“Natura Morta” by REKA in Bari, Italy
Australian artist James Reka aka “REKA” & “Reka One” has recently finished a mural entitled “Natura Morta” / Still Life in San Paolo quarter of Bari, Italy. ‘Natura Morta’ is an abstract representation of a bowl of sliced fruit and floral elements. The 5-storey mural was invited to take part part of a larger mural project – QM SanPaolo, an urban museoformation project curated by Stefano S. Antonelli and Gianluca Marziani.“This mural marks a new direction in style and content for me, steering away from the figurative to pure abstraction. Looking forward to what is in the near future, Reka stated”James Reka stands as one of Australia’s most respected contemporary artists, having earn’t his place in the National Gallery of Australia’s permanent collection. While currently based in Berlin, Germany. His origins lie in the alleyways and train lines of Melbourne’s inner-suburbs, where he spent over a decade refining his now-emblematic aesthetic and pioneering of a new style of street art in Australia as part of the Everfresh crew.Surrealist, abstracted characters emerge from the depths of Reka’s mind, communicating through strong lines, bold colours and post-cubist styling. Theses figures live in the homes and laneways of three continents, clambering up walls and enriching the urban environment with his iconic visual language.With influences in pop culture, cartooning and illustration, Reka’s studio style emerged from his early design practice, featuring striking lines and colour ways. Over time, the logos and symbols he created evolved into more structured, animated forms and evolved to new mediums: murals, photography, and most recently sculpture. More
