With his idiosyncratic signature style, for over fifteen years Piet Parra (NL, 1976) has been a defining figure in Amsterdam’s youth scene and beyond. We see his absurd illustrations with swirling letters and striking figures – such as a woman with a beak for a nose and a human figure with a tomato head – in cheerful colours on clothing, in graphic design and paintings, as well as on rooftops and in the city’s parks. Parra has grown internationally, becoming a recognised logo of Amsterdam.

For the Amsterdam hip-hop festival Appelsap, Parra made the monumental statue Anxiety Rabbit Part Two, which was donated to the city of Amsterdam by the festival organisers, and now has its home in the Flevopark. For the occasion of this opening exhibition, the work takes up residence at Het HEM until 4 August.

Guillaume: ‘We grew up together, we share a history, brotherhood. To witness someone spread his wings like that is so cool.’

Edson: ‘He also made the Patta logo. He’s a true all-rounder. He used to be DJ Skelter and is a really good skater and biker too. But he’s also a bit of a loner actually. Having him on your team, he’s one hundred thousand percent gold.’