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When people think of street art, they probably picture something funky or cartoonish with lots of color. And yeah, there’s a lot of that around, which makes the work of street artist Rubin so distinct: While his outdoor murals (which can be found from Little Italy to Williamsburg) are boldly designed, they’re also cooly abstract, more like early modern art than Wild Style graffiti.
Born Tony Sjöman to Finnish immigrant parents in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1975, Rubin gravitated towards graffiti early on, painting his first tag when he was nine. Since then, he’s developed his unique style, which is heavily influenced by Scandinavia design’s clean lines and muted colors. He currently lives in Brooklyn, but has created his murals all over the world.
He’s the subject of a recently released book, Rubin New York/Scandinavia, and his work is also currently on view at Wall Works New York, a gallery in the Bronx co-directed by legendary Graffiti pioneer CRASH and entrepreneur Robert Kantor. For a look a Rubin’s work, check out our gallery of images below.
Metropolitan & Graham Avenues
Grand Street, East Williamsburg
St Cecilia Church, 84 Herbert Street, Brooklyn
Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn
Metropolitan & Graham Avenues
Sugarlift Gallery, Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn
Elizabeth & Houston Streets