Artist Max Zorn creates street art consisting mainly of portraits. His only tools are rolls of packing tape and a scalpel, but the results are astounding. The translucent portraits are hung over street lamps for the final effect, with multiple shades created through layers of tape strips. What is really impressive is that Zorn essentially works with just a single colored tape, creating several shades as he goes along. The sepia-toned art pieces have an incredible detailing, and are a delight to look at.Another striking aspect of Zorn’s work is how he manages to get the expressions right. With only the use of his scalpel, he’s literally carved out that smile and frown, depicting the delicate features of his subjects down to the tee. Some portraits have a unique effect of sunrays created through overlapping layers. Zorn practices his street art in Amsterdam, and has been doing so since May last year. Be sure to watch the video that shows him creating the portrait of a handsome young man. It is truly fascinating. (from http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/amazing-packaging-tape-portraits-by-max-zorn.html)
« The idea to work with tape instead of paint was inspired by a friend who worked as a car designer at that time. These guys often use slim tapes to outline their ideas on large boards. I was surprised to see, how fast they could create stunning sketches with it. During the last years that kind of tape-art also conquered the streets as a new form of urban art. However, it is widely practised by using colored tape on walls or streets.
The idea to use light as a medium was born during a nightly run through Amterdam. The nice old street lamps with their golden light seemed perfect to be used as an open gallery for the first test of my modified tape-art.
The installation was very simple by just clamping the taped glass onto street lamps and once the light illuminates the many layers of tape, it creates a very graphic picture that seems to be self-glowing.
All that is needed are flexible Plexi-glass, some brown translucent tape and a cutter. The rest is taping, cutting, taping, cutting… » – Max Zorn.
