Saman Oskouei  (born 1985) and Sasan Oskouei (born 1991) are multi-disciplinary artists from Tabriz, Iran, currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. The brothers collaboratively create nuanced political work, known for its simplicity yet resiliency and positive undertone.

They address humanitarian topics such as borders and refugees, capitalism, inequalities and environmental issues. While the nature of the messages Saman and Sasan convey is quite consistent throughout their work, the techniques and materials used are versatile and playful, from paintings and sculptures, installations and interventions, to videos and photography. In their approach, the medium is secondary to the message and serves to support and deliver the latter.

Hans konstnärskap utmärker sig genom sprickorna, skärvor i vårt liv och jord. En känsla bryter sig igenom.

Trä är ett levande material som formas, bryts ned och är i ständigt pågående konflikt med färgen. Ett levande, eller döende, konstverk.

Hans verk (842) finns att beskåda vid Graffiti hangaren. Ett verk som förmodligen aldrig kommer bli färdigt.

Instagram: @josefcarlborg

Skapandet var från början ett slags intuitivt själsligt berättande, där jag som barn kunde sitta i timmar och försvinna in i egna bildvärldar. Figurerna som levde där kom från andra världar och planeter. Relationen med dessa världar är sedan något jag fördjupat och utvecklat vidare i mitt konstnärskap. Mina motiv är inspirerade av mytologier, religioner och folkkonst från hela världen.

I tidig ålder fann jag graffitikulturen, och det förändrade mitt liv. Graffitin tilltalade mig – de starka färgerna, formerna och den radikala handlingen att ta plats i det offentliga rummet. Jag fastnade direkt när jag testade att måla med spray. Det är ett oerhört effektivt verktyg. Beroende på avstånd, tryck och hastighet kan man med samma sprayburk få många olika effekter. I många år utvecklade jag mitt eget bildspråk, i den mansdominerade gatukonstscenen sökte jag min egen väg.

På grund av nolltoleransen i Stockholm flyttade jag till London för chansen att måla på stadens gator. Där fick jag möjligheten att öva på sprayteknikens alla egenskaper med skuggor, djup och perspektiv. Här utvecklades min egen stil – organisk, färggrik, utopisk och vacker men med inslag av galenskap. Att måla stort, något större än mig själv, är frihet för mig. I London etablerade jag mig som streetartkonstnär och blev utsedd av The Guardian till en av Storbritanniens främsta gatukonstnärer. 

2017 flyttade jag tillbaka till Stockholm, där jag nu arbetar med olika projekt och offentliga gestaltningar världen över. Här har jag fortsatt att utforska mina bildvärldar, bland annat genom en skissteknik där jag skissar med båda händer samtidigt.

Jag är tacksam över resan som fortsätter formas framför mig. Att få dela med mig av min bildvärld med andra människor är fantastiskt, och jag har haft lyckan att nå ut till så många människor, över hela världen. Jag har fått många vänner, uppdrag och minnen tack vare graffitin och den väg jag valde. Tack vare den har jag träffat min man och fått två barn.

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En försmak av Urbanarts4 har tagit plats på olika platser i Malmö under V24. Nyexaminerade elever från Fridhems Folkhögskolas Speldesignlinje presenterade olika former för Urbankonstspel i det offentliga.

Bilder från Verklighetsspelet LUDUS CHAOTICUS 13/6 17.00 på Stäppen.

Fridhems Folkhögskola – Kreativitet, nytänkande & drivkraft (fridhemsfolkhogskola.se)

1UP has different meanings for us, it means one level higher, or to

surpass something, or to have another extra life, a secret life besides

the normal daily life

Also, in the long form it means One United Power. It means that everyone

is working together for one cause. Individual names or needs are not

very important in our collective.

What counts are the goals and needs of the crew.

How many members does 1UP have?

We don’t talk about that, but I can say that most of us are from Berlin

and we still keep the family close. But we have four members currently

living in Scandinavia

In how many cities/countries?

Mainly in Berlin, a few in Paris, Frankfurt and a few in Scandinavia.

How can one become a member? Can anyone become a member?

To become a member, you have to go through years of friendship, travel

and actions. It’s a big question of confidence, attitude towards life,

but also political attitude.

