Initially, Biagi gravitated to the medium for its aesthetic qualities: the depth and dimension of its blackness; its richness of texture. Yet, as he began to work with the substance, he discovered it was the medium’s unpredictability that mesmerized him. “I love how the tar can be manipulated, with the drips and imperfections creating a cocoon-like ‘second skin’ that imparts depth to whatever it comes in contact with,” Biagi explains.

Biagi’s first project with tar involved dipping teddy bears into the substance, and this fascination with mixing objects of childhood innocence with something so primordial as tar is the primary theme Biagi has stayed with. “I want people to look at these everyday objects in a new light,” he says. “Some people see humor, some are disturbed. But to elicit a strong emotional reaction—that is the key.” 

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