To call Tarek's illustrated books 'comic books' is like calling 'Maus' a comic book. They are that, but so much more. I see Tarek as a sort of Renaissance street artist.
"Graduate of the Sorbonne (University Paris I) in medieval history and art history, Tarek released Paris Tonkar in 1991 at the age of 19 years: the first art book published in Europe dedicated to Spraycan art in Paris.
Many thanks to: http://destructivetesting.wordpress.com for discovering this artist. Vincent Pompetti aka Tarek, fits so well into my 'The 100' series as # 34.
Destructive Testing taps into a dimension of my soul that I was not aware of before. I don’t know why I like it – I just do. I’ve recently been aware of my appreciation for high quality mural and graffitti art. I feel torn between my appreciation of graffistas and their anarchic attitude toward convention in general and toward the property of others in particular. Perhaps it is taggers that I despise – those juvenile paint-can gangsters who seem to defecate on people’s private property. I’ll have to think this through more clearly. I’m still in process.
I think we have discussed this issue before – D. Testing, of course, presents many approaches to art – I chose to re-blog this one because it fits into my Text in Art bias. I admire your open mind in revisiting your preferences – this way we grow in understanding of every aspect of the world of art – beyond likes and dislikes…