The art of the Serbian duo SOBEKCIS beautifully intertwines the influences of the natural world with the synthetic realms of stark, flat colors and typographic elements. Their creations emerge from a blend of instinctive gestures and consciously arranged shapes, aiming to echo the ideals of abstract art through a harmonious contrast of elements. A significant aspect of their artistic process is rooted in the intellectual friction between them. As they navigate through differing perspectives during their collaboration, they believe these creative conflicts are crucial in achieving the most effective outcomes for their pieces.
A vibrant mural in hues of blue, orange, and green on a quaint house in Caen, France
Being twins who have shared countless experiences since birth, they possess both strikingly similar and distinctly unique mentalities. This duality fosters a creative environment akin to a single artist with two diverse minds focused on a unified objective. It is in the moments when these minds sync that their creative process truly begins, allowing them to cultivate a distinct identity in their approach. As graffiti artists, their primary aim is to produce works with profound impact—pieces that captivate and stand out amidst the urban chaos. This ethos persists in their studio and abstract mural work, where they strive to translate the vibrant energy of graffiti into new forms of expression.
“When we transitioned our fine art and studio work from figurative forms to abstraction, we found that working in this way was much more natural for us and tied in to our graffiti practice much more than working with figurative art, which is based on telling a story with already familiar forms that the public can directly understand.”
SOBEKCIS
A basketball court in Brescia, Italy, also completed in 2023
With a shift from figurative to abstract art, SOBEKCIS found that abstraction resonated more naturally with their graffiti roots, unlike figurative art, which tends to narrate using familiar visuals easily recognized by the public. They appreciate how abstraction evokes varied interpretations from viewers, similar to the responses elicited by a Rorschach test.
In their practice, they value the development of a distinctive artistic style characterized by repetitive elements. However, they also advocate for artistic evolution, exploring various techniques and styles to avoid the constraints of repetitiveness being synonymous with style. For them, true style emerges when an artist maintains visual and creative coherence across diverse methods of expression. A notable technique in their large-scale murals involves crafting small, detailed gestures on paper, which are then digitally expanded and transformed. This method highlights their fascination with scaling minute details into expansive artworks. For their art-making tools, they primarily rely on Montana GOLD and BLACK, as well as regular wall paint for pieces and murals. Their canvas works feature a mix of acrylics and spray paints.
“As graffiti writers one of the main goals we wished to achieve was the highest levels of impact in our work. to create work which purpose was to catch your eye in the moment while you are passing by, and to stand out from all the surrounding clutter and noise of the environment”
SOBEKCIS
Photography by SOBEKCIS
Their respect for architectural integrity is evident in their mural work, as they carefully consider the architectural characteristics of a building to ensure their abstract creations complement its structure. Through their dynamic and evolving approach, SOBEKCIS continues to redefine the boundaries of abstract art, indoors as well as on their murals on the streets.