In advance of Moniker in Brooklyn this May, we are interviewing some of the artists who are influenced both by street practice and fine art as the contemporary urban art category continues to evolve. Today, BSA is talking to Icy & Sot.
Human rights, ecological justice, and socio-political issues dominate the world news with regularity and brothers ICY & SOT have found an original dual voice to address them on the street in places like the US, Iran, Germany, China, Norway, even Tbilisi, Georgia.
Iranian born and bonifide Brooklyn peeps for the last four years, these twenty-something guys started out on skateboards in Tabriz and still take them from their apartment to their studio in Bushwick. They have also taken their stencil work, interventions, murals and video installations into the street, the gallery, the museum, and private collections.
Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Grabbing and holding hard to tenants artistic freedom without censorship, their minimalist style of discourse hits directly without the scolding tone of some overtly political work on the street, allowing the simplicity of the situation to speak for itself.
BSA: How would you describe your work to someone who is seeing it for the first time?
ICY & SOT: We do different type of works, but if we wanna to describe something in general it is that it’s simple and has a message that is easy to understand.
BSA: What is your intersection with Brooklyn and it’s history of Street Art and graffiti?
ICY & SOT: We love Brooklyn because of its diversity and the energy in the city. We feel lucky to be living and working in a city with a rich history of graffiti and street at and art in general – and being part of it now.
Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BSA: What’s most important to you?
ICY & SOT: Beers 🙂
BSA: Are graffiti and Street Art allowed to change, or should there be a strict definitions they adhere to?
ICY & SOT: Everything is allowed to change
BSA: Moniker says your work has been influential and/or fundamental to urban & contemporary art’s growth. Can you see their point?
ICY & SOT: Yes, maybe
BSA: Name one artist whose work you admire today.
ICY & SOT: John Fekner
Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
For more information please go to Moniker Art Fair HERE.
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