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Interview with Zsigmond Zseni, Hungarian Photographer

Interview with street artist BJOR – May 2022

Bjor is originally from Sotra and has been active as a street artist since 2017. He is educated and has worked at Ringebu Folkehøyskole with a focus on street art. Bjor has decorated hotels, schools, businesses, and more recently public spaces both in Norway and abroad. He has also exhibited his works in galleries in England and Norway.

I met Bjor on a sunny morning in Bergen in May 2022. He and many other street artists from the area were working on a collaborative project at Sentralbadet. It was exciting to observe how they work, how the images take shape, and how a large artwork emerged as a reaction to racist vandalism on the images of the artist RC.

His studio is located near Sentralbadet, and we sat down there with a coffee to chat. The studio is atmospheric and a bit messy. I look around, trying to find the stories behind the paintings and the many small objects. He makes coffee, and we start a calm conversation about his background, his personality as an artist, his plans, and life in general.

Zsuzsa: Okay here. So now we're sitting in your office, studio. Is there anything important or interesting about this place? You also share space with others. Are these people you work with, or is it random?

Bjor: These are people I have gotten to know through relationships. That's why I'm here. I had a project with Håkon, or Harem as he calls himself, “Harem Art”. The project was at the City Hall, where they had maintenance on the building and had put up a temporary wall around it. There we had a project called "Know thyself", together where we aimed to portray issues around polarization in society, different challenges with the right and left wings, the way people become radicalized within their bubble because they are part of different political circles. They are in a bubble that tends to be reinforced, it becomes an echo chamber. For example, through social media where you only see what you already like. So we tackled the whole theme and made a project out of it, and became good friends through this. After this, he contacted me a month or two later, and invited me to be here when he needed someone else to share the space with. So I went there to look at it, this was right at the beginning before I was properly established. I was a bit unsure if I should go for it, it costs money, you know. I was then working in a small shack on Sotra which was a very cozy place, but a bit small and a bit much spray paint. It's a bit tiring to work with spray paint and acrylic in the same room. So it was very nice to get new premises, and then it just snowballed as you got to know people.

Zsuzsa: Okay. A bit about yourself. How would you describe yourself as a person in three words or expressions?

Bjor: Let's see; Calm, I would say. Curious ... This is difficult. Anyway, I'm concerned about the people around me.

Zsuzsa: Can we say caring?

Bjor: Yes, caring is a good word.

Zsuzsa: Is this something we can recognize through your art or work? In your job?

Bjor: Yes, I think so. I am inquisitive. What I want to present is usually philosophical concepts and thoughts about being human and the issues everyone faces. So I want to visualize those thoughts, to portray things one ponders, or should ponder, and show this. It's probably the curious part of me that contributes most to the art, I think. Art is an interpretation of the world around us as I see it. The person creating art takes in the impressions and feelings one gets from the world around them and tries to capture this on canvas and present it through art.

Zsuzsa: Can we say that as an artist you are a sort of filter?

Bjor: Yes, you could say that!

Zsuzsa: What main themes can we say recur in your art? What issues can we see engage you through your art?

Bjor: I'm interested in the explosive element. Something that bursts out or breaks out of its confines. Taking a step outside the comfort zone and breaking out is what I try to present in what I do. "Outside the box", just simply getting out of the frames.

Zsuzsa: If we go back in time a bit. Those who choose to be artists don't really make a choice. It's a passion that you can't choose to ignore. Were you always interested in all kinds of art, or was there a specific event that changed the course your life took into art?

Bjor: I always had that interest. I would say I was a modest kid. I didn't go to football or any organized stuff like everyone else did. I had my little gang, we sat down and made comic books that we sold. So I've always loved to draw, but as time went on, that interest faded a bit. Life caught up with me, I had to figure out school, what I would be when I grew up. I considered becoming an architect. Thought it seemed interesting, and I could use my drawing interest. But then I got very tired of school, it crushed me. So after high school, I took a gap year and didn't really know what to do with my time. I decided to go to a folk high school, and it was the best decision I could have made. That was the turning point that I reached, a point where I was so tired of my existence that I needed to do something, change something, drastically. Then I found out that painting and traveling are what I want to do, so I chose a program that could give me that. So I got to travel a lot and practice painting. I had only drawn before. So after this, I painted some pictures and then held an exhibition at a bakery out on Sotra through family friends. It was surreal when I sat there on the first day and didn't really expect anyone to come or show any interest in my works, then two people came in and started arguing over one of my paintings.

