Finok
As one might expect of a boy from Brazil, Raphael Sagarra dreamed of becoming a soccer player. But another interest soon took over – graffiti. Sagarra was 16 years old when he observed some youngsters in his São Paulo neighborhood scaling buildings to leave their mark in paint. He was intrigued not just by their audacity, but also by the rhythm of their graffiti – the repetition of characters and strokes. From that moment on, Sagarra was hooked. He gave himself an alias – Finok – and developed his own style of graffiti: big-eyed, cartoon-like characters spray painted in various shades of green. Color is also key when Finok works with his crew, VLOK. Also involved are Brazilian artists, Os Gêmeos, twins who are famously known for their bright yellow characters.
26-year-old Finok is now a renowned graffiti artist in both South America and the U.S. He exhibits at galleries, produces large-scale murals on commission, and collaborates with big brands such as Ray-Ban and Havaiana, maker of Brazil’s iconic flip flops.
We met Finok in Summer 2012 in Cologne, Germany, where he had his first solo exhibition at Ruttkowski;68 gallery. Read more »
Stefan Strumbel
It has been nearly eight years since German artist Stefan Strumbel bowed to the law with the utmost reluctance. He turned his back on graffiti and turned to legal art instead. Like pop stars who suddenly light up the sky of music, Strumbel stormed on to the art scene with a breakthrough installation – a reinterpretation of the traditional cuckoo clock.
The first person to buy one was a veterinary surgeon. Another memorable customer was fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who posed with one of the clocks in a self-portrait published in Stern magazine in 2008.
Strumbel, who is 33 years old, speaks as quickly as Lagerfeld and promises probably as much creative output. We met him as he prepared for his show in Karlsruhe to mark the 900th anniversary of the German state of Baden. Strumbel will be unveiling a monumental cuckoo clock in front of Karlsruhe’s castle, and exhibiting at the city’s museum and Schrade art gallery, where his works can also be purchased.
He spoke to us about his work in Germany, as well as the German concept of “Heimat.” It’s a word that has no English translation, but denotes the relationship a human has towards society and the idea of home. Read more »
