Ingmar Järve, better known as Gutface, is a man of many hats: illustrator, graphic designer, street artist, and, semi-secretly, a musician. With roots deep in the soil of East Estonia, Ingmar's artwork has been showcased from Berlin to Aberdeen and from Kadrina to Porto. Read on to discover where his natural curiosity, hard work, and undeniable talent have taken him.
Hi, nice to meet you. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your ‘low-brow’ artist alias, Gutface?
I'm from a small town in Eastern Estonia. My parents were both punks and musicians, so I basically grew up at my dad’s band rehearsals. As a kid, I spent most of my time in skateparks – first on an old Soviet bicycle that I jumped to pieces, then on a skateboard, and later on a BMX bike. I still refuse to grow up in that regard. :)
My artist name originally came from my previous alias, GUTS, which was more focused on doom and sludge metal art. Eventually, I got tired of the dark subject matter and wanted a more playful persona to experiment with – though I still use GUTS occasionally, especially for my street art. It helps separate my art from my personal identity, giving me more creative freedom to explore different themes.
What were your first drawings like as a kid?
Probably some squiggles on the walls. I vividly remember some ancient scribbles next to my bed that I must have drawn as a toddler. Later, a family friend brought me a bunch of Tom & Jerry comics in the ‘90s, and I used to copy the coolest frames. By middle school, I was constantly drawing in class – mainly with those cheap blue pens. I got into a lot of trouble for the weird sketches in my physics notebook until my teacher finally told me to get a separate notebook just for drawing. That became my first sketchbook, which I still have.
We love your style! How did you discover it?
Back in 2016, I participated in Stencibility, the street art festival's Open Call, and was experimenting with ways to create grainy textures with spray paint. With my background in graphic design and illustration, I wanted my wall paintings to resemble printmaking.
That’s when I met badass Latvian artists Zahars Ze and Lazybra, who painted exclusively with rollers and bucket paint. They used the natural texture of the wall and the roller’s half-dry effect to create unique textures. I tried it, loved it, and never looked back. The constraints of roller painting shaped my style significantly.
Do you see illustration as a tool or an art form? Why?
Both. It’s a form of communication that uses artistic tools to convey ideas or messages. It really depends on the context – where and how the illustration is used. I’m a fan of illustrations that don’t conform to the corporate world's ‘safe and friendly’ aesthetic and instead carve out their own space.
What’s going through your mind when you’re drawing?
I start by jotting down keywords and associations. When I find interesting combinations, I quickly sketch out the forms. While refining the design, I often hit intersections where a new idea emerges, so I take note or make a quick sketch for later. Once I move on to coloring and shading, I stop thinking. That part is meditative. Of course, I still consider form, contrast, clarity, and tension, but it’s more intuitive than verbal.
Ah, what a nice flow! But do you prefer color or line?
Ideas first, then form and composition – color comes later.
Noted. Who are your favorite artists?
Some of my biggest influences are Zahars Ze (Latvia) and Jay-Pop (Poland). I’m also a fan of ROMBO (Latvia), Sainer (Poland), Aryz (Spain), Abran (Latvia/Porto), Krashkid, Riot 1394, Jack Sachs (Germany), and Braulio Amado (Portugal/NY). From Estonia, my favorites are my friends Timo Tiivas and Krõõt Kukkur.
What’s something about you that most people don’t know?
I have multiple aliases in both art and music.
What are your favorite places, both in Estonia and around the world?
I love Tartu and my studio here. Viljandi also has a really nice, relaxed vibe. Abroad, Porto is my top spot – I could definitely see myself living there. It has a great illustration and street art scene, although some galleries focus too much on cutesy stuff... makes me feel like I’ve eaten too much candy.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
What’s essential for you to have a productive workday?
A good chair, a large table, and a chill work environment. I don’t want to be distracted by something as silly as a stiff back from a crappy chair. My tools also need to be in order – nothing’s more frustrating than losing focus because something isn’t working or is missing.
Do you view drawing more as work or as fun?
Both. If I have a lot going on, it can definitely feel like work. But I don’t mind – balancing work projects with personal projects keeps things fun.
When you’re not working on your art, how do you unwind? We don’t judge.
Chilling at home with my girlfriend, watching some nice series or films. Travelling. Biking to my studio on my commuter bike gives me a nice little reset too. I still try to get out there and ride my BMX bike as well which is a great way to unwind. I do my own solo music stuff for fun, no intention of performing though. I also like to chill by playing this video game called BMX Streets. :)
How do you maintain a balance between your professional life and personal life?
Honestly, I’m not the best at it. Being a freelancer makes it hard to separate work from home life – work thoughts always sneak into my downtime. As an artist, I feel like it’s inevitable, and I don’t mind when it’s about personal projects. But when I have too many work projects at once, it gets tough – less time for myself, home life, and unwinding, and more people controlling my time than I do. If anyone has any tips, let me know!
Do your different skills – graphic design, drawing, street art – complement each other or compete?
They both complement and clash with each other. I think they have a love-hate relationship, but I love them all. My graphic design skills definitely enhance my illustration and street art – I even apply typography principles like spacing, contrast, and weight when designing characters. But the mindsets are different. Graphic design is analytical and collaborative, while art is intuitive and personal. Switching between them can be mentally exhausting, but I enjoy it.
I have a few long-term projects like Urban Festival UIT, Maajaam’s technological outdoor art exhibition Wild Bits, and some short-term collaborations with musicians, bands, and choirs. I also create most of the Tartu municipality’s illustrations. My other projects lean more toward art. Balancing these different worlds can be tough, but so far, I’ve managed well. For now, I like this mix – let’s see what the future brings.
What direction do you hope to take your art in the coming years?
I feel a pull towards working with new materials like metal, ceramics, and wood, and I’d like to expand my 2D work into the physical 3D world. I recently experimented with metal for a group exhibition in Riga (Shifting Sands at Asni Gallery, curated by Lilian Hiob), and loved the whole experience. So, I definitely want to explore that further.
Where do you see Gutface in the next 5 years?
Still doing what I love, independently and unconditionally, with my closest people by my side. Maybe I'll have another big solo exhibition abroad, like the one I did with my girlfriend last year at Circus Network Gallery in Porto. It was called 'STREET GNOMES.'
Awesome, looking forward! And are there any new projects or collaborations you’re excited about in the near future?
There are a few cool art projects brewing, but it’s still too early to share publicly. One thing I can share, though, is that I’m playing synths and samples in a band called NUGGAT, and we’ve got a few live shows coming up. We'll be at JarFest on May 24th, Kullaaugu on August 1st-3rd, and Fuzz Salvation on September 12th-13th. I've never performed live music before, so it's definitely going to be interesting…
We’ll have our fingers crossed for you. And lastly, is there a dream project you’d love to work on someday?
Oh yeah, definitely a few. Designing a vinyl cover with full creative freedom, creating a book, designing a pro skater’s signature deck, and working on merchandise and marketing materials for that. I’d also love to create a large-scale, monumental art piece. So, if you’ve got any of those projects, come forward!
Would you do a little drawing of Trickster as a fantasy character? ッ
