26-year-old artist SIKE is carving his own path in the art world. Starting as a self-taught graffiti artist, he has seamlessly blended his passion for painting, music, and fashion into a cohesive creative identity. SIKE’s work transcends traditional boundaries, inviting audiences into a dynamic world of innovation and emotion.
Harper’s Bazaar VN: Sike, have you always wanted to be an artist? How did you get started and are you a formally trained artist?
SIKE: I’ve always wanted to do something creative. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a comic artist and pursued that passion for a long time. In 2010, I started doing graffiti and adopted my artist name SIKE, which has stayed with me ever since. My earliest vivid memory of fine art was a kindergarten trip to the Brücke Museum in Berlin, a place dedicated to German expressionist art. We were tasked with recreating a painting by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, and that experience left a lasting impression on me—I still think about it often. Since then, I started drawing and painting on my own – I am self-taught.
HBZVN: You are a young, 26 year old artist working and living Berlin. How has your environment influenced you and your work?
SIKE: My environment has had a huge impact on my work. Berlin is a creative hub that’s constantly evolving, and the city’s pulse has deeply influenced me. I was introduced to hip-hop culture here at a young age, which became my first outlet for expressing my emotions—initially through graffiti, and later, through fine art and music. Berlin has a unique energy conducive to creative output; graffiti can be found on nearly every corner, and you’re constantly meeting people who are pursuing something creative and different.
HBZVN: You are both a fine artist and a musician – how are the two aspects related and how does one influence the other?
SIKE: I started making music at the end of 2019, primarily to collaborate creatively with other artists. Painting is often a solitary process—you create alone, face challenges alone, and answer the open questions of a work by yourself. With music, I wanted to experience the energy of creating something together. I also always knew I was more than “just” a painter. I was bursting with ideas for concepts, visuals, and melodies, so trying music became an inevitable next step in my creative journey.
The longer I practice both art forms, the more I realize how similar the creative processes are. I often compare the two disciplines. For example, when I’m working on a song, I ask myself questions that I also ask when creating a painting—like how to find the right balance, what the focal point of the work is, or what details are still missing. These parallels are fascinating, and I believe that every art form shares such connections. They all rely on the interplay of structure, emotion, and intuition — and each form enriches the other.
HBZVN: You are a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artist – have you created any collaborative works that speak to different aspects of your artistry?
SIKE: Absolutely. In 2022, I showcased my first NFT at my solo exhibition “ABOVE GROUND” in Berlin. This piece was both my first unofficial music release and an interdisciplinary project that innovatively combined visual art and music. The NFT features a digital animation of one of my canvases from the exhibition; the canvas rotates on its axis, while a song I composed plays in the background. With this project, I aimed to merge my artistic disciplines and explore how digital technologies can unlock new forms of artistic expression.
HBZVN: You had a solo show in NY earlier this year in which you unveiled your collaboration with the avant-garde fashion label T.E.I.N – what was it like working with them and what was the final output? What were some of the challenges you had in collaboration with others?
SIKE: Yes, I had my first international solo exhibition in New York titled “NYNW”. This exhibition was a immersive experience, bringing together my canvases, the release of my first EP, and a fashion collection created in collaboration with the designer duo “T.E.I.N”. I’ve known T.E.I.N. and their work since 2018, and what started with a few custom pieces they made for me quickly grew into a friendship. Back then, I would occasionally offer clothing I designed myself at my exhibitions, and it became clear to me early on that I wanted to explore the interplay in the long term.
For the New York exhibition, we collaborated on a capsule collection, creating balaclavas, caps, hoodies, pants, T-shirts, and even a bikini – all unique, one of a kind pieces which essentially were wearable art, denoted by performance artists attired in the pieces. Additionally, we co-created two canvases for the exhibition. I had the idea to incorporate T.E.I.N.’s signature long fabric strands, which are a defining feature of their garments worn by stars like Madonna, Billie Eilish, and Kesha, into the canvases. These strands hung down like a textile “frame” from the canvases. Smaller design elements were also handsewn onto the canvases. To elevate the presentation, we suspended the canvases from the ceiling using metal chains, giving them a sculptural quality – the works could be experienced at every angle – even the back of the canvas had its own language with reverse stitching.
The biggest challenge was merging two very different creative processes – fashion and fine art – without one overshadowing the other. We had to experiment with numerous prototypes before finding a balance that honored both disciplines. But those challenges were what made the collaboration so exciting and innovative.
HBZVN: How do you find your work evolving?
SIKE: My artistic development is taking me away from using graffiti lettering as the main focus of my paintings, and I’m increasingly exploring more abstract forms. I’m experimenting with new techniques, particularly on canvas, to refine my work and discover new ways of expression. At the same time, I’m delving deeper into more personal themes in my music, using my songs to explore and process these topics. In the long term, I aim to present my projects in more immersive and performative ways, creating experiences that allow for a deeper interaction with the audience.
HBZVN: Who have been some of the artists who have inspired you and whom you admire? If you could have a conversation with any artist in time who would it be and why?
SIKE: Some of the artists who have inspired me include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jean Dubuffet, Kanye West, and many others. Basquiat is undoubtedly one of my greatest influences and my absolute favorite artist. However, if I had the opportunity, I would love to have a conversation with Jean Dubuffet. Like I, Dubuffet was a multidisciplinary artist who blended various forms of creative expression. I’m especially drawn to his immersive work Coucou Bazaar, which has had a significant impact on my own journey. His ability to combine different disciplines and create experiences that transport the viewer into another world really inspired me to expand my own practice beyond painting into music and fashion
HBZVN: Walk us through a typical day in your studio … what is your creative process?
SIKE: My day usually starts around 8 AM when I wake up and head to the gym to get energized for the day. After my workout, I have a small meal and then dive into work. I typically work late into the evening, depending on what’s on my agenda and what I feel like focusing on. I’m fortunate to have my own studio, which gives me a lot of freedom. Whether I’m in the mood to paint or make music, I can switch between both easily. I handle my own music production and recording, so I’m not reliant on an engineer. When an idea comes to me, I can execute it right away, which gives me a lot of flexibility and creative freedom.
HBZVN: Many artists collect other artists’ work – although you are young, do you collect art and if so, what do you look for and what artists are you interested in?
SIKE: Yes, I do collect art. I own some pieces by graffiti artists and a small work by Ar Penck. I’m planning to expand my collection in the future. I’m particularly interested in acquiring works by artists like Robert Nava – whom I actually mention in one of my songs, where I talk about buying one of his pieces – as well as Eddie Martinez and other artists who inspire me.
HBZVN: What are you working on currently and what are you excited about these days?
SIKE: I’m currently working on planning my next two exhibitions. One will be international, and the other will take place in Berlin.
HBZVN: What is next for you?
SIKE: At the beginning of 2025, a solo exhibition in the Philippines, followed by another solo exhibition in Berlin in the middle to late part of the year.
In the same year, I will release two interconnected EPs that are thematically in stark contrast to each other. I aim to reflect this disjunction artistically in the Berlin exhibition as well. My plan is to showcase both graffiti lettering on canvas and abstract works. The Berlin exhibition will mark the conclusion of my work with graffiti canvases and signify the transition to a new phase in my artistic journey. The abstract works are intended to highlight this shift and underscore my evolution as an artist – in harmony with the accompanying music.
An ARTCODED Production @art.coded.
Artist: SIKE @artistsike.
Interview: Susan Shin @susanshin88.
Pictures: Bloccboi @bloccc.boi.
Video: Pasquiat @pasquiat.
Sound track: Pasquiat & Matt Mendo.
Music Studio Credits.
Red Bull Music Studios Berlin.
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
