About YKTFV

You Know The F*cking Vibes. A saying that I’ve always felt like was an exclamation of freedom whenever it’s used. Whether it’s a night out in the city or relaxing by a beach reading, YKTFV expresses that joy someone has while freely expressing themself and their current vibe. Every artwork and garment that’s produced by me always has the same goal of capturing something unique within the details that it’s not replicable. I want every customer to have certainty that the piece of work they own doesn’t exist in anyone else’s home. The uniqueness within every piece allows the customer to find something that resonates with them or request a special commission to truly make it their own.

Artist Statement

I’m Noah Villalon, a born and raised Chicago graffiti writer and artist that’s driven by the same creative and mathematical thinking I had growing up where margins of a completed math worksheet turned into free real estate for a drawing. I’ve used my mathematical, process-oriented thinking combined with my fundamentals in graffiti to experiment across different mediums – vinyl, textile, ceramics, laser cutting or otherwise – to push the envelope of what I can imagine and turn into a tangible reality. My artwork is often a meticulous puzzle where each piece could be a new material, idea, or personal experience that invites the viewer to not only look at the completed work but delve into the details of each piece and question it. The bulk of my process is spent brainstorming, sketching, and experimenting before fully committing because I refine the imagined artwork until I can envision and sketch it perfectly, plan it meticulously, and execute accordingly.

Ceramics is a pivotal step of my artistic journey, deeply connected to my background in graffiti where I often explore three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional surface, creating the illusion of depth and space through techniques like shading and perspective. Ceramics takes that exploration a step further, allowing me to work directly in three dimensions, bringing my graffiti-inspired forms into physical forms. With clay, I push the boundaries of my graffiti practice, translating the flow of lettering, the balance of composition, and the energy of color into sculptural pieces. Each ceramic work becomes an extension of my graffiti – an opportunity to make the intangible tangible, to turn dynamic lines and bold shapes into objects that can be seen, held, and experienced in a new way.

Fashion has always been close to my heart since I grew up in an environment of a mother in luxury retail, moments watching shows like Project Runway, and older brothers with their own sense of style; all of which instilled an appreciation for style and individuality. Similar to my ceramic works, every garment and design I create are also an extension of my graffiti as fashion lends itself to the same three-dimensionality and boldness. This connection led to the creation of my own brand, You Know The F-ing Vibes (YKTFV), where my mission is to craft one-of-a-kind pieces that resonate deeply with the customer. I want every customer to have a certain level of input on what they’d like in their commission so that they leave knowing their piece is entirely their own and it becomes an extension of their identity and imagination with the help of my technical skills