I'm Ilya Sober / Sober
— an artist with a street background.
My life is deeply infused with creativity: I work, create, and experiment with current trends in my studio in Moscow. I also host workshops on various graffiti techniques and spend time there surrounded by friends and paintings.
In my free time, I paint street walls.
BIO
12 years ago, I was inspired by graffiti art and tried to replicate it — first on paper, then on walls.
Two years later, I started getting invited to my first local festivals, and a couple of years after that, people began to notice and recognize me as a graffiti artist.
I've worked with brands like PUMA, the 2X2 TV channel, and Omoda, which was an important step for me and confirmation that I'm moving in the right direction.
I work with text and collage, transferring graffiti techniques onto canvas. I love graffiti for its freedom, for its connection to the urban environment. I'd like to keep developing it, so that one day it takes its rightful place in a museum
ARTIST STATEMENT
Unlike in graffiti, where text is often just a stylized image, I try to rethink the meaning of words — their semantics and context. The texts in my works are elements of composition that can be either hidden beneath layers of paint or deliberately emphasized. I take the questions I ask myself, or found fragments of text, and bring them together with visual elements and figuration. Sometimes these words stay visible, sometimes they get covered by new layers of paint, but they're always part of the work. Most of the time, I don't know what the final image will be, but I find it as I work. Often it all starts with a blank — a moment when I don't know what to do next. Then I just write down whatever thoughts come up, and later the image takes shape around them. It could be a newspaper clipping or a random memory. Collage and text only start to work in combination — together they create a complete semantic and visual structure. I'm interested in combining randomness and intention, experimenting with texts and images, working with graffiti aesthetics but in a different context. It's not about a clear concept, but about a feeling — honest, intuitive, and alive.
Collaboration with OMODA, an exhibition of painted cars at Aviapark
collaborations
My portfolio includes collaborations with major brands, bloggers, and event agencies. I'm especially happy about collaborations with Omoda, Puma, Jogel, DutClub, Infinix, 2x2, and Beluga Group. You can see more about my work for brands in the "Collaborations" section.
About events: I take part in events as an artist. At one of them, I presented a painting to Yulia Gavrilina; at others, I painted photo zones for Yandex and M2. You can read more about this in the "Events" section
The studio is a place of power. It's where the most vibrant MEETUPS and the warmest get-togethers with friends happen
I managed to create that very place where you want to create — guests often say it's "authentic." This is where I hold workshops, prepare materials for painting, and shoot videos for social media.
Quick rundown of the sections again:

"Stoke" — pieces you can take home.
"Portfolio" — my best paintings and murals, the ones I'm proud of.
"Collaborations" — projects I've done for major brands.
"Events" — events I've joined as an artist or decorator.

Thanks for being here! Enjoy browsing :)