Tape Art in Amsterdam – Max Zorn and Jane Pauley talk street art, tape art and the inspiration Amsterdam provided for Zorn’s unusual artworks
CBS Sunday Morning, originally broadcasted May 17th, 2017
Dutch artist Max Zorn has become a star in the art world with his moody, elaborate portraits and cityscapes made with nothing but packing tape and a scalpel. Jane Pauley reports on Zorn’s evocative works, which he hangs on the lamp posts of Amsterdam, each one sure to send the street art scene into a frenzy. Originally broadcast on May 21, 2017.
Jane Pauley:
It’s the pride of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum—the Night Watch by the great 17th-century Dutch artist Rembrandt. In our own time, art takes many forms, and it’s not all found in museums.
As dusk falls on the city and the streetlights start to glow, Max Zorn makes his move. Armed with a razor blade and a roll of tape, he scales a lamppost to unveil his latest work—a work that, like his others, is sure to send the street-art scene into a frenzy.
Max Zorn:
“By walking around in Amsterdam, I saw all these beautiful city lights. They define Amsterdam in such a charming way. I thought, ‘That’s a completely underexplored canvas that cities have to offer.’ So I started experimenting with different materials and hung them up on streetlamps.”
Jane Pauley:
Zorn created the piece just hours earlier, in a gallery nestled along a medieval canal. He’s become a star in the art world with his moody, elaborate portraits and cityscapes—all made with nothing but packing tape and a scalpel.
Max Zorn:
“I like the brown packing tape because it gives that sepia tone that we know from old photographs, old posters, or old photo albums. I feel it brings this weird, nostalgic mood that supports certain artworks in a great way.”
Jane Pauley:
With the skill of a surgeon, Zorn layers the tape to fashion the dark sections.
Max Zorn:
“When it gets really dark, it’s about 15 to 17 layers.”
Jane Pauley:
Always careful not to cut too deep.
Max Zorn:
“The tricky part is when I cut on top of another layer—I have to cut carefully enough not to hurt the layer underneath when I peel it off. Otherwise, it would peel off the entire artwork.”
Jane Pauley:
The 32-year-old Dutch artist first gained attention when videos of his lamppost art went viral. Soon, his works were being stolen as soon as they went up.
Max Zorn:
“This is a little homage to Muhammad Ali, the famous boxer.”
Jane Pauley:
This piece, put up in 2016, is one of the few that has survived. But many of his other pieces can be seen over bars, hanging in homes, and displayed in galleries around the world—some selling for as much as $220,000.
Max Zorn:
“That’s a cool moment when I meet collectors, and they see the texture of the tape and how it really looks in reality. That’s usually when I connect very much with them, because I still feel excitement about the medium. It’s great to see the same sort of awe in their eyes that I still feel myself.”
Jane Pauley:
In the city of Rembrandt and Van Gogh, Max Zorn is leaving his mark—one lamp at a time.
Source: CBS Sunday Morning, originally broadcasted May 17th, 2017: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/creating-art-with-tape-and-scalpel
“CBS Sunday Morning” features stories on the arts, music, nature, entertainment, sports, history, science, Americana and highlights unique human accomplishments and achievements. Check local listings for CBS Sunday Morning broadcast times.
News Anchor Jane Pauley is a multiple Emmy Award-winning journalist and recipient of the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. She co-hosted NBC’s Today show (1976–1989), anchored Dateline NBC (1992–2003), and has hosted CBS Sunday Morning since 2016. Pauley also authored two bestselling memoirs, notably raising public awareness on mental health issues.