Interview
Sampy Sicada
Sampy Sicada is a British fine artist and visual developer based in Savannah, Georgia. He makes fine art in traditional medium such as graphite, colour pencils and oil paints. Mainly specialising in surreal and photoreal portraits, his works have been exhibited in galleries internationally including the 2021 London Art Biennale and 2023 Ad Art Show.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“Although I've always liked doodling, I took drawing seriously in 2017 after a bout of homelessness and dealing with police brutality in Hong Kong. Getting good at art gave me something to focus my energy towards and the reception I attained online seemed to suggest I was decent at it. It was nice having that praise after my "annus horribilis." I then worked as a graphic designer and art director for some startups in London before connecting with local gallery curators and a filmmaker who made a documentary on my life up to that point. It all snowballed from there.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“My work is somewhere between Odd Nerdrum's Kitsch and Stuckism. I'm not proficient enough to class myself as the former yet nor loose enough to be the latter. But the fundamental aim in my work is to explore archetypically modernist themes with inclusively gratifying illustration, something that doesn't require an expensive liberal-arts degree to dissect but is open to further reading. I would consider my works more driven by themes of psychology and media theory but those things are obviously socially and politically toned.”
“There are worldly and economic forces keeping the higher art world and galleries from getting over their pseudo-conceptual exclusivity and petulant iconoclasm, but that's not to say great things aren't being made outside of that space.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“The ideation stage is fairly improvised. I nick things on the fly with my phone and then Photoshop my references later. But the plan itself is extremely structured. I know exactly what I want to draw after I get the idea in my head.”
Are there any art world trends you are following?
“The bubbling "New Sincerity" attitude, or what is clunkily referred to as post-postmodernism sometimes, is something I find spiritual connection to. Art movements see disparities and style changes even within singular movements themselves. The past century, since Duchamp's Fountain, has stayed extremely homogenous by comparison and it's time to move on. There are worldly and economic forces keeping the higher art world and galleries from getting over their pseudo-conceptual exclusivity and petulant iconoclasm, but that's not to say great things aren't being made outside of that space.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“I use my experience from working as a graphic designer to Photoshop reference photos together to work off of with traditional drawing mediums like color pencils and charcoal. I tend to use textured paper because it looks better when it looks like a drawing and allows for heavy burnishing and darkening. I have a specific mix of brown colors for skin tone which is how I get the moodiness of my color pencil pieces.”
What does your art mean to you?
“Quite a lot. I'm happiest when I'm drawing.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
“Currently it is Paper Persona. The composition is a tap in or layup, meaning it's something that leaves an impact easily and is fairly Pinterest-esque. It still took a lot of focus and the look comes together as I wanted it to.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I haven't had a proper showing since last year's Ad Art Show and Clio Awards in New York. I have photos from the event on my Instagram but I have something in New York coming up soon.”
Website: www.sicada.co
Instagram: @sampy_draws
