Living On Borrowed Time – Graffiti Documentary

LIVING ON BORROWED TIME follows contemporary artist and graffiti writer TIME as he reflects on life, illness, mental health and his relationship with graffiti.

At 17, TIME was diagnosed with leukemia after months of health problems. What followed was four years of intensive chemotherapy, serious side effects and periods where doctors were unsure whether he would survive. Today, he is six years clear.

The experience changed the way he looks at life. In the film, TIME talks openly about the mental trauma that came with being diagnosed so young, and the importance of speaking about struggles instead of keeping everything inside. He also reflects on the stigma around showing vulnerability within graffiti culture and the need to check in on friends and the people around you.

Graffiti has remained a constant throughout his life. TIME describes it as addictive, rebellious and difficult to walk away from. From tags and walls to trains, the adrenaline and the constant pursuit of getting up continue to play a major part in what keeps him painting.

The documentary also touches on the darker side of that lifestyle, including stealing paint, crime and how easily those habits can become consuming. TIME is clear that eventually these choices can catch up with you.

More than anything, LIVING ON BORROWED TIME is about perspective. After facing the possibility of dying at a young age, TIME says he now feels there is no point wasting the one life you have. The goal is to keep creating, keep moving and leave something behind — both through graffiti and through the person you are outside of it.