Collection: Sebastian Kuban

Sebastian Kuban lives and works as a freelance painter and graphic artist in Kiel.

He studied in Hamburg and combines elements of pop culture, fashion, subcultures, and digital media in his work. His pieces emerge from a multi-layered sketching process in which cultural fragments flow together into dense visual worlds.

Although his painting style may initially appear playful or unrefined, it hides a calculated approach. Sebastian Kuban's style is reminiscent of Art brut, yet it goes beyond intuitive spontaneity. The expressive use of color and the cartoon-like visual language are deliberately chosen to reflect complex topics such as social norms, digital overstimulation, or cultural identity.

In terms of content, his works are connected to socially critical traditions in art, as seen in the 1980s with the Neue Wilde or in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Kuban uses pop-cultural signs, typography, and religious and mythical symbols, which he translates into a visual language that oscillates between irony, criticism, and exaggeration.

His paintings often appear playful but contain a double meaning: beneath the bright surface lie serious, often political themes. This tension between lightness and depth gives his work a particular impact.

Kuban was, among others, part of the Urban Art Gallery in Konstanz (2022), where he addressed climate protection issues. He has also exhibited at the Affenfaust Galerie in Hamburg and designed album covers for the Berlin musician Audio88.

Photo: Milena Schilling