Papel 70, 2023

Tavar Zawacki  

Tavar Zawacki (born 1981) is an American abstract artist based in Berlin, Germany. For twenty years (1996–2016) Tavar Zawacki created and signed all of his artworks with his street artist pseudonym, 'ABOVE'. At the age of 19, Tavar bought a one-way flight from California to Paris, France, bringing with him a backpack full of art supplies, all the money in his bank account ($1,500 USD), and a 'rise above your fears' approach to starting his art career. Starting in Paris in 2000, Tavar transitioned from painting traditional letter style graffiti of A-B-O-V-E, to his 'Above arrow' icon that represented his optimistic mentality to 'rise above fears, challenges, and anything holding you back from your goals.' During a 20-year period, the artworks of ABOVE could be seen in over 100 cities spanning 50 countries around the world.

In January 2017, Tavar Zawacki decided to step out of his self-imposed shadow of anonymity, and start creating, and signing artworks with his real birth name – allowing more freedom of creative exploration, as well as liberation from the arrow icon he has associated himself with. Tavar Zawacki's painting styles with his large scale mural works, as well as his indoor fine art are characterized by the use of hard-edge painting, color field, geometric abstraction, Op art, and Trompe-l'oeil painting styles. Tavar Zawacki has been showcasing his work in galleries and creative institutions around the world since 2005.