Rone - Street Art and Beyond
Thames & Hudson
The unofficial and independent nature of what is labelled as “street art” is both its appeal as well as something that can be questioned as it is at times perceived to be a mere free-for-all and oftentimes hardly more than vandalism.
On the other end of the spectrum are artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairy who not only take art to the next level by bringing across underlying messages, but are masters in incorporating the natural surroundings into their art, not merely as a background but as means to amplify and enhance their creations.
Rone is an Australian artist who has honed his craft over the last two decades, evolving from local screen printing and stencilling to what has become his trademark large-scale murals that now adorn buildings all around the world.
What makes Rone’s art idiosyncratic is the perfectly orchestrated play with the often deteriorated state of the buildings that become his canvas for his graceful paintings, which often juxtapose bloom and atrophy. Given that his art is immersed in derelict spaces the fact that it is only temporary and soon to be destroyed is inherent, which adds yet another dimension to his approach and more than justifies the purchase of this tome.
Rone: Street Art and Beyond chronicles and provides a comprehensive overview of Rone’s oeuvre and is possibly the only way to get a hold of his often short-lived art.
I specifically like that not only his street art is shed light on, but it is also elaborated on how he channels his alchemy in his studio, which again gives an idea of the painstakingly planning and attention to detail that goes into his endeavours before he brings them to life in the wild.
Essays and anecdotes accompany the depictions of his boundary pushing immersive art installations and make this coffee table book a mandatory study for anyone remotely interested in what street art can be.
