Laughing at the idea of disorder and anarchy is what drives street artists Big Morgan and The Viking. The duo said they don’t want someone to pat them on the back to tell them “job well done,” then hand a check over, like most artists.

These street artists will be featured in a new exhibit at The Novem Store, 1104 N. Ashland Ave., on Feb. 20, called “Permanent Vacation.” In the exhibit, the two artists will feature their graffiti art in one designated area and sell merchandise along with it.

The Novem Store has two parts. One part is dedicated to the artists they feature monthly, and the other part of the space is used for retail like T-shirts, posters and other miscellaneous things the featured artists want to sell.

Until now, Big Morgan and The Viking have been against showing their work in a fixed art gallery. The Viking said he declined invitations because he thought the exhibits were poorly planned out or “half a—d.”

“I can guarantee that it will be like no other show [students] have been to in terms of art or experience,” The Viking said. “It will be challenging to them as students, and hopefully they can start to think that art can exist beyond the gallery space.”

Novem Store co-owner Adrian Vidaurre said he thinks this showing will be a great success, because both artists have an extremely inspiring work ethic and are very passionate about their work.

“We wanted to showcase artists that aren’t talked about much in Chicago or other people that are really talented that people should check out,” Vidaurre said. “They aren’t given a resource to have galleries or not openly perusing galleries, but they have great work that people need to check out.”

One of the featured artists, Morgan, never attended art school and has been creating graffiti since he was 12. It’s a lifestyle that always keeps him thinking of new innovative ways and places to spray, and he doesn’t want this show to be about raking in a profit, Morgan said.

“I feel there should be a separation between passion and using your talent to make money,” Morgan said. “It is a celebration of a lifestyle so as long as we make sure it is fun and entertaining. I’m sure it will be a good experience for everyone who takes the time to check it out.”

Freshman art and design major Shayna Cott said she loves street art because everyone gets to experience it. It can be found in various places around the city. She also said she likes the fact that it raises important questions to a diverse group that wouldn’t normally discuss or think about art.

“I like street art because it is so in your face, and most street artists are making political statements about their culture,” Cott said. “I like that it’s going into a gallery because it legitimizes it, but at the same time while you’re legitimizing that sort of thing, it sort of allows the elitist art world to take it away from the people it was originally intended for.”

The Viking said he sees graffiti art as the best way to express himself. The Viking and Big Morgan said they have many influences that are vast and diverse. There has been immense evolution in graffiti art through the years, but the universal message stays the same, Big Morgan said.

“It’s like a good drug that you can make your mark on the world and see it live,” The Viking said. “We are all a bunch of nobodys contributing our two s–t cents to life, consuming everything and not asking questions.”

Vidaurre said he likes the experience these two artists have, and the wealth of knowledge they bring might be what art students are longing for.

“Sometimes I kind of get lost staring at [the exhibit]. I’ve been staring at it for a while; it’s a pretty interesting piece to look at,” Vidaurre said.

Cott said she feels like more art students should check out street art because it has a lot to offer that some look past.

“There was that whole idea for a long time, people would go out and make street art and it would get covered up by people panting over it because it was obscene or vandalism,” Cott said. “I like street art because I feel like it is art that has the same sort of conceptual oomph, but it’s removed from the elitists’ art world.”

The Viking said his work is influenced by punk rock and the belief that anything is possible.

“I am surprised by the man pushing a cart full of cans stacked a story high or the fact that someone climbed up a billboard to write their name over someone that paid for that space,” The Viking said.