Ministry -Emess – Chavs

Emess – Chavs

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 the burning problems. Topics that we 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. In this way, attention can be drawn to the subject. Emess – Chavs

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 palette reaches from sculpture objects or large-format wall paintings to woodcuts and prints.

As part of his latest print series, Emess uses portraits of known figures from conventional banknotes and through a very upbeat overlay of screen printing and stencil, places them in a new context to each other as well as to himself. Che Guevara and John F. Kennedy are thereby juxtaposed, as are Nelson Mandela and Muhammar Gaddhafi.

It becomes apparent how easily the line between rebel and dictator, between statesman and terrorist, can be shifted, and above all, how much this perception depends on one’ s cultural standpoint and the prevailing political situation. In this silkscreen series, which comprises a total of 14 portraits and 108 unique pieces, the inscription “German Workers!” refers to the inhuman propaganda of the Nazi dictatorship. This is done in reference to the political posters of Klaus Staek and thematises the change of national identity through an increasingly globalised labour market.