ROA is back in Belgium, his homeland, with a show. “Stop Over” at Boson-Emelinchs will make you want to stop and take a look.
Street artists usually have a skill for bringing life to the walls. The element of surprise creates a dialogue between the viewer and the artist. When DAL East or Vinz exposed their works at the Jonathan Levine Gallery, (covered) they often transcribed their signature textures from the walls to the canvas. It was proper, it was commercial, it was aesthetically pleasing, but it lost the essence they had in the streets. Here, ROA does not care much whether his work can be exposed in living rooms or not. He transformed wooden platforms (that resemble bookshelves) into art. Instead of using a blank canvas and covering it to make it his own, ROA shapes the objects to create a harmonious whole. He works with his material, not on his material.
Pictures by Henrik Haven
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