Meeting of Minds and Methods for “The Versus Project 2” at Urban Nation, Berlin

“I didn’t know Christian and Patrick personally at the beginning of the project,” says graffiti writer/artist EGS, “but then we met and went spraying together.”

So many relationships on the street begin as easily, but this one is in service of a greater contemporary art effort – The Versus Project.

Mick La Rock vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Now unveiling Part 2 of their collaborative canvasses exhibition here at Urban Nation’s special project space, Munich’s Patrick Hartl and Christian Hundertmark (C100) have combined their more painterly efforts as Layer Cake since 2015.

Reaching out to long-term and newer associates from the graffiti scene, they have been trading canvasses and ideas, and techniques for the last few years to discover how to work with others in a unique collaboration quest.

EGS vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“The work on the canvases was very slow,” says EGS in the printed description of his participation in this second exhibition here. “One applied a layer of paint and then waited months again until it went on. But I wanted to take this time because the project was very close to my heart.”

Imaone vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“I’m super happy with the finished paintings and don’t even know who painted what in the end – that feels super. Working on the canvases together and sending them by mail seems extremely important to me in this age of digitalization, where everything is about speed It’s nice to send and receive art that’s measured by weight – not gigabytes.”

Here is a selection of the canvasses on display in the gallery now – each has its own fusion of minds and methods, an encoded presentation that contains the mark of two, presented as one. “In this way, an artistic dialogue is created,” say the project leads, “the canvases become the platform for a discussion on a painterly level – in this case by artists currently or formerly active in style writing from different generations, countries, and continents.”

Bust vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vincent A. Hafez (Zepha) vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Usugrow vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mina Mania vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jake vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Formula 76 vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Flavien (left) Chaz Bojorquez (right) vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dave The Chimp vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bisco Smith vs Layer Cake. The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
The Versus Project 2. Urban Nation Berlin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Versus Project 2 presented by Urban Nation and Layer Cake is currently open to the general public at Urban Nation Project Space in Berlin. Click HERE for additional information.

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