TOAST INSTALLATION “HYPE-BALLOON” / PVC black / inflatable / 1.6 x 1.6 x 6.5m / 2010 ©

The inflated sculpture spelling the word HYPE reflects on the phenomenon of literally filling a pretty, thin outer shell with nothing but hot air making it very superfluous and shallow in meaning yet bold and impressive in appearance.

Andy Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame have gained more weight in our times thru the entertainment-industry’s hunger for new acts, shows, music, etc… HYPES.

HYPES are created and fueled by emotions and desires, mostly the “objet-de-desir” is far from being a necessity that is a piece of art which lifts a HYPE to even higher levels making it less understandable or affordable for common people.

Honest observation of the current state of our planet and our humanity reveals a crucial and abominable reality.

This HYPE creates awareness, this HYPE touches.

TOAST INSTALLATION “MLS LETTERS” / STEEL / 2008 ©

MLS LETTERS // SCULPTURES
These standing letters reflect the metalboards series by using the same materials. The letters are projected into
space, following both architectural and typographical principles. As in architecture, light is the crucial element in their
construction. The more the letters can be observed from different angles, the more they build a fully fledged sculpture
and hence create more tension. Simplicity and functionality were key guidelines for building this sculpture.

TOAST “SHENZHEN” / WALL ON DAFEN ART MUSEUM CHINA / ACRYLIC / 2010 ©

TYPOGRAPHY IS THE ESSENCE OF GRAFFITIWRITING
The goal of this piece is to showcase the synergy and connections between typography,graffiti and architecture – the third dimension.
In order to emphasize the pure straight and angular core message, organic forms were avoided on purpose. All other popular decorations like outlines, effects etc fell victim to reduction and purification which raises the challenge to create an esthetic union.
The essential elements are being repeated over and over, from the smallest unit, the angle, to the letter and to the resulting word, the “style”.  This repetitive way of working can also be found in the rhythm of architecture, but it is especially important in graffitiwriting where each writer constantly repeats his name.
The scheme of the elementary colors red blue and white is used to separate the singular elements from another and push the legibility. Luck and wealth, symbolized by the color red, as well as the direct opposite, grief and death, in this case white, are being carried into immortality into the blue sky by heart-shaped balloons.

BIOGRAPHIE // ATA BOZACI “TOASTONE” / 03.03.1974

A skilled illustrator and draftsman, Ata Bozaci is a prominent graffiti artist who widely influenced the international graffiti writing-scene with his unique style. Originally having studied new media and graphic design, Bozaci’s career began as a sprayer in the early 1990’s. Currently living and working in Zurich, the Swiss artist is an interesting and to-be-watched talent of the urban, contemporary art scene. His works have been exhibited in galleries, museums and public spaces from the US to China, with his works already part of notable collections such as that of Gunter Sachs. After numerous publications in design books
and magazines, Ata Bozaci grants insight into the creative process with his book «Black Ink».

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ESSENTIAL WORKS

2010
- Mural, Dafen Art Museum (Shenzhen, CN)

2008
- Interiordesign, Maendler (Munich, D)

2007
- Interiordesign, Kamper (Graz, A)
- Interiordesign, Gunter Sachs,castle at Lake Wörth (Velden, A)

2005
- Mural, BUGA Bundesgartenshow (Munich, D)

2000
- Kerquelen Shoe Store (New York, US)
- The new hamburg and it‘s sister cities,Blohm&Voss (Hamburg, D)

1997
- Multimediawall, Sprinkenhof AG (Hamburg, D)

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EXHIBITIONS

2011
- The aerosol experience, Galerie ziegler (Zurich, CH)
- Vernissage, sans dessü dessous (Biel, CH)
- Top Marques Macau (Macau, CN)
- Urban / street art, OZM Gallery (Hamburg, D)
- 1st Beijing International Design Triennial (Beijing, CN)
- Urban Art International, Galerie Novotny (Lörrach, D)
- Urban Art Graffiti 21, Voelklinger-Hütte (Voelklingen, D)
- Vernissage, Hotel Linde (Maria Wörth, A)
- Unexpected Playground, Retrospective, TEC (Zurich, CH)
- Urban Art Studio (Zurich, CH)

