Did you see that movie Words and Pictures? A bit sappy and chock-full of 1st world problems, but some good acting and an underlying premise that has been argued for centuries; The battle between the power of words and the power of visual art.
With the proverbial “a picture is worth a thousand words” sending writers into nose bleeds and apoplexy to the delight of painters who insist they illustrate a greater universe, we need to ask what happens when someone uses words to paint pictures? Street Artist Opiemme makes work that embodies the battle, celebrating both.
Opiemme with Kanaet on the right. (photo © Opiemme)
Here we have recent images of text and letters flying apart and magnetically clinking back together into shapes. These are lyrics, poems, prose. All are written across walls, like their cousin graffiti, but using the technique associated with Street Art – the stencil, sometimes the brush.
It is no surprise that Opiemme is poetic when describing these various new installations while travelling in Thailand. It’s all theoretical, theatrical, mythological, philosophical. He even quotes Italian biologist/geneticist Giuseppe Sermonti.
“We are discovering that we are made of stars,” Opiemme says, “stars born in nebula by materials from the Big Bang. Thanks to gravity, the elements are in a whirlwind-vortex.” As you look at the forms coming together and splitting apart with spiral movements in outer space, clearly the words and the paintings are both fundamental for Opiemme.
Opiemme with Kanaet on the right and Sanchai on the left. (photo © Opiemme)
Opiemme. Vortex. Detail. (photo © Opiemme)
Here is a tribute to Kurt Cobain in the 20th anniversary of his death, featuring a left handed Fender guitar comprised of lyrics from “Even in His Youth”, by Nirvana. Opiemme (photo © Opiemme)
Opiemme (photo © Opiemme)
Opiemme (photo © Opiemme)
Opiemme (photo © Opiemme)
Opiemme (photo © Opiemme)
Opiemme (photo © Opiemme)
Opiemme (photo © Opiemme)
<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks! <<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSAOther Articles You May Like from BSA:
Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities. Now screening : 1. (RE) Prisma by Narcelio Grud 2. Cranio in France 3. Wall Therapy 2015: Li-Hill BS...
April is Earth Month and the 22nd of April is the dedicated day of the year to focus on planet Earth. The beautifully hued blue planet. With that in mind, we wanted to show two photographs that s...
Niels Shoe Meulman on the cover of The Art Of Writing Your Name by Patrick Hartl & Christian Hundertmark. Publikat Verlags. Mainaschaff, Germany, 2017. “Writing”, as in the graffiti sense of th...
CALL FOR ACTION: PARTICIPATE IN A NEW VIDEO PROJECT Today we're lending a hand to Street Artist and fine artist AKUT, who is using his name and privilege to organize a new video project that he ho...
Our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Adri, Banksy, Dan Witz, Deform, Demon, Gaia, Jon Burgerman, Ludo, Nick Walker, Olek, Rambo, Slayers, and XAM with dispatches from Paris, Dub...