Interview
Sam Orr
Born and raised in Atlanta, Sam Orr is a professional tape artist currently based in Austin, TX - In other words, Sam creates murals, portraits, and installations using washi tape and an X-Acto knife. Sam has been pursuing tape as his medium for the past 7 years.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I started doing tape art in college - I was a senior studying economics at The University of Georgia. My roommate at the time had big dreams of becoming a dentist, and he introduced me to this art form as a way for him to practice his “manual dexterity” (aka light cuts with a scalpel so as to not destroy your mouth). We took over his bedroom walls with over 50 rolls of tape. Fast forward 7 years, I’m very proud to announce that he is, in fact, a dentist!”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“I think the real message behind my work actually comes from the medium. Tape art, at its core, is ephemeral. Yes, I can preserve my work if I want, but without taking extra measures it’s not meant to last. Whether it’s done on a street corner or a canvas, tape frays, it loses its adhesive, and the colors fade. The beauty of each work is ultimately temporary. Because of the ephemeral nature of my work, I pick subject matter and colors that make me happy. It really doesn’t go much beyond that. I choose to live my life by that same rule. If neither I nor my art is here to stay, then I’m going to try to find as much joy for myself as I can, and inspire joy for others. I don’t pursue tape art because I feel I have something more profound to say - I pursue it because it’s fun. And if it wasn’t fun, I’d do something else.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“It’s a little of both. I usually find myself getting really excited about one aspect of the piece, I’ll give some minimal thought around how I’m going to accomplish it, and I get going. A really encouraging component of tape art is that it’s low stakes - if you don’t like it, you pull it off and do it again. This prompts action over careful planning. Bit by bit the piece starts to take shape with tons of pivots along the way. I’ve never finished a piece that has looked the way I first pictured it in my mind.”
Are there any art world trends you are following?
“I don’t know if you’d call this a formal ‘trend’ - but street artists are being taken more and more seriously and I’m all about it. Whether it’s because of social media presence or increased appetite for urban art from businesses and local governments, street art has shifted from a historically rebellious act to a legit career path. You can land some massive contracts out there.”
“I think the real message behind my work actually comes from the medium. Tape art, at its core, is ephemeral.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“For the most part, all I really need is a few rolls of washi tape and my X-Acto knife. I either work on plywood boards or directly on indoor and outdoor surfaces, of which there is definitely an abundance. In terms of my process, I often start with some combination of my sketchbook, Photoshop and I guess what can only be described as a ‘mood board’. Once I’ve got a general mapping in my head, I do try to spend time selecting the right color scheme from my tape stash. I currently have about 150 rolls. Sometimes, I’ll create a temporary grid system with painters tape to get my dimensions right, but for the most part I just start laying down tape and waiting to see what happens. Music is a huge part of the creative process for me, I’ll work in my garage and blast anything from Digable Planets to Miles Davis. A cocktail doesn’t hurt the creative process either. Like I said, I’m trying to have fun out here.”
What does your art mean to you?
“Therapy. Outside of my taping I’ve worked a lot with software engineers, most of whom like to talk about the idea of “flow state,” i.e. the state of getting into such a strong rhythm or focus that you completely lose track of time. Flow state is usually triggered when balancing challenge and skill and you have a clearly defined goal. Besides maybe Legos when I was 10, tape art is the only activity that has ever triggered flow state for me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started jamming on a piece after dinner, blinked, and it’s 3 in the morning. I can put my head down, block out all distractions, pick my head back up and on the other side have something I’m truly proud of to show for it. There are very few things that give me that kind of energy.”
What’s your favourite artwork and why?
“‘Starry Night,’ easily. I have it tattooed on my arm.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I recently had a solo pop-up exhibit at RichesArt Gallery in East Austin. I showcased a series titled ‘Southern Synesthesia’ - a group of works on 8ft x 4ft plywood showcasing 6 celebrated musicians who have helped define southern culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. Each work’s color palette attempts to capture the distinct sound of the artist, as I hear them. I partnered with two local artists for the event, a shoe designer who showed off his Nike kicks and a house DJ.”
Website: www.sam-orr-tape-art.com
Instagram: @samuel_orreo
