- Art & Design
"No photo, no train," the Belgian artist recently said in an interview. By this he means that it is important to photograph his work, because sometimes the work itself has already disappeared. That is the disadvantage of murals, but in this book they come back to life.
At the beginning of December, publisher Lannoo published the first overview book by the artist ROA under the name CODEX. This year it was ten years ago that the Ghent street artist made his first black and white animal painting on a very large scale. In a short time ROA conquered the world. From buildings in Ghent he went to the favelas in Rio de Janeiro and the Australian outback, but his work can also be found in Austria, Cambodia, New York, Los Angeles, Norway, Bangkok and Johannesburg. 
The animals that ROA paints are always local species. Subject, location, architecture and environment together form the strength and value of the creation. "Discovery of nature," says ROA, "more specifically of the animal world, can lead to more empathy. It teaches you something essential about how to live a good life." 
A dialogue between the environment, the architecture and the creativity of the artist.
This publication (of more than 350 pages) is geographically and not chronologically structured. The four chapters focus on all the places where ROA has influenced the cityscape: Eurasia, Africa, America and Oceania. You don't necessarily have to travel around the world, because from now on, you can simply take the work in house with this book. Although we have to admit that they are definitely worth admiring in real life. Their monumentality and the way in which the artist can depict the animals with so much precision (at the same time taking into account the architecture and the not-so-obvious background) ensure that the work is not easily forgotten. 
As convinced as we are that this book is an indispensable addition to your art book collection? Or are you still looking for a last-minute Christmas present? Buy it here!
© Images: Courtesy of the Artist