Layer Cake – The Versus Project

Together, but apart – such was the genesis of the works of art in the new exhibition in the project Space of the URBAN NATION Museum. The Munich artist duo Layer Cake – consisting of graffiti veterans Patrick Hartl and Christian Hundertmark – worked with 13 different to create the same number of works.

Across all the works, one of the most important rules of graffiti was turned on its head: Never paint over the pictures of other writers(“no crossing”/“not going over”). Hundertmark and Hartl began by working on canvases in their studio, which they then sent unfinished to the guest artists. They in turn engaged in the painting process with no consultation, adding their own style and stances.
The reacted, added, modified, erased, and sent the works back. Layer upon layer, a dynamic game developed between the participants until a common composition was found.

The Versus Project is an artistic experiment in communication, challenging dialogue, the struggle for a final form. It took as long as two years for some of the works to be created. How does this process affect personal artistic expectations and practices? And how far does the acceptance and mutual trust go that all the participants must show each other within this conceptual framework?

Layer Cake describes the work process as follows:
“After six years of working together as Layer Cake, we really didn’t realise how much you can lure artists out of their own comfort zone with such uncompromising teamwork. or us, this kind of collaborative effort feels normal now, but for some of the guest artists it was almost a challenging experience of their own limitations.”

Although all the artists adopted their own approach – abstract, figurative or formal – the final exhibition displays common gestures and interests, thus conveying the mutual connections. The Versus Project is also an experiment in friendship and relationships within a personal network.

Interviews and materials
Patrick Hartl and Christian Hundertmark are available for interviews. Royalty-free images are available in advance on request. Please get in touch if interested via: pr@urban-nation.com or 030 4708-1536.

An exhibition catalogue can be purchased on site.

Layer Cake – The Versus Project
4 July to 31 January 2022
Curated by Patrick Hartl and Christian Hundertmark

Vernissage
3 July 2021, from 15.00
Project Space at the URBAN NATION Museum
Bülowstrasse 97, 10783 Berlin

Exhibition opening hours
Tues, Weds                10.00–18.00
Thurs–Sun                  12.00–20.00

Participating artists: Layer Cake (Patrick Hartl and Christian Hundertmark),
Chaz Bojorquez (Los Angeles/US), Mick La Rock/Aileen Middel (Amsterdam / NL), Sebastian Wandl (Munich/DE), Dave the Chimp (Berlin/DE), Bisco Smith (New York/US), Vincent Abadie Hafez (Zepha) (Toulouse/FR), Formula 76 (Hamburg / DE), Usugrow (Tokyo/JP), Bust (Basel/CH), Jake (Amsterdam/NL), Egs (Helsinki/FI), Imaone (Tokyo/JP) and Flavien (Apt/FR).

(Museums management: Jan Sauerwald)