Evolving from Szabotage’s previous collection True Reflections, where the face mirrors and captures everyday elements in a graphic form, Spraycation is a break from reality. Just a spray [paint] away from the current crazy times we are all experiencing this year.
Szabotage depicts the development of layered stencils as a visual language, with iconic symbols of Hong Kong painted beneath the portraits of women. Each stencil is hand drawn and hand cut, and is positioned to create a collage of narratives.
The entire collection is synonymous with the artist’s love and passion for Hong Kong, and its iconic imagery. The use of local symbols continues the artist’s interest in how a feature can be simplified to its most minimal representation, yet can be viewed in a number of ways depending on who is viewing the art.
The individual graphic components layer up to comprise an overall image that breaks down a single scene into layers of references. Szabotage questions whether such motifs can still convey the associated cultural and contextual significance of the original object.
The artist’s practice explores pre-existing images and familiar languages of cultural symbols and icons, and hopes that with each piece, everyone’s personal experience of the artwork is different. That the icons and emblems are interpreted on a very individual level.
Size: 100 x 70
Gustav Szabo is a prolific, contemporary urban artist and designer known as Szabotage. He grew up in Hove, a town near Brighton in the UK, where he studied architecture before moving to London where he worked as an architect and designer. After moving to Hong Kong he quickly gained notoriety with sold-out exhibitions, solo shows, collaborative projects, private and commercial commissions with iconic brands such as Prada and Louis Vuitton.
Characterised by bright colours and popular cultural references, Szabotage’s visual language is high impact. His signature style uses layers of stencils to depict life and create personality in each unique piece.
Szabotage works with a variety of formats. His collections range from walls, canvases, prints, and cars to sculptures, stencils and NFTs. He constantly challenges limitations and enjoys creating his art and sculptures using deconstructed aerosol cans, metals and wood. In the digital space, NFTs allow him to add extra dimensions using animation and sound.