Kim A. Larsen, commonly known as SinnSykShit, is an Oslo-based urban artist who creates imaginary cityscapes that take us to an alternate reality that still feels very close to home.
His work is characterized by vibrant colors, graffiti techniques, distinct outlines, and city-centered motifs. Larsen's snapshots of urban life, infused with autobiographical elements, weave an open-ended narrative that explores the possibilities and harsh realities beneath city skylines.
Having studied Graphic Design in Melbourne, Larsen began his journey into street and graffiti art in Oslo, overcoming government restrictions and later finding acceptance in Melbourne's thriving urban art scene.
His early work, "Crazyyfaces," portrayed heavily distorted and colorful faces created with spray paint instead of traditional graffiti lettering, representing his frustration. Larsen gradually incorporated the city as a "parallel universe" devoid of human presence, rendered in abstract form, blending real-life and imaginary motifs. He also adopted the moniker "SinnSykShit" to reflect his creative vein and youthful irreverence.
Throughout his career, Larsen's cityscapes, depicted from various viewpoints, whether in large-scale murals or acrylic paintings, capture the prevalence of architecture within urban settings. The recurring schematic buildings, outlined and modernist in appearance, reappear in bird's-eye city views and occasionally complement intimate spaces or are viewed from moving vehicles. In addition, Larsen hints at the inhabitants through fragments of bodies and objects that reflect conflicting life stories infused with anxiety, loneliness, or substance abuse. These aspects lend a melancholic and mysterious quality to his works, inviting viewers to decipher the unfolding storylines.
Larsen draws inspiration from graffiti artists like Reka and Pose and modern and contemporary artists such as Picasso and Hockney, who employed vibrant colors and dramatic outlines. His graphic design background also influences his use of lines and colors reminiscent of vector-based illustrations. This unique blend allows Larsen to carve his own path within urban art, which has gained recognition since the 2000s.
Larsen's style is unique and familiar, centered around the city's energy and serving as the foundation of his art. He highlights the various aspects of urban life, offering glimpses of the good and the bad hidden within its architecture.
