Rubin 415 (New York/Sweden),  “1800 Degrees Fahrenheit”, Sunset Pavilion, 2016, Asbury Park

Brooklyn based mural and studio artist Tony “Rubin” Sjöman has painted all over the world and his work has been shown in several galleries throughout the US and Europe. Rubin’s roots are in Finland, he draws inspiration from his Scandinavian heritage and is known for his complex abstract geometrical style – rooted in traditional wild style but with muted color palettes and Scandinavianly clean lines.

Rubin has become a staple of the art scene of New York City and beyond. Rubin’s murals can be seen in a wide variety of spots in and around the city: on churches in Brooklyn, high-end boutiques in Soho and on the 70th floor of one of the WTC buildings. Rubin’s studio work is based on canvases, prints and installations, and he is no stranger to painting on metal and wood. Rubin’s studio work has been on display at Scope New York, Scope Miami and in galleries throughout New York City, Miami and Los Angeles.

Rubin was nine years old when he wrote his first tag. The son of Finnish immigrant workers to Sweden he was raised in the working class housing projects of Bergsjön in Gothenburg, Sweden. Surrounded by grey concrete and tram tunnels, the walls whispered his name. He grabbed a spray can and set out on a journey that he’s still on today.

Rubin draws inspiration from his gritty upbringing, the tram tunnels where he first learned the craft and from the contrasts that have formed him into the artist he is today: the skyline of the hectic metropolis versus the serenity of the Nordic nature, all perfectly balanced in his art. With raw talent and relentless hard work Rubin has created a unique aesthetic that carries the art form beyond its boundaries.

Rubin has been featured in Vice Magazine, Time Out New York and Juxtapoz and he has participated in several prestigious street art projects, such as the Brooklyn Street Art curated “Domino Sugar Walls”.
Rubin was also the subject in the art book “Rubin: New York / Scandinavia” a much talked about and comprehensive art book featuring the artist’s work, that was published in the summer of 2016.

Rubin resides in Brooklyn NYC but he’s just as home in the wilderness of Lapland where he spends the summers with his wife and son in a log house among reindeer and underneath the midnight sun.

 

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