15 April 2025 |
The artist collaborates with H&M for their new spring 2025 campaign.
Even if you’ve never heard of Martine Syms, you’ve seen her pieces at the likes of the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art to name a few. She’s the kind of artist that’s poised to define a generation. With her gritty, conceptual, and humorous work, she reflects on a world defined by technology and self-image. Add to that collaborations with brands including Prada, Louis Vuitton, Nike and Celine, Syms is best described as a mult-hyphenate with a hand in directing movies as well as creating video art, drawings, art books, and more. It’s no surprise then that H&M came calling. For their spring 2025 campaign Notes on Being, the brand partnered with her along with four other female artists and creatives: Shygirl, Nadia Lee Cohen, Gabriette, CouCou Chloe, and Syms. The ask? Make exclusive artworks for their global flagship stores that showcase their unique points of view.
We caught up with Syms at the New York H&M Flagship store, where the multidisciplinary artist showcased a video installation and her artwork as well as DJ’d for the event. Read on to learn about her current work obsessions, go-to festival look, and passion for astrology.
Martine Syms’ Video Installation and printed T-Shirts at the New York H&M flagship store
1. How did this collaboration come together?
Honestly, H&M reached out to me, so, shout out to whoever put my name in the pot. They’re commissioning different artists to make an artwork that responds to this idea of Notes on Being, which is a thread throughout my work anyway. It’s about how to exist in this world as humans in a world full of screens and flesh. I went through a couple different iterations, but I ultimately came upon drawing because that is how I take notes.
2. What did you create for this occasion?
I produced a drawing called Astrology is Real If You Want It. It’s ink on paper and about the archetypes in astrology. I’m so deep into it that I align with people who hate it. I like people saying, “I can’t listen to horoscopes.” So the drawing talks about some of those archetypes and energies we work with (in astrology). Going along with this idea of self-knowledge, self-awareness, self-growth and expansion.
3. Can you talk us through the Zine you made?
It’s all iPhone photos from the past year that I was trying to link to some of the archetypes that are in the drawing so that you would have a visual representation of what I am describing.
4. What does Notes on Being mean to you?
When I heard it I thought about how we survive, thrive, and live with each other — dealing with the difficult and happy parts of life. That’s the beauty of it with the highs and the lows. That led me to the little notes I make to myself around my house and from there I started on the artwork.
5. When do you feel most free?
Dancing with my friends somewhere or driving with the top down of my convertible — I love it. Or I love climbing to the peak of a mountain and getting to look at everything. I was in Rio recently and there’s a few big peaks. I get a different perspective and being able to see everything from above is moving.
6. Which female artists inspire you?
So many! Torkwase Dyson is one I’ve been thinking about a lot. Diamond Stingily is another one, Adrian Piper was a huge inspiration, Pipilotti Rist, she was one of the first that I saw making video art when I was 14 and I thought oh wow, what is this? I want to do this.
7. You are a multimedia artist, what medium have you been drawn to most lately?
I’ve fallen back in love with photography, which I had been having a hard time with because of how many images are everywhere and how everyone’s always taking photos instead of feeling present. But I’m having a little renaissance with it for myself.
8. What is your favorite festival?
Governor’s Island festival when Frank Ocean played. That was a really fun one. Also NTS had a festival last year which they started in London, that was really fun.
9. What is your typical festival outfit and which item from this H&M collection would you wear?
I like to dress exactly how I’m feeling that day until I feel a little click, like: that’s it! You want to wear something you can move in so that you’re hands-free. You can climb a fence if you need to or sneak under a stage. I would probably wear what I’m wearing right now from the H&M collection: Little beaded shorts, a tank and an overshirt.
10. What’s your go-to opening track when DJ’ing?
For a long time it was Khia’s My Neck, My Back or Crime Mob’s Stilettos (Pumps). They’re both really raw songs with a female voice that says all right, I’m coming on.
Martine Syms DJ’s at the H&M flagship store in New York, wearing full H&M SS25
