Saddo, a Romanian artist, illustrator, and muralist, is a master of bizarre imagery. Having studied the basics of graphics at the University of Art and Design in Cluj-Napoca, his first important step to what he is today as an artist was discovering street art, and founding one of the first street art collectives in Romania, The Playground. Since then his work has been on show across the world, in galleries, large-scale murals and commission illustrations for different projects and branding concepts.
Drawing inspiration from his surroundings, Saddo’s work ranges from dreamy, colorful, pop-surrealistic paintings, to dark, monochromatic, powerful drawings. Not having a very rational approach in his artistic process, his works are collections of suggestions, influences from Renaissance, Flemish Masters, lowbrow art, street art, design, and personal moods – all brought together in a fantastic scene, or an intricate monstrous portrait, or even abstract compositions. An on-going red-thread in Saddos work seems to be contrast, as even when dealing with morbid themes as the personification of death (A Stranger in the Garden series) he balances the work with beautiful flowers and lighter subjects.
Saddo’s latest work includes painting a 3 meters tall and 64 meters long panel surrounding a construction site, in Paris, France, at the invitation of Quai 36 (top). A series of three murals together with his friends from MATKA, for “Eu și prietenii mei” ( “Me and my friends” ), a day center for underprivileged kids in Berceni, Bucharest (above). Each mural corresponds to a classroom, in which the kids are taught Arts, Natural Sciences, and Mathematical Sciences. As well as painting a room at the Teatrul Tineretului Piatra Neamt, inspired by the works of Victor Brauner, who’s hometown Piatra Neamț is (below). You can also see Saddo’s mural work at the Birdyard Eatery here in Vienna.
Images © Saddo