Martin Whatson (b. 1984) is a Norwegian street artist best known for his calligraphic scribbles within grayscale spaces. Over the past decade, Martin has developed a recognizable aesthetic that merges abstract movement with figurative stenciled compositions. His work often features vibrant splashes of color, layered over neutral tones, creating a striking contrast that has gained him recognition worldwide.
His works can be seen as a reflection of the rise and fall of the streets, as he symbolically recreates the urban environment and then vandalizes it to reveal vibrant transformations. Growing up in Oslo, Norway, he was actively involved in the emerging graffiti scene of the early ’90s. The physical architecture of the city served as a constant source of inspiration, with the construction and decay of each generation contributing to the urban landscape.
Around the year 2000, Martin Whatson’s interest in layering became more literal with the introduction of stencils in his work. This evolution led him toward a simpler yet more impactful aesthetic, bridging the passion and spontaneity of graffiti with the fragility of nature. This delicate balance would come to define his creative approach, allowing him to express both urban resilience and organic vulnerability.
With numerous works on both walls and on canvas or paper, Martin Whatson consistently explores the relationship between vulnerability and strength in each piece. His art often features delicate, organic figures like butterflies, ballerinas, and animals, all rendered in empty grayscale spaces. These minimalistic figures are constructed from layers of hand-cut stencils, where the soft, ashen tones and blank backgrounds echo the concrete he often uses as his “alternative canvas.” True to his style, no gray space remains untouched in Martin's work; whether immersed or accented with a detail, these images dissolve beneath expressive, spray-painted strokes in various colors and textures, adding vibrancy to his carefully crafted compositions.
Martin collaborates on festivals, projects, and murals worldwide.
His original works can be found in private collections and institutions, with solo exhibitions in cities ranging from Tokyo to LA, and London to New York.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020
OSLO – Oslo Nowhere / Shoot Gallery – Oslo, Norge
2018
SOS at Cho Why – Cho Why – Bangkok / Thailand
The Arctic tour – The Edge Hotel – Tromsø / Norway
The Arctic tour – Galleri Svalbard – Svalbard / Norway
2017
REVIVE – Rex Romae Gallery popup – LA / USA
2016
Affinity (collaboration with SNIK) – Modus Art Gallery – Paris / France
2015
Old News – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
About-Face – Blackbook Gallery – Denver / USA
2014
Hide & Seek – Rex Romae – London / UK
Nationalteateret – Nationalteateret – Oslo / Norway
Square – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
2013
Transformed – Gallery Kawamatsu – Tokyo / Japan
Undercover – Reed Projects Gallery – Stavanger / Norway
The Beauty of Grey – MSA Gallery – Paris / France
2011
What have i done? – Black Pop Gallery – Copenhagen / Denmark
Love Tour – Gallery Kawamatsu – Tokyo / Japan
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Urban Fractions, KIRK Gallery, Aalborg, Danmark
2023
Urban Fragments, KIRK Gallery, Aalborg, Danmark
10 year anniversary | Out in the Open, KIRK Gallery, Aalborg, Denmark
2021
SHE – OsloNowhere / Shoot Gallery – Oslo, Norge
2020
Inside Out – KIRK Gallery – Denmark
2019
DUO (with Henrik Kleppe) – Galleri Kollekt – Oslo / Norge
IKIGAI – Basement Ginza / Streetartnews – Tokyo / Japan
2018
Northern Exposure – Nordic Museum Seattle – Seattle / USA
2017
Context ArtFair – Blackbook Gallery – Miami / USA
Unstoppable – Urban Nation – Berlin / Germany
Print retrospective – Galleri Bi-Z – Kristiansand / Norway
Fluorish – MESA contemporary art Museum curated by Thinkspace gallery
2015
Context ArtFair – Blackbook Gallery Booth – Miami / USA
HOME – Reed Projects Gallery – Stavanger / Norway
Outsiders In – Reedprojects Gallery – Stavanger / Norway
Your kid can’t do this – aMBUSH Gallery – Sydney / Australia
I LOVE Kabul – Graffitiprints – Kabul / Afghanistan
Different Strokes – Hin Bus depot – Penang / Malaysia
2 for 2 – Vertical Gallery – Chicago / USA
2014
Scope Artfair – Blackbook Gallery booth – Miami / USA
ARTmageddon – Vertical Gallery – Chicago / USA
LA Contraband 2 – Riviera 31 – Los Angeles / US
Stencil Bastards 3 – Starkart Exhibitions – Zurich / Switzerland
Different Strokes – Bottleneck Gallery – New York / US
A-Laget utvalg ’14 – Summer – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Scope Artfair – Blackbook Gallery booth – New York / US
Scope Artfair – C.A.V.E. Gallery booth – New York / US
2013
Juleutstilling 2013 – Galleri Bi-Z – Kristiansand / Norway
Buy, Work, Consume, Die – Reedprojects gallery – Stavanger / Norway
A-Laget utvalg ’13 – Winter – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Home sweet home – Bottleneck Gallery – New York / US
LA contraband – Los Angeles / US
About time – Galleri GEO – Bergen / Norway
The dirty art – Blankspace – Oslo / Norway
Moniker Artfair – Souled out Studios bunker – London / UK
True Colors – Shop 13 – London / UK
A-Laget – 10 year anniversary – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Bybildet: Redefinert – Oslofjorden Kunstsenter – Drøbak / Norway
Stencil art Norway – Reedprojects Gallery – Stavanger / Norway
2012
A-Laget utvalg ’12 – Winter – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
A-Laget utvalg ’12 – Summer – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Match Point – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Street Smart – Bergen Kjøtt – Bergen / Norway
2011
Deflate the hype – Black Pop Gallery – Copenhagen / Denmark
A-Laget utvalg ’11 – Winter – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
ULTRA 004 artfair – Gallery Kawamatsu booth – Tokyo / Japan
Young Art – Scandic Vulcan – Oslo / Norway
T&J Artwalk – Blomqvist – Oslo / Norway
A-Laget utvalg ’11 – Summer – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
2010
Punk’s Not Dead – Gallery North Gate – Tokyo / Japan
A-Laget utvalg ’10 – Winter – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Mattia Benefit – Naples / Italy
Strike the Street – Rome / Italy
A-Laget utvalg ’10 – Summer – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Totally, Pretty Dirty – Tokyo / Japan
2009
A-Laget utvalg ’09 – Winter – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Dreams & Nightmares – Vancover / Canada
A-Laget utvalg ’09 – Summer – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Threesome – Nice / Nice Exhibitions – Hannover / Germany
2008
Merry crunchmas – Opus underground – Manchester / United Kingdom
Inside / Outside – Carmichael Gallery – Los Angeles / US
The end is nigh – End Bar – Newcastle / United Kingdom
A-Laget utvalg ’08 – Summer – Galleri-A – Oslo / Norway
Melbourne stencil festival – J-Studios – Melbourne / Australia
2007
Urban art agenda #1 – Shed 4 – Melbourne / Australia
2006
Vinyl killers #6 – The goodfoot – Detroit / USAMartin Whatson
