Colin - Major Final Project (Art Foundation)

| ARTIST HIGHLIGHT: Evol
Website http://www.evoltaste.com/

Really do enjoy Evol's work, I first encountered it on http://beautifuldecay.com/ but actually seeing his website, I can see the other ways in which he works. The work which I've mainly been attracted to is the work which employs sources from urban environments. Within his Illustration work in //apr05 Sketchbook project contains some enjoyable black and white mixed media pieces which contains a bunch of fun lil doodles, use of different shapes in the background and cutout/digitally added photography. I admire the creation of surfaces and the mark making where Evol has created these simple abstract backgrounds But this isn't what originally caught my eye.

EVOL, "KREUZBERG BACKYARD", 2010            EVOL, "DRESDEN 09", 2010        
Spray paint on cardboard, 79 x 108 cm     Spray paint on cardboard, 61 x 76 cm

Firstly, the most striking thing about these images is the fact how realistic they appear, almost like actual photography but these images are reproduced on cardboard which also provides additional support in what makes these images quite realistic. The cardboard provides this surface like what you'd find from ruined or old buildings and its this use of material which stood out for me along with accurately creating shadows and environments. But this goes even further than just Cardboard.

EVOL, "PLATTENBAUTEN"
spraypaint on electrical cabinet, 96 x 78 x 32 cm

By using real objects like this electrical cabinet you'd commonly find outside attached to buildings, adds further realism through the object having natural decay occuring on the surface with the 3D qualities and the colour which its commonly painted which makes this cabinet so believable as a representation of an actual apartment block. Theres almost a dream like quality which can be gathered and thats another element which I also quite admire. But again, this goes even even further than just a still object.

http://vimeo.com/24820840

EVOL, "CASPAR-DAVID-FRIEDRICH-STADT", 2009
video of the site-specific installation in Dresden Slaughterhouse
(camera/editing by Bianca Schemel)

Within this link shows an installation of a series of recreations of these buildings on found surfaces like doors and road blockades and they create this actual mini worlds of abandoned ruins of buildings and EVOL virtually uses any and all surfaces and they're all completely detailed and believable pieces of kit. You could literally walk through these environments as a giant amongst the world around you.