About myself
Me, Till Heim, also known as “Sign,” am an Urban Artist from “Landau in der Pfalz”, creating dynamic, geometry-influenced artworks with spray paint.
My paintings are “signs” of life, in which seemingly incompatible elements like balance and chaos, or calm and movement, are united. The boundaries between two-dimensional and three-dimensional spaces are dissolved.
A recurring theme in my work is the unification of opposites. As a child, I grew up as part of two families in Wiesbaden, where I was artistically influenced from an early age. I perceived these two parts of my family as different worlds that I unified within myself. This often involved crossing boundaries, which has a direct connection to the key moments in my artistic journey: illegal graffiti.
In my youth, I developed a lasting fascination for calligraphy, which I saw reflected in the modern tags of graffiti artists in the urban environments of the Rhine-Main area. My intense engagement with these writings eventually led me to learn spray techniques. Along the way, I met graffiti artists who validated my forms of expression, leading me to co-found the sprayer collective “Via Grafik.”
After initial successes and publications in street art magazines and books, the collective expanded to six members during my studies in media design. From then on, the group distinguished itself through its pioneering work in combining elements of graffiti, graphic design, and street art. For example, in 2002, we exhibited in the “Urban Discipline” exhibition alongside renowned artists like Banksy and Daim.
After the birth of my son, I moved to Landau, where I began working in my studio on the interdisciplinary connection between graffiti and graphic design, which I realize in wall designs, sculptures, and paintings. Additionally, I have been involved in numerous projects, such as those for urban initiatives in Landau, Pforzheim, and as far as the French Alsace region, for which I develop design concepts and subsequently implement them artistically on my own. To this day, I am represented in local and international exhibitions (including in the United States).
Über mich
Ich, Till Heim, auch bekannt als “Sign”, bin ein Urban Artist aus Landau in der Pfalz, der mit Sprühfarben von der Geometrie geprägte, dynamische Kunstwerke erschafft.
Meine Bilder sind Lebens- “Zeichen”, in denen vermeintlich Unvereinbares, wie Balance und Chaos, oder Ruhe und Bewegung vereint werden. Grenzen zwischen dem Zwei- und Dreidimensionalen werden aufgelöst.
Ein durchgehendes Thema meiner Arbeit ist das Vereinen von Gegensätzen. Als Kind wachse ich als Teil von zwei Familien in Wiesbaden auf, und werde dort schon früh künstlerisch geprägt. Meine beiden Familienteile nehme ich als verschiedene Welten wahr, die ich in mir vereine. Auch geht damit oft das Überschreiten von Grenzen einher, was eine direkte Verbindung zu meinen künstlerischen Schlüsselmomenten darstellt: Dem illegalen Graffiti.
In meiner Jugend entwickle ich eine nachhaltige Faszination für die Kalligrafie, die ich im urbanen Lebensraum im Rhein-Main-Gebiet in den “Tags” der Sprüher auf moderne Art aufgegriffen sehe. Meine intensive Beschäftigung mit diesen Schriften gipfelt schließlich in der Erlernung von Spray-Techniken. Auf meinem Weg begegne ich Graffiti-Künstlern, die mich in meinen Ausdrucksformen bestätigen, sodass ich mit ihnen schließlich das Sprayer-Kollektiv “Via Grafik” gründe.
Nach ersten Erfolgen und Publikationen in Street-Art-Magazinen und Büchern erweitert sich das Kollektiv während meines Studiums zum Medien-Designer auf sechs Mitglieder. Fortan zeichnet sich die Gruppe durch ihre Pionierarbeit im Verknüpfen von Graffiti, Grafik und Streetart Elementen aus. So stellte ich u.a. 2002 in der Ausstellung “Urban Discipline” mit renommierten Künstlern wie Banksy und Daim aus.
Nach der Geburt meines Sohnes wechsle ich nach Landau, wo ich von nun an in meinem Atelier an der disziplinübergreifenden Verbindung von Graffiti und Grafik Design arbeite, die ich in Wandgestaltungen, Skulpturen und Gemälden verwirkliche. Zudem bin ich an zahlreichen Flächen für z.B. städtische Projekte in Landau, Pforzheim und bis ins französische Elsass tätig, für die ich Gestaltungskonzepte entwickle, und diese im Anschluss in künstlerischer Eigenregie umsetze.
Bis heute bin ich in lokalen und internationalen Ausstellungen (u.a.in den Vereinigten Staaten) vertreten.
