, was it? I remember walking into what was supposed to be your exhibition opening at this graffiti shop, but it wasn't really happening in any formal sense. It was just this relaxed, welcoming atmosphere on a hot spring day. I felt a bit confused at first—that sense of "do I belong here?" because I didn't look like the other people there. But I learned that nobody really cares whether you belong in the end.

Alhx: laughs Exactly! It was such a casual setting, wasn't it?

Fifi: I remember feeling drawn to certain pieces, and I even bought something. Then by luck, I discovered you were the artist. I was so glad you were a woman because I could support another female artist. We ended up having this conversation over a cigarette that became so much deeper than I expected.

Alhx: That's how the best conversations start, isn't it? What struck me was how we immediately found these cultural similarities. Like the washing of hands—it's a spiritual practice for both of us, representing purity and cleanliness before entering a space, especially after funerals.

Fifi: Yes! And we talked about how South Africans have animals that represent their family names. You said Japanese culture has something similar?

Alhx: Very much so. It's deeply connected to nature, just like in your culture. But let me tell you about something specific to my work—the numbers 3 and 81 that appear throughout my pieces. The 3 is Tokyo's city code, and 81 is Japan's country code. These aren't just numbers; they represent where I reside and how place shapes identity.

Fifi: That's fascinating. And the Ginkgo leaf that appears in your work?

Alhx: The Ginkgo leaf is a symbol of Japanese strength and wisdom. In my work, I fuse themes of space, body, and street culture from different districts in Japan. It also represents triumph after falling on some hard lessons. The Ginkgo tree is incredibly resilient—it can survive almost anything.

Fifi: Speaking of resilience, you mentioned the Phoenix during our conversation.

Alhx: Yes, the Japanese believe in this powerful symbol of rebirth. The Phoenix can be burnt but cannot die. I use this motif to represent my identity as a Japanese woman. The mandala style of my text is inspired by circular forms—everything in motion stays in motion. As within, so without. Rebirth doesn't exist in isolation; it's part of a continuous cycle.

Fifi: Your work blurs the line between writing and graffiti. Can you talk about that intersection?

Alhx: I see myself as both a writer and a calligrapher of graffiti artists. The blur between these forms is intentional. Graffiti has always been about expressing what people cannot say out loud, and writing serves the same purpose in many ways. Concrete walls hold the memory of what people are thinking.

Fifi: That connects to something I was thinking about—in South Africa, our first graffiti artists would have been the rock painters. They used this form to share stories during cold winters. What started in caves has become an expression of what people can't vocalize.

Alhx: Exactly! And that's universal. Whether it's cave paintings or modern graffiti, it's about leaving a mark, telling a story, preserving memory. But I worry that this freedom of expression is growing less and less, even though people believe we live in such a liberal world.

Fifi: How do you view art in general? You mentioned music being the most material form.

Alhx: I view the art that I make as very immaterial, actually. I value art as various expressions of the shaping of ideas—all these different ways of giving form to thoughts and experiences. Music might be the most material form because it physically moves through space and time, but I value all art forms equally.

Fifi: What struck me about our conversation was how it became an exhibition in itself—not of artwork, but of two female bodies meeting and connecting over shared experiences.

Alhx: That's beautiful. Two women from completely different cultures—South African and Japanese—finding common ground in spirituality, family traditions, and artistic expression. The exhibition that wasn't happening became something much more meaningful.

Fifi: Any final thoughts on what this kind of cultural exchange means for artists today?

Alhx: These conversations remind us that despite geographical and cultural differences, we share fundamental human experiences. Whether it's through the symbols we use—your family animals, my Ginkgo leaves and Phoenix—or the spaces we create art in, we're all trying to express something that words alone can't capture. The walls, the words, the washing of hands—they're all part of the same human story.

Alhx is a writer and calligrapher of graffiti artists based in Tokyo, Japan. Her work incorporates elements of Japanese calligraphy, street art, and cultural symbolism, often featuring the numbers 3 and 81 representing her Tokyo residence and Japanese identity.