ARTIST MAX ZORN STICKS IT TO THE ART WORLD.

At Max Zorn’s gallery space at the Aqua Art Show during Art Basel 2017, there were red dots all around the room, visible under almost every art piece hanging on the walls. Red dots, indicating there’s been a sale, have become a common sight for this young artist who has blown up in a big way over the past five years.

Residing in Miami and Amsterdam, Max Zorn has become an international media darling. The rising artist has been featured on CNN, CBS, The Huffington Post, Daily Mail, among many other press outlets globally.

And to think it all started with Zorn’s idea to expand the idea of street art. He says, “I’ve always been a big fan of using the context of a city as the backdrop for art. But I felt that one aspect [that] was underrepresented was street art that appears at night when a city changes its face.” He soon began to use the city street lights and lamps in his native Amsterdam as the backdrop for his unique tape works, using ordinary packing tape and creating an untamed urban gallery for his pieces. The public and media’s fascination with him began after he posted a video of himself creating art pieces on YouTube in 2011. Since then he’s been taking great strides in the art world.

We met up with Max Zorn to find out how he’s dealing with all his newfound success and why he loves creating this unique type of art.

Destination Luxury: How has your life changed since you’ve found success in the art world?
Max Zorn: It’s the same, but busier. There’s been so much demand and that’s speeded up my pace of work but it’s also allowed me to work where I want. But I don’t feel a pressure to create.

DLX: Is this your first year exhibiting at Art Basel/Miami Art Week?
Zorn: No. It’s my 4th time. I’ve also had shows at Scope Art Show, and it’s my second year at the Aqua Art Show. Pieces sell pretty quickly probably because [this being Miami] the light is clear and that works especially well with the light boxes that accompany the pieces.

DLX: Has your work been exhibited in museums yet?
Zorn: I will work with museums but my work sells out so fast. Plus I may be a little too young for that.

DLX: How long does it take you to do an art piece?
Zorn: It takes me about two weeks to do a piece. One or two days faster with each similar one I do. I like to compare it to writing music. The biggest amount of time goes into composing a song, but sometimes you have to wait for the melody and then bring in the instruments.

DLX: What’s next for you?
Zorn: Well, I’ll be staying in Florida for a few months working on the back orders I have. I stay in Key West. I like the vibe there. I also like New Orleans.