When lines and duct tape paint a picture

CHENNAI: Parallel, intersecting, angular or plain random -tape art translates deceptively simple straight lines into complex patterns and 3D designs. A relatively unexplored form, which originated as an alternative to spray can artwork in various cities across the world, made a splash in the city through an exhibition on Thursday at Spaces in Besant Nagar.
The exhibition, organised by Goethe Institut and Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany , was a culmination of a workshop by three artists from Germany at the Stella Maris College.“It was fun using an everyday object like duct tape on the canvas.We had never thought it could be used as art,“ said Akshaya K, a final year fine art student at Stella Maris, who made patterns of man dalas as part of the exhibition.
Artist Thomas Meissner, who is part of the Berlinbased six-member art collective called Tape That, stressed on the flexibility of the medium. “Usually to paint a straight line, spray can artists use tape and then use the colour on it, here the tape is used directly . The form keeps it simple. And if you don't like it just rip it off. It's an easy medium,“ he said.Formed in 2011, the Tape That collective has been working on large murals to give a life to abandoned buildings, street graphitti, and exhibitions for galleries. Their largest work is a 30mx25m wall at the main train station in Berlin. Adapting their creativity to the aesthetics of the country, their live demonstration of on Thursday evening was inspired by the lotus. “We chose to work with national flower of India as it has beautiful colours and we wanted the piece to be vibrant in keeping the spirit of the country,“ said Meissner.
The three artists were brought in by the German consulate because of the unique art form they practice. “Tape art is a relatively format especially in Chennai, so it was interesting to initiate a collaboration between the artists and students,“ said Geetha Vedaraman, programme coordinator at Goethe Institut.