Emess is a German artist who many call one of the superstars of urban art. His work is mainly defined by political questions. The artist tries to deal with burning problems, topics that we’d rather ignore. Topics that may not have clear and obvious solutions, but that need to be dealt with. In addition, the use of humor and his sense of beauty leave the viewer out of control for a moment. This way, attention can be drawn to the subject.
Emess was born in 1971 in West Germany and studied at the “University of the Arts” in Berlin. Moreover, he sees no difference between the street and the gallery space. His work focuses on getting to an audience and being able to turn attention to the situation. The artists media portfolio ranges from sculpture objects or large-format wall paintings to woodcuts and prints.
In his latest print series, Emess borrows portraits of well-known personalities of popular banknotes. In addition, Emess places them in a new context to each other. Che Guevara and JFK as well as Nelson Mandela and Muhammar Gaddafi are faced.
