mittenimwald artist atelier

mittenimwald

German streetartist, best known for his work on stencils, collages and stickers.
He worked as a designer at several advertising agencies before he quit his job and got involved in streetart in 2005. He began with stickers and ended up as a skillful stencilist.
Foto: Randy Rocket

Murals

mittenimwald, urban art, mural, Hamburg-Altona, Street Art

Hamburg-Altona / GER

STAMP-Festival

mittenimwald street art festival zagreb 2023 Peace Love Vandals

Zagreb / HRV

Street Art Festival 2023

Zagreb / HRV

Bar "Pri Nami"

Amsterdam / NL

Paint & Beer Festival 2022

Bristol / GB

UPFEST 2022

mittenimwald, urban art, Altonale, Hamburg-Altona

Hamburg-Altona / GER

Altonale

mittenimwald, urban art, mural, Cologne

Köln / GER

City Leaks

mittenimwald, urban art, mural, Millerntor Gallery, Hamburg St. Pauli

Hamburg-St. Pauli / GER

MILLERNTOR-Gallery

mittenimwald, urban art, mural, Millerntor Gallery, Hamburg St. Pauli

Hamburg-St. Pauli / GER

MILLERNTOR-Gallery

mittenimwald, urban art, mural, Eldorado Musikbar, Hamburg St. Pauli

Hamburg-St. Pauli / GER

Eldorado Musikbar

mittenimwald, urban art, mural, Millerntor Gallery, Hamburg St. Pauli

Hamburg-St. Pauli / GER

MILLERNTOR-Gallery

Out on the Streets

mittenimwald, urban art, paste-up, Paris, Foto: urbanhearts

Paris / FR

Foto: Urbanhearts

mittenimwald urban art paste-up Madrid Foto: urbanhearts

Madrid / ES

Foto: Urbanhearts

mittenimwald urban art mural Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern / GER

mittenimwald urban art paste-up california Foto: urbanhearts

California / USA

Foto: Urbanhearts

mittenimwald past-up Sao Paulo

São Paulo / BR

Foto: Urbanhearts

mittenimwald urban art mural Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern / GER

mittenimwald urban art paste-up Brooklyn USA NYC

Brooklyn NYC / USA

Zagreb / Hrv

at work

Can you talk about your journey into arts? 

My desire to be creative has always been there. My interest in street art, especially stencil, was sparked when I worked as a graphic designer at an advertising agency in the early 2000s. I had a room in the famous trendy district of Hamburg called „Schanze“.
There was a paste-up next to the entrance to my apartment and I was immediately fascinated by the technique. I wanted to do that too. I later found out that the paste-up was made by the Berlin artist Alias. But it took me a while to quit my job and decided to be a full-time artist.

You worked for advertising agencies for a long time. Can you tell us how this experience has influenced your work? Sometimes it seems you act as a rebel against this kind of establishment.


 I got into the business of advertising when I was hired at a large German advertising agency. Back in the day when the economy was still doing well, we were able to make great creative campaigns, but after the economic crisis, it became increasingly difficult, and in the end creative solutions were no longer in demand. We worked a lot of hours in the agencies, but the time of creative solutions was over. The advertising had exhausted me, and spat me out. 

I have nothing against the beautiful colorful world of advertising, it is merely another industrial sector for anyone under the blue sky. Clearly, this time has had an influence on me, as there I’ve identified and learned about many mechanisms. Whether it’s a campaign for a nice new car or a fascist regime, I only need to replace the picture within and that's it.

Can you tell us about the technique behind your extremely detailed works? What kind of craftsmanship does your art-making involve?


There are many factors that intertwine and sometimes they collide to provide the whole image. I'm always on the lookout for old posters and patterns from which I can create something new. Initially, I illustrate a portrait so that it can later produce a template, but often I change the original cut a lot. The cutting is quite intricate, so I spend days until it finally fits; also, many of the stencils never see the light of day. Some do get to see it, but are painted over very quickly, because they are not good enough.

There is an urban nature to your work, can you elaborate on your influences and interests?

 I grew up in a time and place where apart from punk there was little opportunity to differ from others. Therefore punk is also an important inspiration regarding the message, the impression and the dirt.
I want my pictures to have something of a dirty urban wall. Perhaps it is the picture of this first paste-up that drives me. I always have that in mind.

I work with wood as a support because it has its own structure and this can mean a lot to fine stencil work executed on its surface. It exalts things that cannot be planned ahead and it gives the whole thing a little bit of positive imperfection. 

Do you still find yourself "in the middle of forest" sometimes? If so, what is the best way for an artist to get out of such a situation?

Sure, I think every artist goes through a phase when they think they suck at what they do. In this situation, many decide to take a break and dedicate themselves to other things. Most of the times, I just continue working, put the problem aside for a bit and work on a different image. There is no general rule, everyone has to go their own way.

Film Portrait

A film portrait and making-off Millerntor Gallery 2011 by David Südel.