Berlin-based Collective “Tape Over” Draws Murals with Masking Tape

For many artists, painter’s tape is a handy tool used to draw perfect shapes and outlines that are revealed when the tape is removed- but for Berlin based artist collective known as “Tape Over”, the tape sticks. Using tape as their preferred drawing material, founding artists Lamia Michna and Robert Konig began first experimenting with tape art in 2011 at Berlin’s electro night club scene, eventually moving their work onto large-scale installations all over the world. Though much of their work is focused on indoor and outdoor murals, they prefer to be called tape muralists over street artists. “Our tape art style includes elements of street art as well as urban art, and is characterized by its versatility and fine detail. In addition, our art reflects what inspires us most – organic forms, abstract shapes, plain design, as well as visual statements,” says the duo in their artist statement. Experimentation is at the heart of every drawing. Inside an environment like a night club, reflections of light seem to bounce off the tape, adding a certain vibrancy to their designs made up of cubic landscapes or surprisingly accurate portraits of icons like Jean‑Michel Basquiat or President JFK. A portion of Tape Over’s work is also interactive, a combination of tape art and projection mapping onto people’s skin or clothing that they call “Tape Mapping”. “Fundamentally, we love to experiment. A new creation is based on passion & creativity – this is our understanding of art.”