VALLUM: Illuminate Your Walls
I remember there was a point in time where every inch of my bedroom walls were covered in posters.
"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite." - The Doors
I used to rip them out of old magazines, making sure to buy the special editions of 'zines like Pop Sugar and Rolling Stone just to get that one coveted image of Rihanna, back when she was still a "good girl" and the back ground was all florals and hot pink, or an image of The Beatles in black and white even though I’d only ever heard one or two of their songs at the time.
Regardless, framed posters of iconic album artwork, transcendent actors and singers, and timeless movies are a renowned form of meta hipster art.
"Don't write about him, don't try to describe him. Just watch him." - Pep Guardiola on Messi
There's a reason places like movie theatres have an enthralling atmosphere of storytelling and of fascinating people. The posters propped up on their walls each have a mind of their own. The ones you gravitate towards say a lot about who you are.
"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." - John Lennon
I can think of a friend, for example, who can always be found standing in front of teasers showcasing movies that promise tales of magical myths and legends. That is what he loves. These are the images that attract his attention.
"This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immoveable object." - The Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger in The Dark Night
Vallum is a poster curation brand founded by Omar Naggar with his partner Tamer Essam, based in Cairo. Naggar describes the inspiration behind Vallum as stemming from an innate passion for collecting words and images that capture a moment in pop culture, film culture, sports and most prominently music cultural history.
Offering a wide range of poster selections, Vallum frames them for you, and adds a plaque with the name of the subject, a title and a quote from the movie, song or person in the image. The posters represent images that are iconic to their respective genres, and quotes that are identifiable as synonymous with the pictures they accompany.
"You have to go on and be crazy. Craziness is like heaven." - Jimi Hendrix
Throughout the article you’ll find mock-ups of Vallum’s work. Check out their Instagram page @vallum_ for orders and inquiries. If you're in town on Saturday 16th September at 7pm, pass by their launch party, details to be posted later in the week.
They say our walls have ears. Listening in on all our most private conversations, our deepest thoughts. So at the very least make them interesting to look at.
“I never went to rock concerts when I was a kid. I didn’t see any rock and roll bands. I had posters on my wall. I had Beatles records.”
