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ITS OK: An INTERVIEW with The Artist Known As SIGHN

Two-man show “Our Intentions Are Honorable” opened this past Friday at Space 1026, featuring the work of Sighn and Trevor Reese.

I had the opportunity and honor of interrogating (read: chatting with) Sighn about his work as he installed.

For those unfamiliar, Sighn is a Chicago-based artist working in multiples. His “signature”, as one may be inclined to call such an undertaking, is a project called ITS OK. The artist’s intent is to cut 1 million 3.5″ x 2″ wood pieces of the words ITS OK by hand. The modules are then used in larger installation work and sold individually via Sighn’s website, Multi-Polar Projects. For Space 1026, Sighn exhibited an ITS OK installation along with three other pieces.

Intrigued about this undertaking? Read on for more details about Sighn and his Sisyphus-like endeavor…

What’s your full name?

When I’m working I use the pseudonym Sighn, which is the name I used when I did a lot of street art. I work under 5 or 6 pseudonyms for different work/shows.

Where are you from?

Chicago. I went there for a job and liked it a lot. I have a great studio, and it’s a great city.

What are your building materials for these pieces?

They’re all cut with a scroll saw. It has a spiral blade that allows you to cut anything and get curves. These ITSOKs are cut from basswood. These scribbles, which are actually brand new for this show, are made from MDF and paint. I’ve been researching renewable resources like bamboo, and making a lot of ITSOKs from that. I recently did a 24-Hour Cut-A-Thon. For 24 hours straight I cut bamboo ITSOK’s, and invited anyone who wanted to come and keep me company. From 7 ’til 1 in the morning it was a party! Forty drunk people in my studio just having fun and making sure I didn’t cut my fingers off.

..Which leads me to my next question! Any accidents while making this body of work?

No, nothing major. The scroll saw is a pretty safe saw. The blade goes up and down, so you’d have to continuously push your hand into it.

Do you see these pieces as translations of 2D drawings/writings, or sculpture?

I used to just write pieces with flowing type. Sometimes you could read it, sometimes not. Recently, I’m really into handwritten lines with things crossed out, but really intricately cut out, so there’s clearly a lot of thought and carefulness, as opposed to something that feels off-hand.

What about your background? Did you go to school for fine art?

Yes, I got my degree in graphic design.

Are you drawing on your design background in this work, especially the typography?

Yes, definitely.

So then, what’s your favorite typeface?

It’s funny, someone asked me that recently. I really like handwritten type that is a font. I have used fonts in the past, but I only want to use handwritten and hand-drawn things. They might reference parts of typefaces, but remain more abstract.

In your artmaking, do you draw a line between craft/art or artisan/artist?

Working with wood is really craft-based. Everything that I do is very well crafted, so I’m a good artisan. But I hope to take it past the level of solely craft, where it’s more artmaking. Also, wood isn’t the only material I use. I’ve been working with cut paper. This piece is cut fabric. They will sit on a podium. Sometimes I’ve tiled them across a wall.

Which is the primary focus of your work:
a. Materials
b. Autobiographical content
c. The idea of multiples/reproduction

I would say C. Everything has a concept first. I come up with an idea and then find readily accessible materials to create it. The repetitive images and repetitive actions become somewhat meditative.

The ITSOK Project is not complete. How far are you from being done?

About 50 years…yeah…

Are you really up for it? Or is it just part of the concept?

Whenever I put my mind to something, I’m going to do it. It’s kept me up many nights. I’m going to figure out different ways to go about it. I definitely plan on doing it or dying first. I’m not gonna quit.

If/when you finish, what will you do?!

Well, I save all the opposites as a record. So I’m imagining this big show with them all on display. An entire interior covered in cutouts and opposites. Right now I’m past 2500, which is good, but obviously not close.

If you could install your work anywhere in the world, where would it be?

When working on this piece, I was thinking how great it would be to cover a HUGE wall with colors. Also outside on a huge building would be really cool. That’s really one of the things I think of when I’m like, “Oh no! What have I done? I’ve created this project and it’s going to take forever to finish and I’m not gonna be able to do it!” I remember that there are so many explorations to be made.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’m pretty happy in Chicago. What I would most prefer is to have several homes in different places - one home in a place that is sunny and tropical and then one in the mountains and another city place. I really like that mixture.

All of your sentiments are in English. Do you see your work as somewhat exclusive because of this choice? Or do you think the pieces can/will transcend linguistic bounds?

Definitely the scribbles do that, since it’s just mark. But I could definitely approach other languages. All of these things are from little notes that I scribble down every day. I sort through the pieces of paper and pick out the best ones, so they are immediate thoughts and emotions. Exploring language could be cool. I could work with other people to do exactly what I do in other languages!

What other projects/shows are coming up for you?

This month is a year from when I started the ITSOK project, so I’m going to get reinvested, especially with the sustainable materials and using the bamboo. I’m going to research other materials like that, and we’ll see where that leads.

I’ve been working with two eco-friendly galleries in Chicago. It’s great to have additional reasons for making art. I don’t want to become just a manufacturer/consumer, getting caught up in, “what’s the next thing, let’s just make it bigger and bigger and bigger….”

And finally, so you can finish installing…how do you take your eggs/soy substitute?

I’m vegetarian. I like poached eggs the best. but I don’t eat those now. So I guess…..crispy?!

Thanks a million! Here’s to your continued creative stamina!

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“Our Intentions Are Honorable” will run until the end of the month @ Space 1026 (1026 Arch St. Philadelphia).

For more visuals, check out the Art In The Age Flickr! and this short clip about the ITS OK Project…