Sofles & Mathis – Nice Surprise – Stavanger

Experience the synergy of history and contemporary urban art practice during this summer’s Nice Surprise street art festival with BSA in this Norwegian city. Join us as we celebrate Stavanger’s 900-year milestone with a new cadre of artists and programming that continues the modern heritage of this fortunate city on the North Sea with street art and graffiti.

Brisbane-based Sofles is an Australian graffiti writer and street artist known for his exceptional skills in both graffiti and mural art. Known for his distinct style, and mastery of many styles in graffiti, he’s been honing his skills since the late 90s. He’s developed a unique and versatile style that blends graffiti lettering, characters, and abstract elements – always infused with movement and a limitless sense of discovery.

Sofles & Mathis. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

Here’s a wall he did a collaboration on with Mathis, a straight up Norwegian painting pro with lots of commercial experience and respect in the graffiti game. Mathis Anvik has a lot of great work in many styles on his social media, including stuff from Vestfold Kunstdekor, a company that specializes in painting buses, or RUSSEBUSSER – often known as party buses used by Norwegian high school graduates. But that’s another story

Sofles & Mathis. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

Sofles was the very first artist to paint in Stavanger, Norway for this first edition of Nice Surprise!, an auspicious and new Street Art Festival that will get its wings throughout the summer in this Nordic city. While in town, Sofles painted a whole train with his pals Smug One, Milliana, and Norse, which you can read all about it here. He also painted this wall in collaboration with Mathis and a wall in the downtown center of the city by himself. Tor Ståle Moen, a resident of Stavanger and frequent BSA collaborator, shared the photos of the murals with BSA readers to enjoy.

Sofles & Mathis. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)
Sofles & Mathis. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)
Sofles. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)
Sofles. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)
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