2010
- Rotkäppchen lackiert den Wolf, Haus der Kunst (Munich, D)
- Public provocations 2, Carhartt Gallery (Weil am Rhein, D)

2009
- Kunstverein Offenburg (Offenburg, D)*
- Public provocations, Carhartt Gallery (Weil am Rhein, D)*
- ManGallery (Lindau, D)*
- Art Karlsruhe (Karlsruhe, D)*

2008
- Carhartt Gallery (Weil am Rhein, D)
- Berliner Liste, Galerie Springmann (Berlin, D)*
- Urban Art, Springmann & Burda Media (Munich, Berlin, D)*
- Point of View, Galerie Springmann (Freiburg, D)*
- Indelible, Subtext Gallery (San Diego, US)
- Creative Generation, Galerie K31 & Burda Media (Lahr, D)*
- Totale Weiblichkeit, Galerie Springmann (Freiburg, D)*
- Die Kunst ist weiblich, Retrospektive Gunter Sachs,Museum der bildenden Künste (Leipzig, D)

2006
- Graphic-art-gallery (Basel, CH)
- Carhartt Gallery (Weil am Rhein, D)
- ArtCorner28 (Biel, CH)

2005
- Graffiti war gestern, Xhoch4 (Ingolstadt, D)
- Further playgrounds, Galerie K13 (Lahr, D)

2004
- Galerie K13 (Lahr, D)
- Wordless, Dachkantine (Zurich, CH)
- Büro Discount (Zurich, CH)

2003
- Hotel Berchtold (Burgdorf, CH)

2002
- Urban Discipline (Hamburg, D)
- Galerie im Park (Burgdorf, CH)

2001
- Urban Discipline (Hamburg, D)
- Aspects of graffiti 2001 (Zurich, CH)

2000
- Graffiti art Berlin (Berlin, D)
- Graffiti 2000 (Zurich, CH)
- Graffiti art 2000 (Hamburg, D)
- Urban Discipline (Hamburg, D)

1999
- Alpina (Burgdorf, CH)
- Graffiti 2000 (Zurich, CH)

1998
- Ernst & Young (Bern, CH)
- Les amis (Bern, CH)

1996
- Tonis the club (Bern, CH)
- Art Frankfurt (Frankfurt, D)

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PUBLISHED WORKS

- Graffiti Art / Süddeutschland und Schweiz ISBN 3-89602-036-6 Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf
- Grafftit Art / Deutschland ISBN 3-89602-144-3 Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf
- Urban Discipline 2002 Graffiti-Art ISBN 3-00-009421-0 getting-up
- Style Magazin 2001 ISSUE N°034 style&thefamilytunes
- Büro Destruct ISBN 3-931126-24-2 Die Gestalten Verlag
- Swiss Grafik Design ISBN 3-931126-36-6 Die Gestalten Verlag
- Idea 285 ISSN 0019-1299 nippan ips co., ltd
- Pictoplasma ISBN 3-931126-58-7 Die Gestalten Verlag
- ADC Jahrbuch 2004 ISBN 3-85932-464-0 Werd Verlag
- Fadings ISBN 978-3-9809909-0-5 Publikat Verlag
- Black Ink / Illustrations by Ata „Toast“ Bozaci ISBN 978-3-939566-06-9 Publikat Verlag

BLACK INK BOOK

BLACK INK ILLUSTRATIONS BY ATA “TOAST” BOZACI

ORDER BLACK INK BOOK

TOAST METALBOARDS / STEEL GLASBLASTED / 100 x 100 x 5 cm / 2007 ©

METALBOARDS
The metalboards series wants to create a connection to graffiti culture by emphasizing the observer‘s point of view, which also plays a crucial role in the act of graffiti writing. The images vary in intensity and become alive once the observer starts to move. The arrangement wants to reflect the atmosphere of painting graffiti on trains at night. Everything is peaceful and quiet. The scene lies in the dark, only the occasional lamp post is somehow reflected in the steel panels of the train. The graffiti writer has to refrain from using any artificial sources of light to operate in the dark without getting noticed. As the painting in progress can hardly be seen, the act of painting becomes intuitive.
The only clues are provided by glossy patches of wet paint against matt, dry areas. Only by stepping a few steps back, the graffiti writer has the necessary distance to see the result of his creative act. That is also how the metalboards series works.