Who is ‘irregular’? Meet the artist behind the tag showing up all over the city.
On the face of eroded barricades, rotting alleyway dumpsters, dark under-passes and window-sized wood panels, the word “irregular” has become an increasingly regular sight for Philadelphians — and a mark of artist Sean Hassett’s growing presence.
Hassett, who goes by the moniker “Irregular” or “Irregular Sean,” has spray painted and penned his graffiti tag across the outskirts of West Philly to Chinatown, Spring Gardens, Brewerytown to the beating heart of Center City. Yet, his identity and motive are largely cloaked in mystery.
“I have no backing and there’s no system that I’m part of that’s helping generate what I’m putting out,” Irregular said to The Inquirer.
“I’m trying to show people that you don’t have to take the normal route, you can do it on your own.”
While he was drawn to the word “irregular” as a kid growing up in Darby, he didn’t put his talents to the canvas until he was released from George W. Hill Correctional Facility after a one-year stint in 2013.
While incarcerated, Irregular befriended an inmate who used to draw images on the letters he wrote to his loved ones in exchange for soup cans. Before the man was released, he gave Irregular all of the stencils and art tools he used to craft his work. That moment, he said, opened the door for his own artistic pursuits.
“Coming home with that record and no college degree, (it) pushed me to devote myself to my craft,” Irregular said.
Over the years, Irregular started creating acrylic paintings and mosaic-style works made from fragmented mirror pieces.
In 2020, the now-33-year-old artist began spraying his graffiti tag across Philly. He was partly inspired by the protests following George Floyd’s murder and the work of Germantown artist Nomad and Ghuls creator Lami Tolla. and he says his style and approach is influenced by Banksy and Basquiat.
Though he documents his art on Instagram, Irregular does not post pictures of himself on social media. (He did not agree to be photographed by The Inquirer.) He says he usually only leaves home for daily necessities and to sell and make his street art.
“I’m very withdrawn, and I’ve been very solo in what I’ve done over the years,” he said. “I’ve stuck to myself, and I don’t get into politics or institutions of the art scene... I try to contain my energy as much as I can. I think what I’m doing has some power to it, and I’m not trying to withhold it.”
When he peeks his head outside his home studio, he’s usually decked in paint-spotted garments, riding his bike with a spray paint can and white-out pen stashed inside a mid-sized pouch in pursuit of a new location for his work. In a matter of minutes, he coats the nine letters of “irregular,” and ducks off slyly without drawing attention.
“I just move with common traffic,” he said. “I like to say I move with the wind.”
He still sells his work in Rittenhouse Square, but tries to stay in the background and doesn’t approach onlookers until he sees a “magic moment” happen.
“I always wanted to create things that sell themselves on the street,” he said. “I don’t say, ‘Hey, look at this,’ or have a sign telling people to buy my work. I just stand a couple feet away, lean up against a pole and observe.”
Along with graffiti and mirrored artwork, Irregular sells mystery boxes, deep profile canvas and wooden-framed paintings on his website, with pieces ranging between $100 to $2,000.
It’s impossible to know how many tags he’s placed in the city. He stopped counting years ago but still feels a rush of leaving his mark. It’s like psychotherapy, he said, motivating him to satiate his appetite for more artistry and self-expression.
He views his work as a source of reflection, with the mirror pieces and word “irregular” serving as a symbol of self-identity and a magnet that draws a connection between him and the viewer. But rather than being packaged as a “street artist,” he prefers no title at all. “You can’t put a spotlight on a star. I’m just doing the work. Irregular is a statement, (and) the work emits a light of its own.”
Some Philadelphians view his tags as playful breadcrumbs. Some see it at as a link to a thought-provoking series, and others — especially on social media — see it as vandalism. “Artfully committing vandalism is still vandalism,” a Twitter user said.
I take objection to the term “artist”. He’s a criminal. Artfully committing vandalism is still vandalism.
— JohnsCow (@johns_cow) April 10, 2023
I dunno. Ask the “artist” to tag your front door.
— TappahannockName (@Allfortime0503) April 10, 2023
Resident Peter Gambino, however, welcomes this art.
“Philly has such a big and diverse art scene, so we might as well have a few mystery people working in that space,” said Gambino who first spotted Irregular’s tags six months ago. “[His work is] like little easter eggs placed along the infrastructure of our city.”
Other onlookers aren’t too fond of Irregular’s work . “I hate their tags,” says Philly resident Alex Fredericks. “(They’re) too long and aggressively style-less.”
Despite the mixed responses from passers-by, Irregular has become a sought-after talent in Philly’s art scene. He created two projects with Mural Arts Philadelphia. The first was a temporary mural for last year’s Wawa Welcome America; his work Mural Magic is irregular was featured at the 2023 Flower Show.
He was also tapped by Hyatt Centric Center City to be a part of the hotel’s monthly Maker Series back in January. Elizabeth Fricke, director of sales and marketing at HCCC, said Irregular’s approach to street art made him a natural fit for the series that spotlights the work of local artists.
Photo blogger Conrad Benner, who worked with Irregular on the Mural Arts projects, called Hassett an innovator. “He’s at this point in his career where all the doors are open to him, and he’s jumping through them,” he said. “That’s to say, he’s driven and taking advantage of this lane he’s made for himself.”
An “irregular” tag along 11th St. by Spring Garden in Philadelphia.Heather Khalifa / Staff Photographer
As more opportunities come along, Irregular said he will continue to etch his path as an independent artist, and break down barriers that may be in his or other artists’ way.
There’s no set direction in mind, he said. For now, he plans to sell more of his artwork and hopes to expand his brand globally.
“I’m not a starving artist, I’m a hungry artist, and myself and others know there’s much more potential past these walls,” he said. “I’m continually pushing myself, trusting my evolution and allowing everything to come my way. I want to stay on my trajectory and see Irregular grow 10 times bigger.”