Fuck Off An oil painting, painted by hand for you alone

Sonni was part of a generation of artists who brought aesthetics from animation, illustration and graphic design to the streets in the aftermath of the 2001 crisis.One of the driving motivations of this art movement was to bring art to the streets which created a stark contrast with the suffocating negativity caused by political propaganda and activist graffiti. Artists brought colour and character art to the walls in an effort to disrupt to the monotony of politically charged messages. But whilst the colours they painted were bright and the characters appeared friendly, there was always an element of recognition that they were painting to oppose the hostile climate of the city. This gallery work by Sonni is a beautiful illustration of how people can force themselves to smile and appear happy whilst stifling their sadness and rage.