Zsuzsa: You express yourself through street art. People are exposed to your street art without directly seeking it themselves. They walk on the street and are exposed to it whether they want to or not. They will then get an impression of it and will have to take a stand on your art. As an artist, do you feel responsible for what you create?

Bjor: Do I feel responsible for how my art is perceived and the reactions to it? Yes, for me, it's important to somehow provoke a reaction in people. I'm not one of the most political, I try to present thoughts, feelings, and philosophical concepts. I want to spark some interest, a little curiosity. Get people to think a bit, see the world with a slightly different perspective or through a different filter. I think it's important to present something that gives something to people.

Zsuzsa: How do you usually get or seek inspiration? I understand that traveling is a way you seek inspiration. Are there other ways or methods you use? Can you tell a bit about this?

Bjor: I would say I try to find it everywhere. It can be in a conversation. In this conversation here, I might suddenly get an idea and want to write it down so I remember it. Then I can pick it up later and work further on the idea. I find inspiration from most things; Interpersonal relationships, music, film. That kind of thing I find very inspiring, also, of course traveling. Seeing and experiencing new things and getting new impressions, that means a lot. You also get a break from routines when you're out traveling. Routines are very important to have in everyday life, but when traveling, you have to reset a bit and find a new focus. Traveling becomes its own project in a way.

Zsuzsa: Is Bergen the right place for a street artist to build a career, or do you plan to move to other places to further develop yourself?

Bjor: Definitely! I am now in an establishment phase as an artist and will be here for a few more years. Eventually, I will probably find another place where I will spend half the year, if not more. Maybe live permanently somewhere else. Life is short. There is a lot to experience and a lot to see. So it would be nice to be able to spend some time elsewhere as well. There are incredibly many nice environments. Berlin is a fantastic place, for example, I've visited there a couple of times. It's an absolutely fantastic place for graffiti, so I want to live there for a while. And there are also many other places I would like to visit. You should travel, I probably won't stay here. It probably won't happen. By the way, should I get the coffee?

Zsuzsa: Yes, please do! Working on the street and traveling is a lifestyle that fits creative work. But eventually, you think about what the next step is. Where do you see yourself in 15-20 years? Or is it too early to think about now?

Bjor: No, it's probably like everything else. I sort of stumbled into this, so I actually see myself stumbling somewhere else eventually. But there will probably always be art, but what will my art look like? Whether it's on the street, whether it's more permanent, whether it's three-dimensional, whether it's digital? I don't know. As I said; Life is short. There are many things you want to do. I'm not sure if just painting things on the street or on canvas is what I want to do. It might just suddenly start making sculptures, for example. Or maybe 3D animation? There's a lot you want to do, so I won't stand still. There is nothing in life or the universe that is static, everything is in motion, so I have to keep up. So that's how I think.

Zsuzsa: Are there any in your field who inspire you or whom you see as role models?

Bjor: I myself am very fond of contrasts. And I look at, for example, Martin Watson. He has done something incredibly good in my opinion; it's impressive to see what he does and it's something to aspire to. Over time, I've become more of a fan of painting and spray painting and that kind of thing, and not working so much with stencils. We also have many talented people in Bergen as well, such as AFK. An incredibly talented, dedicated, and pleasant person with thoughtful works. He is definitely a role model. Otherwise, I'm very fond of M.u.M too. He's the one with the trolls around. He's really good! Also a very nice guy. There are many others I could mention, international artists as well. I can't remember all the names offhand. There's a lot in the graffiti community that's incredibly cool too. Like Sofles, for example, is definitely a role model. Helio Bray is also a very cool graffiti artist. There's a lot in that segment that is also inspiring, I would say. They are incredibly skilled at what they do.

Zsuzsa: It's a kind of development?

