Meet Finsta

Finsta has refined his style during a long career in arts and design.
Photo: Frans Hällqvist

– It feels fun to be a part of something ambitious and important to society. I usually avoid being political in my art, at least in a direct way, Finsta says. 

His art has spread over the world and has been seen in exhibitions both in Sweden and internationally. Working on BREAKING SOCIAL was a challenging but exciting project. 

– Making an animated poster for a documentary is difficult. It shouldn’t give the impression that the movie itself is animated. An animated picture is also easily perceived as something lighthearted and fun, whilst this movie covers very heavy topics. The poster had to clearly relate to the real world and also communicate the right message for the film. 

“They also had the feeling that most of us are doing the right thing
and want to do good, it’s the system that is broken and has to be
changed. That felt hopeful.”

- Finsta on the characters in BREAKING SOCIAL

There were quite a few tries before the final product landed.

The serious tone of the movie but with a glimmer of hope was hard to catch in a poster, he says. 

– There were a couple of impressions we really wanted the poster to convey. It has to catch the eye and
spark excitement. Fredrik also wanted to communicate hope, something I appreciated. Things feel really
dark and gloomy at the moment. You have to be able to discuss these things but also not get trapped in
cynicism and despair. Let a little light shine through, show that there is hope out there. 

– The fact that the film has many characters and is more focused on a subject than a person also had to
be clear in the poster. A subject that can be hard to grasp at that. I wanted to communicate that but also l
eave some room to make your own impression and interpretation.

The original version of the poster.

Things fell into place when the idea of a dandelion was born. 

– It is a symbolic flower, might not be considered the prettiest one but, it’s relentless and can survive most
conditions. A lot of things are heading the wrong way, but some try to break loose and swim against the current.

That’s where the idea of the seeds, that break off from the flower and fly away, came from. I also thought it
would look cool graphically. The flower itself could be interpreted as a globe, a network, those who break
off in hope that others will follow. I'm sure people can interpret it in many ways. 

“ It feels fun to be a part of something ambitious and important to society.
I usually avoid being political in my art, at least in a direct way”

Nowadays Finsta is based in Stockholm, where he initially attended Konstfack university of art and design. The career that led to great success in the art and design industry started in his hometown of Lund. 

– I made murals and graffiti a little all over the place. At the age of 17 I did some illustrating for local newspapers as well. Also had my first exhibition at that age. Graffiti is still an identity I have but nowadays I mostly do it in the form of job missions. Especially since I became a father 2 years ago. 

– Growing up in the graffiti climate was pretty tough. You quickly learned you had to create your own style if you wanted the respect of other painters. Sometimes people questioned you or accused you of copying others. Then you really had to stand up for yourself. 

The final poster. Symbolical dandelion with seeds breaking loose, or maybe you see something else?

Finsta is his artist name and comes from a background in graffiti.

– In that culture, it’s common to have an artist name. It’s a way of separating your artistic life from your personal one. 

He describes his style as playful and simple. Joyful but with some attitude. 

– A lot of it stems from previous experiences and when you find something you like. I want the stuff I make to feel personal and be recognizable. Much of it is based in skateboard graphics, animated comics, and underground culture. Stuff that speaks to a child. 

“Things feel really dark and gloomy at the moment.
You have to be able to discuss these things
but also not get trapped in cynicism and despair.
Let a little light shine through,
show that there is hope out there.” 

He is currently working on the exhibition “The return of Finsta”.
Photo: Charlotte Carlberg

He is also a fan of documentaries and has seen BREAKING SOCIAL. 

– I watched it through a really strange perspective, since I knew I was going to make a poster for it. But I really like the characters in the film. They felt like cool people and could explain complex problems in a good way and delivered it with a punchline. They also had the feeling that most of us are doing the right thing and want to do good, it’s the system that is broken and has to be changed. That felt hopeful. 

He is currently finishing up an exhibition about his life in arts and will be doing a mural in his hometown this summer.

– It’s going to be located in central Lund, on a house facade visible to pedestrians passing by. A dream job for sure to be doing in your hometown, but with that comes pressure. You want to make the absolute best you can. I can make whatever I want which is good in a way but also difficult since you have no guidelines to stick to, Finsta says.

Check out Finsta on Instagram.

And his website.

Text: Victor Svenfelt