For us it is important to teach and live the right values.

How many countries/cities/works/paintings has 1UP painted?

We have painted all continents and countless countries. From Brazil to

Mongolia, from Syria to Sector 11 in India, from Mexico City to

Guatemala. And so on and so forth.

We believe we have painted about 30,000 pieces in the last 20 years.

Why did 1UP start? When did it start and how?

It started 20 years ago in Berlin-Kreuzberg, when three guys who painted

day and night were thinking about the perfect crew name.

One day the idea 1UP came up and all three liked it immediately.

At that time it was very unusual to start a crew name with a 1, because

you can’t put too much style in the 1.

Does 1UP have anything to do with the Berlin Kids?

We were good friends back then and had a lot of crazy adventures and

trips together. They quit the crew after a few years. But we are still

very good friends with some of them.

What is the message of 1UP?

We are basically politically liberal and socially minded. Everyone is

equal and should be able to do what they want.

Also many of us live veggie or vegan.

What is the goal?

There is no goal, we are very happy with what we have already achieved

and how our crew has developed.

Why do you use graffiti?

It’s the fastest way to paint large spots, and it’s always fun to play

with colors and styles.

Some of the IUP productions seem to have been made without permits. Why

is that?

Sometimes we paint legally when we are offered a good wall or invited to

a nice festival or exhibition. But most of it happens at night on the

street or in train yards.

What do you think if someone doesn’t like 1UP’s paintings?

Everyone can decide for themselves what they like or don’t like.

What do you want to do in Malmö?

We are really looking forward to meeting new people and having a lovely,

creative time together. Also, of course, we want to paint some beautiful

spots.

What do you want to do with us?

Maybe we can paint a piece together if there is a nice legal wall.

How did you guys get into working with algae/coral?

A friend of ours was working in Bali with the Coral Foundation and we

had the idea to do a huge 1UP underwater. It was a great adventure and

worked out really well.

We also sold 150 very nice prints of it in New York and donated the

money to the foundation.

Looking forward to meet you guys!

1UP was found at Urbannation in Berlin by young artists in Malmö december 2023 who invited them to Urbanarts4 and made this Interview.

Grundad i konstformen ”GRaFFiTY”, påbörjade KN sitt konstnärliga äventyret året 2006 som gatukonstnär i sitt hem land Spanien. Pga kulturens omständigheter var KN tvungen att avstå från sitt karriären och fokusera på andra aktiviteter som: kampsport, musik, skateboard, mm.

Med fina meriter genom skateboard, vunnit SM-skateboard 2021, har KN tagit sig genom en bergochdalbana av skador som riktade han till att  utforska och uttrycka sitt skapande med andra och på olika material.

Instagram: konstnizze

Barakeh’s practice is based on reframing moments of dissonance and often outright injustice in political and social structures. Although he employs a wide range of artistic strategies, this is often achieved through deft manipulation of immediately recognizable and found objects and preexisting imagery. Barakeh’s Studio engagement is driven by what he has termed The Practice of Necessity, an ethos that dictates responses to the urgencies of ever-changing realities. That led him to found coculture, a nonprofit organization on rooted in the intersectionality between art, activism, and community building, to support exiled culture and cultural producers. Barakeh’s work has been exhibited internationally at museums, Biennales, and other institutions and venues. 

Read more about this project at: https://www.khaledbarakeh.com/

1UP or „One United Power“ is mostly famous for their worldwide graffiti activity. Street bombings in broad daylight, whole-cars in running traffic and rooftops at dizzying heights. As the artists hit the streets, they are also making waves in the art world, with installations, prints, canvases and books. There are international artists in the crew, men and women from cities all over Europe. It‘s a family, where „strength in unity“ is the rule: One Crew, One Love, One Power.

1UP – Urban Nation (urban-nation.com)

1UP stands for the Zeitgeist of Berlin like no other contemporary collective. Having it ́s DNA deeply rooted in the streets of Kreuzberg the crew turned into a global family, which is meanwhile one of the most famous graffiti crews worldwide. Collaborative and collective work with spectacular stunts and logistically highly demanding actions is part of the identity of the anonymous artists group.