Sava Istanbul Larry

Getting to Know Sava aka Istanbul

Biography

Sava ‘Istanbul’ Larry’s artistic journey began through music. A musician with a strong passion for film, modelling, and painting. A process of self-exploration immersed in music, film, books and psychoanalysis. He has recollections of having interests in occultism which resulted in being perceived as “a weird troubled kid”. He is open and frank about his experiences with substance abuse and diagnosis of mental health conditions which made him an outsider. Sitting on the outskirts of the conventional, labelled a misfit who is also a free thinker. His earlier struggles led to the appearance of an alter ego, ‘Istanbul’. A persona who appears at first as a coping mechanism. The duality of his personality escalates in relationship to two very different motivations, passion for art and entrepreneurship.

The Street, Full of Inspiration

Becoming more focused as an artist-led Sava Larry to the streets. The streets are a creative playground for ‘Istanbul’. He learned more about NYC & European graffiti culture with an interests in the works of visual artists like Taki 183,  Saeio, EKTA and Katsu. Other influences include modern art pioneers such as Paul Klee, Rothko, Picasso and Kandinsky. The name Istanbul comes from a book by Orhan Pamuk Istanbul: becoming an identity in his music (ambience electronic music) as well as a street name within the graffiti art scene. 

Istanbul in Chaos. A Journey of Revival

By his own admission, inside the chaos within his mind, art is a process of therapy. A way to keep things balanced and sane. He discovered here that he can embrace the opportunity art gave him, to simplify the chaos and channel it into the creative process itself. The turmoil and ambiguity becomes a fuel to create and express. A way of transforming personal demons into a form of visual art and music.

Istanbul began to archive and document his work professionally since 2010. With works fuelled by different environmental and emotional triggers. Some from the streets, books and music. He found that the inner restlessness meant he had a voracious hunger to learn more. It took five years for Sava to amplify his ‘Istanbul’ alter ego.

FASHION Collaboration Stitch It Up X Istanbul. A wearable art, original-only collaboration 2023.

About Graffiti

Graffiti (plural; singular graffiti or graffito, the latter rarely used except in archeology) is an art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Often described as an act of vandalism. It has its roots from several influences. A combination of hip-hop culture, gang-related activities or simply done by individuals thirsty for recognition. Graffiti art first emerged in the early 60’s in Philadelphia and New York. In Graffiti there are unwritten rules. These rules change and evolve resulting in different characteristics of modern and contemporary graffiti. 

At first, I had an addiction to graffiti, to the adrenaline of releasing anger or emotion onto concrete walls… or any public space, rolling doors, electricity boxes etc. From there it was a natural progression, searching for a style of tags, throws ups and pieces. I felt comfortable in this scene, the graffiti scene, especially contemporary graffiti influenced by hip-hop culture. Over time I started to explore abstract or free-hand style, not just letters.

Sava ‘Istanbul’ Larry

A Private Battleground

To Sava, graffiti art is the freedom of expression against ‘Babylon’. At times it was simply marking a territory. Competitiveness is a strong element within this environment. The streets are the playground filled with adrenaline, individual missions, visions and experimentations. A testing ground, each achievement like a private rite of passage. One aspect of this lifestyle that may be overlooked is a keen organisational and strategic mindset. Finding a location, planning the execution of a ‘bombing’. Preparation as well as on-the-spot performance under extreme pressure requires a particular kind of control and madness.

Peace Won For One and For Many?

Over the last several decades, as a subculture, street art has continued to grow, with growing public appreciation. In itself, it is part of our collective social consciousness. Undeniably part of the whole, even when labelled ‘outcasts’, they are not separate. They represent something part of our social identity. Often, the most difficult part of ourselves that we do not understand offers the biggest opportunity for growth and development. Perhaps if we see ‘community’ as a version of self, the collective self, we should endeavour more to understand the outcasts, the misfits. Perhaps therein also lies a society’s greatest opportunity for growth and development.

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