Tape art


Tape art is a contemporary art practice in which pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is used as a primary medium to create two- and three-dimensional works on floors, walls, windows and other supports. Approaches range from site-specific floor installations in coloured vinyl to masking-tape murals and interventions in public space, translucent packing-tape portraiture mounted on light boxes, and clear-tape sculptural casting. As a distinct practice it has been traced to late-1980s collaborative projects by the Providence-based Tape Art crew and became visible in museum and gallery contexts in the late 1990s and 2000s.
Tape artists such as Max Zorn show their work at art fairs including Art Basel Miami.

Characteristics

Tape art can be installed quickly and almost silently, making it suitable for small or temporary urban art projects. No masking or covering is necessary. Tape is relatively easy to handle, and can be applied to various surfaces, such as stone, asphalt, wood, aluminum, sandwich panels or glass. Interior installations work just as well as exterior ones. Unlike spray paint art, tape art can be removed easily without leaving a permanent mark.
Materials for tape art vary depending on which tape is being used. Tape art can use duct tape, packing tape, masking tape or other products. Unlike traditional paintings and sculptures, tape art can be applied anywhere, including the doors, ceilings and floors of galleries. Duct tape can be used to construct three-dimensional sculptures.

Artists