Vita
Born
1977 – Born on May 26 in Wolfenbüttel, Germany
Education
1996 – Graduated from Martin-Niemöller-Schule, Wiesbaden (Abitur)
1998 – Founded the artist group “Via Grafik,” a collective of young design students and street art/graffiti artists with numerous publications in books and magazines, participating in festivals and exhibitions
1998-2005 – Studied Media Design at Fachhochschule Mainz, graduated with a diploma in Media Design
Professional Experience
2007-2008 – TV Designer in the Netherlands (full-time position)
2008-2016 – Freelance in computer animation and graffiti projects
2018 – Motion Designer for Trio-Group.de in Mannheim
2019 – to the present day – Freelance as a motion designer, graffiti artist, and graphic designer
Residency
Since 2012 – Living and working in Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
Exhibitions and Public Art Projects (Selection)
2024
- Exhibition at “Haus des Sehens” in Landau with Otto-freii
- Mural for the city of Landau featuring abstract roses
2023
- Mural for an energy plant in Belfort, France, in cooperation with Beluga-Studio.fr
- Various commissions and free works in Landau
2022
- Painted another transformer station for the city of Pforzheim (“Colour Oasis”)
- Painted shipping containers for “Club Behinderter und Ihrer Freunde” in Landau
- Painted a facade for the tennis club in Landau
2021
- Urban Art exhibition in Pforzheim (group exhibition at the Rathaus)
- Painted a transformer station for the city of Pforzheim SWP
- Large-scale mural for a gas station for Beluga-Studio.fr in France
- Designed mannequins for Parkhotel Landau, including logo development “Good Vibe Guys”
2020
- Continued large graffiti for Energie-Südwest in Landau
- Large gas station mural for Beluga in France (approx. 300 sqm)
- Painted a pillar of the Horst bridge in Landau for the bridge’s inauguration
2019
- Group exhibition at Mirus Gallery, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Large graffiti mural for Energie-Südwest in Landau
- Designed the facade of Kindergarten Ponyhof in Landau
2018
- “Shifted Tags,” Villa Streccius, Landau (Urban Art exhibition with Mirko Reisser/DAIM, Tore Rinkveldt/EVOL, and Robert Proch)
- Curated by me in collaboration with Peter Weiler from Kunstverein Landau
- Further murals for the Stadtbibliothek Landau
- “Fox Camp,” Mulhouse, continued collaboration with French artists “Antistatik” and “Orbit119”
- “Art of Offenbach,” group exhibition in Offenbach a.Main
- Eloquent concert, Wiesbaden, partially turned into an exhibition space for my works
2017
- Urban Art exhibition at Kunstverein Wörth (group exhibition)
- Exhibition at Rathaus Lingenfeld with my works and those created by youths during a workshop
- First phase of murals for the Stadtbibliothek Landau
2016
- Graffiti-Jam in Mulhouse with French artists “Antistatik” and “Orbit119”
- First big commission for www.beluga-studio.fr. Painting trees of triangles inside a Supermarket.
2015
- Solo exhibition at Kiosk, Essen
2014
- Urban Art Gallery, Stuttgart (group exhibition with David Monllor, Sdkaröe, Sweetuno)
- Painted the facade of Foto Lorch Landau
2013
- M Beck Gallery, Homburg/Saar (group exhibition with Reinhard Roy and Hermann Heintschel)
2012
- “Kommdisco,” Wiesbaden (party with video projections and sculpture)
- “Neongolden,” Galerie, Wiesbaden (“In my Colour” group exhibition with Leo Volland, Robert Meyer, and Rachel Frankenbach)
2011
- “Aerosol Addicted Thoughts,” Atelier Zukunft, Mainz (group exhibition)
- 2 Years of “Kommdisco,” Wiesbaden
2009
- “Common Ground,” The New Dose Museum, Wellington, New Zealand (works submitted by post)
- Graffest, Gdansk, Poland (outdoor painting and sculpture building with “Via Grafik”)
- “Il Fiume dei Writers,” San Sperate, Sardinia (invitation via Goethe-Institut, on-site paintings)
- Heyne Kunst Fabrik, Offenbach a.M. (group exhibition)
- Ailaik, Wiesbaden (group exhibition)
2008
- Names Festival, Prague, Czech Republic (sculpture building with “Via Grafik”)
- DAMKI, Group exhibition, Wiesbaden
2006
- “From Wall to Screen to Everything,” Passage, Wiesbaden (“Via Grafik” party with book release and my visuals)
- Markant, 603qm, Darmstadt (personal works within “Via Grafik”)
2005
- “VIAGRAFIK,” Supalife Kiosk, Berlin (personal works within “Via Grafik”)
- “Kill Boredom,” Superkronik, Leipzig (personal works within “Via Grafik”)
- “Shortcuts Film Festival,” Mainz (special jury prize for my diploma film “Cut,” theme: public space, graffiti, and advertising)
- “Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen,” honorable mention for the film “Cut”
2004
- Slanted, Klingspor-Museum, Offenbach a.M. (personal works within “Via Grafik”)
- “NuSigns 2.4,” Paris, France (personal works within “Via Grafik”)
2003
- “Kunstschlacht,” Offenbach a.M. (personal works within “Via Grafik”)
- “Wilde Wände,” E-Werk, Erlangen (personal works within “Via Grafik”)
- “Nacht der Museen,” Wollhaus, Kaiserslautern (personal works within “Via Grafik”)
2002
- “Urban Discipline,” Hamburg (large group exhibition with Banksy and Daim)
Publications (Selection)
2021
- Typograffiti, Klett-Verlag (book by Jonny Bauer & Joe Henning, featuring an ABC in various graffiti styles and a selected work of mine)
2019
- TEK NAT, art piece (“Take it easy”) used as a wine label
2017
- TV interview in the “Landesschau Rheinland-Pfalz” SWR about a graffiti project with youths in Lingenfeld, followed by an exhibition at the Rathaus Lingenfeld
- from time to time Graffiti letter images (so-called “styles”) are published in “Stylefile-Magazin”
2016
- “Graffiti Expressions Manifestes, Ce que le Streetart ne dit pas,” Hazan, France (book documenting a large mural in Landau with “Boe” and “Geist” from “Via Grafik”)
2006
- “Design&Designer No 048,” France (“Via Grafik” monograph)
2005
- “Alergia,” Spain (book on graffiti artists, featuring 6 pages of “Via Grafik” laid out by me)
- “Fadings,” Germany (book on graffiti artists who also work in design and illustration)
2004
- “Defrag Mag,” Italy (major article on “Via Grafik”)
- “Colors Zoo,” Spain (book on graffiti art, chapter on “Via Grafik”)
2002
- “The Art of Rebellion 01,” Germany (book by Christian Hundertmark)
- “Los Logos,” Germany (logo book with many “Via Grafik” logos, Gestalten Verlag)
- “Urban Discipline,” catalog for the exhibition in book form
