Face to face with Jonas Sun7

For you to get to know Jonas’ work a bit better we asked him 5 essential questions about his work.

How is it to create and work in the same space as the exhibition is taking place?

“The space makes an impact on you and you create the pieces in relation to the space. You think of how the pieces speak to each other and react to one another. The “scenographie” and presentation of the art becomes one with the creation of each piece.”

What materials do you work with?

“Mainly ink and markers used for graffiti. Mediums that are difficult to delete that penetrate into the materials that they are used upon. Working on glass I use acid. The aliminium that I paint on resembles the material of the trains that I used to paint on while doing graffiti.”

Why work with words?

“It all started with graffiti and writing my tag. When you tag you repeat the same tag over and over again. In the end it doesn’t become very interesting. You are looking for recognition but mostly from the people acting in the same field. My goal was to move from their but still keep my writing language expressing myself through calligraphy. I love to use other people’s words. It is about the pleasure of writing and about celebrating the person who said it in a way more or less abstract.”

Tell us more about the connection between portraits and calligraphy?

“When my father had his first stroke he lost his memory and I started to write down memories of him from when I was a child; lullabys, stories, memories etc. I started to ask myself: If we are what we have lived and said, if we are our experiances who do we become if we forget everything? My art is a work upon our memory and our identity. Whitout our memory who are we? What is our identity?”

Has your use of words developed during your time working in the Catherine Ahnell Gallery? If so, how?

“In the last portrait that I made, the motive became more abstract and the words are moving from calligraphy to simple letters and words. My work is developing from being coded to something readable by everyone. Something more generous and less introvert. I have discovered the generosity in my art.”

Over Exposed

Solo exhibition by Jonas SUN7

September 20th – October 13th

66, Grand street #1