15.9.10

Urban artists at work.

I have often posted about urban art, graffiti… Here is one more.

Close to Place de Clichy is a theatre, called “L’Européen”, almost 140 years old. Today it’s basically used for concerts, one-man-shows… Since some five years, the façade was decorated by some well-known urban artists. In collaboration with a gallery specialized in urban art (see previous post), the arrondissement (17th) and the theatre, the initiative was taken to renew the experience and get some fresh decoration.

This is what the façade looked like some two years ago - and more or less so until recently, when, in order to prepare for the new performance, the facade was painted in white.
Last Saturday, we could thus observe “Jef Aérosol” (Jean-François Perroy) and “Mosko et associés” (Gérard Laux) in operation. You can see them discuss and plan the day on the top picture.

These pictures should allow you to see how they respectively proceed, the techniques used….


… and their “signatures”, including the famous red arrows by “Jef Aérosol”.
Another famous urban artist, Jérôme Mesnager, had already painted some of his well-known white bodies, but produced obviously more for the interior of the theatre. We could also see “FKDL” (Franck Duval), although he did not participate – but had left one of his collages at the entrance of a neighbour building. The French readers will certainly also recognize Richard Bohringer, who at present performs at the theatre. You see him talking to the artists and the theatre manager.
Finally, I show you what the theatre facade looked like when the work was finished. A wall opposite to the theatre was also decorated. As you can see from my other posts, the work of all these urban artists can be seen all around Paris … and elsewhere, would it be London, NYC, the Chinese Wall…


Addendum:
Refeering to the above post, I got nice messages from Jef and Mosko, including a link to this video. When you see Jef talk, it's actually in a discussion with me.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice to see new art on the wall - have been to the theatre many times and admired the originals.

Eli

Ruth said...

It's a happy thing that Paris, where the buildings are scrubbed clean every night, provides this place for official graffiti.

I heard today that a condemned building in my city will finally be demolished. But first graffiti artists will be invited for one month to play.

Rakesh Vanamali said...

This is certainly a first - to see the people behind the effort! I envy them so much, for being able to live their lives in furtherance of their passion!

Wonderful post!

Olivier said...

superbe ce reportage, on voit bien la creation de l'oeuvre (bravo l'artiste) et on voit que mr a les moyens de s'offrir un acteur de grande classe avec Bohringer (que j'adore) ;)

claude said...

J'ai ma propre opinion sur ce genre d'art. Je trouve que cela envahit trop les ville.
J'aime bien les girafes et Gainsbourg.
C'est chouette à l'intérieur de la Mairie de Paris. Je crois que Lyliane l'avait déjà montrer.
J'aime bien ton post sur la brasserie que l'on a vu ensemble.

Cezar and Léia said...

Bonjour dear Peter!
This post is spectacular, I love the sequence of this artwork.Those artists are talented! :) Their graffiti is wonderful and thanks so much for be so patient and prepare the set of pictures to show us their art, it's brilliant!
Hugs and a beautiful day
*** here we have a rainy day :(

Sciarada said...

Buongiorno Peter, what a wonder I had never seen the construction of a graffiti

hpy said...

Un peu comme Claude, mais il y a sans doute graffiti et graffiti et ici c'est du meilleur coté.

Thérèse said...

C'est ici une excellente façon d'apprendre à voir et à réévaluer notre façon d'approcher les graffitis qui,le plus souvent, sont trop omniprésents et sans valeur sur nos murs.
Super reportage! Un beau coup d'oeil Peter.

BLOGitse said...

These guys are talented. I wish we had more this kind of art in Finland...

Paris Paul said...

Amazing! (Though I must admit I still have a faiblesse for the rue Dénoyez in the 20th.)

Thanks, Peter!

Anonymous said...

Te voilà célèbre papa! Tu es à tout jamais dans les méandres de you tube...

Très intéressant effectivement, j'aime beaucoup cette forme d'art et j'espère que ça inspirera les artistes qui peignent sauvagement les murs de Paris. On peut faire de jolies choses même avec des bombes...

Shionge said...

Thanks Peter, you are so sweet to post this to share with us. Did you spend your time just by capturing start to finsih? Awesome!!

Adam said...

Great documentary post Peter!

If anyone else is interested in observing this kind of thing, look out for the Rue Stick events that take place in Paris every few months of so.

passantepensante said...

superbe billet, j'aime la vidéo, voir le processus... merci, j'ai reconnu quelque têtes...
B.

Kate said...

Peter, I'm glad that you documented the process for us to see and to enjoy. I'm not used to seeing portraits on your blog, but I loved the top photo especially!

Simony said...

Peter, nice to see the whole process here, it probably took you a lot of time watching them and registering the event.
About my last painting, I hope I didn't say anything wrong about Scandinavian decor? Hope not....
But for sure I only know what I see and read in magazines, since I've never been there.

joanna said...

Peter

What patience you have in photographing all this work in progress. A big merci beaucoup. I must admit I love well done graffiti as Urban art. Love the video too.

Joanny

Virginia said...

OH !! you know how i love Jef's work and so enjoyed them on Mouffetard as well as all over Paris. Yesterday I posted a new one that you probably have already discovered, Leo and Pipo! I can never get the jump on you. :)

Your photographs of the process is fascinating Peter. I"ve always hoped I"d happen up on them and could get the photos you managed. Bravo!!
V

Trotter said...

Wow! Did you spend the whole day watching the progress? ;)

♥ E.T. Suzy ♥ said...

Fascinating, Peter. Truly fascinating.

Nathalie H.D. said...

Excellent billet. J'aime beaucoup cet événement, c'est passionnant de voir la réalisation des pochoirs.

Super égalelement de te voir sur la vidéo. En effet te voici présent sur you tube pour la postérité !

Karen said...

Wonderful blog post and now I see that you are a video star. You are in the video with your trusty camera in many shots as well as the interview part.
Thank you for posting this.

Colic Surgery said...

Great piece of art. Great for making a plain wall more colorful.

Scuba Diving Liveaboard said...

From a plain boring wall to a piece of art, it is now an attraction you can be proud of.

Day Trading Robot said...

The artworks looks real that they pop out on the wall.

Begin Forex said...

They use stencils to create the outline of the artwork to make it real as possible.

Buying An Investment Property said...

Its good to know that urban artist have the chance to showcase their talent as an artist.

Buying An Investment Property said...

Its good to know that urban artist have the chance to showcase their talent as an artist.

Paola and Paul said...

Graffiti art is one of the fast rising type of art where you use walls as your canvass.