THU 24/09/2015

In the case of street art, the eye of the beholder not only dictates the beauty of a piece, but also its legality. As such, the work of Berlin-based trio Bosso Fataka—like most street art—is ephemeral in nature.

Maybe even more so for the genre, due to its three- dimensionality: urban wrappings using an excess of cling film to form playful creations from objects—either found or already there as municipal infrastructure. Goofy animals made from waste cardboard, anthropomorphized rubbish bins, a tank made from a dumpster, public seating in odd arrangements, objects suspended between two poles—a healthy imagination makes new forms using plastic wrap for structural integrity, even if they don’t last long before they’re taken apart.
Bosso Fataka make urban art with a sense of humor. Shaking Hands on a Berlin street. hoto: Courtesy of the artists

Bosso Fataka make urban art with a sense of humor. Shaking Hands on a Berlin street. hoto: Courtesy of the artists

Hoping for Revolution in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz. Photo: Courtesy of the artists
Outside of PLATOON KUNSTHALLE Berlin with a Shopping Queen in 2013. Photo: Mica Potocnik
Outside of PLATOON KUNSTHALLE Berlin with a Shopping Queen in 2013. Photo: Mica Potocnik
Photo: Courtesy of the artists
Make Love Not War uses a dumpster as its tank’s chassis. Photo: Courtesy of the artists
Fury in Berlin. Photo: Courtesy of the artists
While commentary on refuse, recycling, upcycling, and yet more waste springs to mind with no clear political slant, you’d have to possess a heart of stone not to appreciate any of the whimsical, comical or even mischievous qualities of Bosso Fataka’s work. Street art can be controversial depending on who you’re talking to, but especially in the age of austerity, lively, homemade public art is an indication of thriving culture.

A movie about a Streetart Gang in Berlin City.