Description
“Metamorphosis” is the second published monograph by the Californian born, Berlin-based visual artist Tavar Zawacki – and the first under his real name.
At the time of his first publication (“Passport”, released by Zero+ Publishing in 2011), the artist was going by the street name ABOVE, and was held as one of the pioneers and early influencers of the street art movement. Relocating to Berlin in 2014, the artist went into a deep and creative introspection that led him the next year to divulge his name and face, instead of the high secrecy that has always surrounded his self. He was known never to attend any of his exhibition openings and erected anonymity as a cardinal virtue, and shadows as a tool.
“Metamorphosis” covers Tavar Zawacki’s last 3 years of creative works, from his seminal 2014 “Remix” exhibition in Detroit at Inner State Gallery to his latest and most ambitious show to date at Urban Spree Galerie in September 2017. The book covers all his outdoor murals during that period and illustrates how the artist navigates between his indoor and outdoor works and the influences thereof.
“Metamorphosis” is a very personal account of Tavar’s creative process and thinking, where painful disruptions are essential to create something new and meaningful.
The book is published by Urban Spree Books.
About the Artist:
Tavar Zawacki (1981), is a Californian born, Berlin-based contemporary artist. Tavar Zawacki under his then street name, ABOVE, was one of the main pioneers and influencers in the development of the Street Art movement in Paris in 2001. His proliferation of his arrow icon trail-blazed the way for later generations of street artists using iconography, logos, and abstract artworks in the street. During the past 20 years Tavar Zawacki has proliferated his artworks in over 100 cities spanning 50 countries around the world. His style is characterized by the use of bold colors, geometric patterns, Op art elements, and trompe l’oeil illusion effects.
Tavar Zawacki has been showcasing his work in galleries and institutions around the world since 2005. He was a resident artist of Urban Spree in Berlin for 5 years. His solo show, “Metamorphosis”, runs from 07.09.2017 to 08.10.2017 at Urban Spree Galerie in Berlin.
160 pages. Hard cover. 245 mm x 325 mm
Published April 2018 by Urban Spree/ Gingko Press