Israeli street artist Know Hope paints identical, anonymous homunculi dealing with various struggles, leaving out enough detail for the viewers to imagine these characters’ heartbreaks and troubles as our own. But before plunging us into melancholy, Know Hope offers glimmers of optimism — even his name is a homonym with opposite meanings. No hope becomes Know Hope, and a way out of the tragedy is suddenly visible. Know Hope has a solo show at Lazarides Gallery in London coming up on August 2 titled “The Abstract and the Very Real.” For this exhibition, the artist will create a site-specific installation and present a series of paintings on found objects. The title of the show alludes to the artist’s exploration of boundaries — from international borders to guarded emotions — that keep people apart. Take a look at a preview of Know Hope’s new work below as well as some examples of his street art.
