Featured Artist: Lars Wunderlich

Lars Wunderlich’s life is a non stop art production. Since he’s started his art education as a kid, he has never managed to keep his hands away from paint. In 1996, he got introduced into the graffiti scene back in his hometown, what led him to study Art and Graphic Design. May it be with spray paint, acrylics or computer, Lars’s artworks always find a way to twist their viewer’s mind.

For the past few years, Lars has been living in Berlin and working around the clock for many different commissions. However, he found some time in his busy schedule to sit down with us and talk about his work.

"Next Stop Infinity" Digital Illustration for T-Shirt.

Hi Lars, would you like to introduce yourself?

Hi, my name is Lars Wunderlich, I’m 29 years old, and I am from Friedland a small town in northern Germany. I am an Artist and Graphic Designer living in berlin for the last 5 years. I am also a member of the PEACHBEACH collective.

How did you get into art in the first place?

I have been drawing and painting my whole life. At the age of 7 my parents sent me to art lessons and did it for like 10 years. At some point, while watching tv I saw gaffiti and got very interested in it. In1996, I started doing it in my hometown. I believe It was then that I decided to study art.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your artwork?

Everything, ah… that’s a good question. I like artworks that have a deep meaning, and a bit of irony. Nature, people and music are probably the main things I draw inspiration from. What I see as being the good things of life, or at least the positive things in my life.

What is your creative process like?

Well, it depends. Sometimes I just sit at the desk with nothing on my mind and draw until something pops up in my head. Some other times I know exactly what I want to do. In that case, I start sketching and when the time is right, I do the piece all at once. When I do graffiti for example, It’s all about improvisation.

"Sonic Bomb" Typografic Illustration for T-Shirt.

There is a lot of typography work on your illustrations, what do you find interesting about it?

That has to do with my graffiti background, of course. It’s the best way of adding a message to my work. It’s a way of making clearer what I wanna say.

So, your art is message-based, not just pure aesthetics.

Yeah, I’m always interested in giving a positive message with my art. Sometimes even a mystical one, depending on my mood. But definitely, there is always a meaning in everything I do, even if it’s not always visible to the public.

You are part of the PEACHBEACH collective as well, are you just as comfortable working as part of a team as you are working alone?

Yes, I  love working in a team. It is amazing for me to see how a piece of work changes from what I had in mind when everyone’s ideas come together. It isn’t always easy to work with other people, since we don’t always agree when decisions have to be done, but it’s all part of the creative process and the result is always much more interesting.

"Riding the balloon" Graffiti at the Subwaystation Schloßstraße Berlin, together with Falk Hoger and Attila Szamosi from the Peachbeach-collective.

How have you handled the business side of being an artist?

Ahh… always a difficult thing: business and art!  It is hard to sell something you love. However, you need to learn managing the business side of art if you want to be successful with it.  I’ve always seen graphic design as being more of a business field than art itself, but I guess nowadays the borders between both fade away. Anyway, since my student time is over now,  I’m starting to take more notice about this all.

How would you evaluate your experience with art galleries?

Good. It’s a great thing that West Berlin Gallery gave us the chance to do the PEACHBEACH show here. Once you have a place where you can show your work, there is no need to worry about that anymore and you can completely focus on the creation of your work. It gives you a wider range of viewers too, which is always a good thing.

Last question, What’s your favorite piece of self-produced work?

It’s hard to say. Right now we are producting of a big piece for a club, in which we also did the design. I am really enjoying it. With my personal work though, I always say I am my best critic. When I stand in front of my own art work after some time, I can just see the things I could have done better.

That’s all, thank you very much Lars.

no worries, thank you!

"Greatest invention of the Century" Digital Illustration for T-Shirt.

A few of the latest Lars’s artworks are available in our online shop.