Berlin-based artist Vermibus uses fashion advertisements as his canvas, transforming misinterpreted glamour and beauty into deformed, ghoulish entities. You may have already noticed his works in the streets and subway stations of Berlin – his intriguing advertisements are hard to miss. Not only that, these so-called “ads” are not what they seem. Using collected advertising posters from the streets as his base; Vermibus opposes the act of painting by erasing the images with solvent; a similar process that creates pieces by removing parts of the image to reveal a new character. In doing so, Vermibus initiates discourse on contemporary ads, criticizing the representation of humans through the media’s lens. The streets of Berlin play an essential role, as people stop and stare at his dehumanized figures that were already depersonalized, no longer seen as trivial photographs, which stripped the models of their identities, replacing them with the identities of the brands. Catch a glimpse of some of his works, and find out about his upcoming exhibition in Berlin after the jump.
In celebration of their recent relocation from Stattbad Wedding to Schröderstraße Mitte, Open Walls Gallery have invited New York based Public Art pioneer Jordan Seiler along with Berlin’s art activist Vermibus to the launch of their new venue. Seiler works under the name PublicAdCampaign as an artist and activist who contemporary public space issues surrounding advertising and art, advocating for a more democratic use of our shared spaces. At the vernissage and opening ceremony, Seiler will be giving an introduction speech in regards to Ad-Busting and Public Art.
At the grand opening on July 3rd, 2015, the artists will present a special show, consciously setting a statement against the superficial surface of today’s commercialized cityscapes and the visual pollution of outdoor advertising. Open Walls Gallery curates exhibitions with a focus on urban fine art. For this event, they’ll be displaying a collection of recent works from both artists, including a multimedia segment by Seiler, as well as a photo series taken from “Dissolving Europe” by Thomas von Wittich, which documents Vermibus and his work around the continent.
