Xoooox, (Hardcover)

The first monograph on Germany's most popular street artist. xoooox was the first German street artist to come to prominence on the international art market. His prints have been shown in numerous international exhibitions and sold at auction. This book is xoooox's first monograph. It focuses mainly on his portraits of female models that he prefers to stencil or wheat-paste onto surfaces of older buildings scarred by the passage of time. The contrast between the strikingly beautiful women and the crumbling walls is a fundamental aspect of his creative vision. Other work featured in xoooox is a clever critique of consumer culture. For example, the artist reinterprets logos of brands such as Hermés or Chanel to make people aware of how easily dazzled they can be by the superficial promise of luxury. Or he morphs an H&M logo into the letters HIV as a statement against the leveling effect of global clothing brands that are spreading around the world like a virus. The documentation of xoooox's work on the street is complemented by photographs of select exhibitions and of the artist at work. The book is edited by Benjamin Wolbergs, an author and photographer who specializes in subjects related to urban art.