Stick Together 2019 catalog  preview | Max Zorn

A SOLD OUT Art Basel Miami a year ago led tape artist Max Zorn into 2018 growing in size and detail. Large commissions expanded into diptychs, triptychs, and multi-paneled pieces that demanded relentless studio work as concepts of new artwork simmered in thoughts and dreams.

Max Zorn is an artist who uses ordinary brown packing tape as his medium and a scalpel as a brush. Based in Amsterdam, Max Zorn shapes layers upon layers of tape on acrylic glass that, when illuminated from behind, reveal contrasts and warmth that has stunned the art world. The freehand craftwork and vividness of his sepia toned creations, straight lines and sharp subjects give Max Zorn’s settings a pure and believable depth. Max Zorn’s iconic style ranges from his shimmering skyscrapers and Americana to grandiose European charm set between lines of decadence and disillusion. His characters are depicted like a James Ellroy novel, revealing the menace in the shadow and an indefinite fragility behind the nostalgic glamor days. With his unmistakable way to compose cinematic settings, Max Zorn pulls you into his motifs and encourages his audience to continue his story. See below for F.A.Qs

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a “series”?
In some cases Max Zorn creates more than one version of a composition. Each artwork is always handmade, unique, signed, dated, numbered, and has its own personality and structure. Repeating a theme allows the artist to work faster, and also offer original artworks more affordably compared to a one-time-only motif.

Each single artwork is of course an original made from scratch, unique and signed. Although the artworks look alike, each one has its own life and differs slightly from the others.

How long does tape art last?
Compared to most other artworks, tape art is very resistant. Max Zorn makes sure to use only high quality materials. After an artwork is finished it is sealed airtight in order to prevent long term damages from CO2 and humidity. In addition the work is framed with UV-resistant acrylic glass and encases the layers of tape between the two pieces of acrylic glass. LED lighting is a low-voltage system that does not overheat and guarantees a long life expectancy of 50.000 hours. In case they fail contact us at and we’ll provide you with all instructions to replace the LED-strip. It’s a module system that allows exchanging parts relatively easily.

How important is light for Max Zorn tape art?
Light is what brings Max Zorn’s art to life. Like the effect of stained glass windows, light filters through the many layers of tape, creating a visual image image. Any kind of lighting can work: sunlight, candles, light bulbs, LED lighting and light boxes. In order to display the artworks best indoor, customized LED light frames are included with each purchases to support the motifs with warm, low temperature light, individually adjusted to the specific artwork. The long lifetime and low temperature of LED light lets collectors keep the light on permanently. Dimmer remotes for these LED systems are included in large artworks.

Why is there a wait list?
When an artwork comes in a series the artist creates work by work on demand. With popular editions it takes some time to follow up on the demand.