Bjor: Yes, it is! What came first, whether it was graffiti or street art, can be debated, but they are connected anyway. There are many different pieces that fit into this, like street artist, stencil artist, graffers, or taggers. There are many expressions, but all under the same umbrella, I feel. I want to look at everything and try to find what's good and what speaks to me.

Zsuzsa: Which "label" do you want people to refer to when describing your art?

Bjor: No. It's difficult to say. Because it's a matter of definition. Some are very strict about it. It's a bit ironic that the graffiti scene, which is supposed to be rebels and break against the rules, has so incredibly many rules itself.

Zsuzsa: What has changed a bit is the increasing recognition from society that this is an art form. This in turn leads to increasing attention. This makes municipalities and others facilitate more with both areas and financial support for street artists. But at the same time, this puts a damper on the rebel "factor." So it's difficult to place you.

Bjor: Yes, absolutely. Street artists are supposed to do things "for free," they are supposed to do things for people on the street. So sometimes I'm a street artist, sometimes I'm a muralist for example; I do quite a few paid assignments too. But, if you're going to be a genuine "Street," you're not supposed to do things for profit. You're not supposed to sell your pictures, you're just supposed to present them to showcase an idea. I would say I'm a muralist. But things like this at Sentralbadet that I did today or the other thing you saw last May ("Surge," mural over a wall about 40 m wide at Sentralbadet), those are things that are completely free. It's something I do because I want to.

Zsuzsa: Can you tell a bit more about what you did at Sentralbadet?

Bjor: Yes, of course! I've been working in the studio here for a while now, and then I thought that I wanted to do something big, something that challenged me, and could give people something to look at that was nice. So I decided on a Sunday that I was going to start painting that wall. Optimistic as I was, I thought I would finish it in a day. But, it took a bit of time. Almost a week. So they were long days. There was a lot of back and forth, and I had to get proportions right. I started on it, then found out the thigh had the wrong length and had to start over again. So a lot of back and forth. Got the wrong perspective on it so then everything got distorted. But it was challenging and fun! And that's the kind of scale I want to work in, it's fun with things that are a bit bigger than what I work with in the studio.

Zsuzsa: But what was the reason it had to be painted over?

Bjor: The reason was that a guy who goes by the pseudonym Eirik Falkner, he had invited people from Stockholm and Poland who would probably define it as post-graffiti. It's a type of more abstract graffiti that isn't really letters anymore but rather abstract shapes, more artistic. Falkner, for example, is very fond of corals and that kind of shape. I know him well from before. But the reason it was painted over was that they had planned for a long time that they were going to use the wall, they were going to travel to Norway and Bergen and were going to paint there. I hadn't talked to them about it, and then the day came and they painted over it. But that's part of life, that's what happens. It gets painted over, it doesn't stay long. But it's a legal (graffiti) wall, it's meant for people to be able to go there and practice and do things. The fact that it gets painted over means that it has exploded. Two weeks after it was painted over, there were, in just one day, three groups of 16-year-olds standing there tagging and doing new things. There are people who are completely new to the scene, so it provides an opportunity for recruitment. So hopefully people are inspired by seeing larger things and might want to try larger things themselves.

Zsuzsa: You are originally from Sotra?

Bjor: Yes, I was born and raised in Sotra.

Zsuzsa: What do your family and your closest ones think about this? That you chose this type of art?

Bjor: I grew up in a very cozy little place, called Tellnes. A small house where my father had built himself a sound studio in the barn next door. And he invited musicians to come there. He originally operated over at Dokken here, had a recording studio there, but it was removed. Then he built himself a studio in the barn. He is a sound engineer. So, I have a somewhat unusual family on that front that has inspired both me and my brother to go our own way. He does photography, and I do art. So, the family is very supportive and inspiring, and thinks it's nice that we do what we want. And they have also realized that there's no point in worrying. They may have wished that we did something else, but they know how it works. It goes as it goes, and you find your way along the way. My father has done a lot of exciting things, he has worked with Kurt Nilsen, for example, written music with him. My father has probably been a role model for me when it comes to going your own way and working hard to achieve what you want in life.

Zsuzsa: Thank you very much for the chat, it was very exciting to see your studio, see how you work, and get to know you as a person and artist. I'm looking forward to finding more and more Bjor pictures around Bergen.