STICKER ARTISTS: SINNR

Hi Sinnr, who are you?

Im’ a Copenhagen based artist. Working mainly with stickers, showcasing most of my art in the streets. I draw most of my inspiration from graffiti and street culture. I mostly see myself as sort of a Graffiti-geek. I am well aware of the fact that putting up stickers is no way near as badass as doing panels, wholecars and street bombing. And that is also why I don’t call myself a graffiti artist, and the term street art has sort of lost the meaning to me, it seems a little Schizophrenic to me, what the actual meaning of the word is covering at the moment. Even though I guess that I somewhat part of what “category” my art pieces o under. But for the most part I’m just a graffiti nerd, with a lot of passion for the artform and most of it’s elements, but without the balls to do train writing, in fear of risk for mine and my family’s future.

Does your name mean anything for you? Did you get any other name?

It ofcourse means the obvious “sinner” but with my own little twist on the spelling without it loosing meaning and easy to almost all people to understand the meaning of. It refers to a lot of different stuff, ether it being sinful to do something you are not supposed to (vandalism), referring to the little demon I all us us calling you to do the forbidden and finally commenting om issues with the world in my opinion.

Before I wote SINNR I simply wrote SIN, and quickly changed it out of respect for a local writer going by the name and the other SIN’s around the world.

Describe yourself in three words!

As a person: geeky, dark, creative.

My art: Skulls, satanic, throw-ups.

How and when did you get passionate about sticker art?

It mainly started about 14 years ago, after 2 years of tagging the streets with markers and spray-paint. I was caught tagging and got a fine, that resulted in me keeping low for a good 6-8 months. But I could never let it go, so I just practiced and filled up blackbooks for that part of the period. That evolved into me starting to do stickers and past them in the streets, because it was easy, simple and seems somewhat innocent but still tapping into the culture. So, it was a good fit for me at the time and still is. I have a family and a steady job now, so I won’t risk it, and I have come this far with stickers, so I just want to push it to the fullest at the moment at see where it takes me. So far in good directions, meeting good people in within the culture, doing art shows and streetwear.

My main focus right now is on the skull I draw as a sort of icon, this was created as a sort of icon-based throw-up for easy production and recognition. Tags and throw-ups are some of the most interesting elements of the graffiti artform for me and it is where I turn a lot of my inspiration to. But I try to explore other elements and paths of how to express my art in other forms to, most recently through food and combining that with photography and as printed stickers and posters.

Where does your typical skull come from?

As I said before, it comes with the thinking of how I would approach doing a throw-up. But making a skull rather than a letter/letters. A skull is not the most creative or original icon in the world and a lot of writers has been and are still using it as a part of their art. But it try to make the ones I do mine, and keep it in my sort of style. I like to play with the icon of the skull, that is in some way kind of dark and twist it in looks, as a sort of cute looking cartoon character, in vibrant colors to give another level of contrast to it sometimes. The idea of it is to keep it similar in it most common form, but being able to change up the eyes, accessories, colors and size, to make them individual, expressing a variation of things and keeping it interesting for me to do again and again and evolve. But still maintingin a look so you know it is me, even though one is shooting lazers from its eyes and another one is high as a kite, and the list goes on..

Your stickers are all different from each other, how do you always find something new?

I like to do a lot at a time (some call me “The Machine”), and i couldn’t just do the completely same skull over and over again, I would get bored of that wat to quick. Is changing it slightly helps me thinking of everyone defiantly and it help me in the process. Other times I get an idea or concept in my head and I nee to try it oud, kind of like i did most recently with the skull wearing a facemask, commenting on the current situation with the global pandemic.

Favourite blanks? And markers?

Stickers = Eggshells (but really all stickers) Marker = Molotow One4All or Edding 751

What style are you inspired by? Do you have a reference writer or sticker artist?

Mostly throw-ups and tags is my key of inspiration in terms of look and styles. Bur inspiration can come from a lot of places to me, like photography, technique, fine art, current trends, current issues and just random thoughts or talking with friends and crew mates, helping me to push my creativity.

Where are you from? Have you ever done a graffiti or stickers trip?

I’m from Copenhagen in Denmark, a city with a pretty active graffiti culture and history. I live in a part of the city that I rich in art and has a pretty diverse culture of people and environment in the streets.

I haven’t taken real trips only for getting up, but I always bring along a few good stacks of stickers, when I travel. Especialty Berlin and Vienna has a special place in my heart. I love the vibe, and the different neighborhood’s and the active graffiti and street culture. Other than that, I have been to Dublin, Nice, Monaco, Amsterdam, Skiathos, Paris, London, Strasbourg, Brussels, Malmö and I have eft stickers around the streets in the streets.

Trading stickers with other artist also helps to spread around the world and in the streets worldwide, with a little help from all the good people in the community.

Are you on a crew? Tell me about your best experience with them

I am in a few. Some more active than others an all a mix of people internationally. Being in a crew is for me about inspiring each other, growing creatively, getting up I different parts of the world with help from your crewmates and vice versa of course, and to challenge myself and keep me motivated.

The amount of support I get from my crew mates are super important in terms of creating and keeping it going. I mean two of my homies just jot my skulls tattooed and im so hyped and honored about that. Thank you, guys!

What do you think of the current scene?

For me I can’t really set a specific scene. For me the culture is constantly growing, evolving and going in different directions and mediums. And to me that is exciting and a huge motivation. Graffiti is all about doing what you want from what I see, this can be a huge benefit in a creative mindset. Because there are no restrictions on how to approach it. Of course, you will be judged by others in the streets and ether they like it or not and that is part of the game. I can totally understand that and appreciate that. I know a lot of people might not understand the stickers they pass, and those that notice will react to it on some level, and to me that is positive. That is also why I completely understand why real writers wouldn’t call what I do “real graffiti”. Because it’s not, it is just graffiti inspired art on a piece of adhesive paper or vinyl on a surface in the urban environment. However, I try to follow the un writhe rues of the game in terms of respecting each other when getting up in the streets and it seems to be accepted here in Copenhagen for the most part, so that sets a nice scene here locally.

What importance do social media have in the world of graffiti? What opportunities have social media given you in your career?

The internet and especially Instagram is blowing up the scene and showcasing a lot of talent all around the world. I personally like it, because I have access to a lot of inspiration and visuals to how I can think and approach my skills and styles differently. But I guess some might also say it makes it too easy for a person to make it through “internet fame”. How I see it, it’s just how the world has evolved, and I just try to evolve with it.

I use it quite a lot, to showcase my work, connect with artists and possible people to do projects with. I get feedback on the stuff I produce, and I helps me show it off to others that might appreciate it too.

Paste-up: what do you think?

In short, I like it and it can look really good. I van totally appreciate it and the ascetic. I have only done a few paste-ups myself, and I don’t really like to carry around glue and equipment to put it up myself, it too much work and unnecessary attention in the streets. (Guess I’m just a little paranoid, most people don’t really care)

What did the graffiti world give you?

Good friends, awesome people, a culture to carry myself in, work, art projects, growing creatively, working with brands, showcasing my art and keeping on pushing to grow and evolve as an artist.

Are you working on new projects?

At the moment I have just finished my first solo exhibition in a local gallery in Copenhagen. So hopefully more will come in the future. I am always making stickers and putting them up around the city. I am currently working on trying to comment more on the current situation in the world with the Pandemic. I might have another podcast based interview coming up with a local media for younger people in Denmark. And hopefully I can help to get a show to Copenhagen nex year called “Sticker fest” with “Regelverk” from Malmö and Freespace CPH.