When our kids (Sam 23, and Molly 20) came to visit from the States, we knew we would take them to all of the popular Paris sites: Notre Dame, an afternoon cruise on the Seine, Montmartre/Sacré Cœur, the Eiffel Tower, and several museums. But what else could we do that might be a little “off the beaten path”? Wandering the city, I’ve seen quite a bit of street art (AKA graffiti). I’m not talking about the talentless tagging – simple initials or crudely-rendered scribbles with spray-paint. There is real art on the walls of this (and many other) cities. