Pauser
Tomáš Junker
born 1983 Czech Republic
Artist / Grafitti Writer / Designer / Digital Creator
Pauser is a typical representative of Generation Y. He started off as a street graffiti writer while studying clothing design. Nowadays, these are the main cornerstones linked with the name Pauser. The earliest influences on his art such as the rise of the internet and computer games, as well as MTV, have been even more potentiated in recent years due to the spread of digital technologies, the introduction of crypto, and NFTs. His fascination with the virtual world is something that always reappears and shifts in his art. Despite this, his work has experienced significant development in the last few years.
Solo Exhibitions
2023
Call To Action/ Galerie Caesar, Olomouc, Czechia2022
Internet Renaissance/ Bookafe, Nový Jičín, Czechia
2022
Arcade / Galerie Ludvíka Kuby, Poděbrady, Czechia2021
Lisboa Muro LX - Street Art Festival / Lisboa, Portugal2021
Postgraffiti / ...And the story begins, MUO, Olomouc, Czechia2021
The Game / Gallery of Josef Liesler, Kadaň, Czechia2019
Spacejunk / Indiges Gallery Brno - Brno, Czechia2018
Street Art Festival / Long story short hotel - Olomouc, Czechia2016
Ms Stubnitz / Ms Stubnitz Boat, Hamburg - Hamburg, Germany2015
PopUp Gallery Prague / Prague - Prague, Czechia
Group Exhibitions
2023
Wallz Festival - Pilsen, Czechia
2022
Urban Influence Paris, France
2022
Tufest Sternberk, Czechia
2019
graff.io arts AR extera project / Leicester Galleries - Leicester, United Kingdom
2019
Artisa Aruba / Artisa - St.Nicolas Aruba - St. Nicolas, Aruba2019
YEEH - Urban Art / Museum of Contemporary Arts in Yerevan - Yerevan, Armenia2018
Roy's People Art Fair / OXO Bargehouse - London, United Kingdom2017
Phantom Gallery - Kobe Bryant Jersey Project / Phantom Gallery - Los Angeles, United States
Artwork
Pauser started out as a graffiti writer in the 1990s. At that time, it was mainly the influence of MTV and the advent of the internet that inspired him. In addition to murals, Pauser‘s work includes the classic format of painting on canvas as well as printmaking. In the same way that classical techniques are the cornerstone of the artist‘s work, the latest technologies have a large and unmistakable place in Pauser‘s oeuvre. Combined with the image format, Pauser works with augmented reality technology - charting the beginnings of how we will one day be able to perceive digital art in our everyday lives. The gradual anchoring of digital technologies in art is also related to the phenomenon of NFT - a format that creates another main approach of Pauser‘s work.
The Clash of Opposites
The symbolism plays a significant role in Pauser’s artistic work. What is typical to Pauser is combination of two symbols with an opposite meaning - or rather with opposite form of their own existence. Pauser usually uses established couples of opposites - such as good and evil, light and dark, or life and death and brings these notions into greater context. One of the most visible contrast in Pauser’s work is a contrast of time - we could say, in more specialized way, that the anachronism play significant role in his art. On one hand, Pauser uses visuality that closely approaches Roman and Greek Antiquity, on the other, his work is full of references to modern day technology. This duality would be perfect analogy to the way Pauser works.
The Technique
The form and content go hand in hand, especially when in comes to Pauser’s work on canvas. The technique which the artist uses is quite rare - his so called “paintings” are made using spraypaint and acrylic markers. In this way, Pauser pays tribute to a notion of street art, which is his main course. Once again we can discover the duality of Pauser’s approach. The traditional scheme - such as work on canvas - combined with less traditional use of spray paint is another analogy to content of Pauser’s art. But Pauser brings the duality even further, with the use of technology of AR (augmented reality). In this way, Pauser offers new way of art. The way, in which we will be able to perceive art in the future, is never ending adventure of our own mind, our universe, combined with digital technologies.
On The Digital Journey
The Digital Journey of Pauser’s art doesn‘t end with technology of augmented reality. As mentioned above, Pauser’s work is also related to phenomenon of NFT (non-fungible tokens). The market of NFT grew the most on its popularity during the “covid era”, but still offers many opportunities - as for the artists themselves, so for the world of art.
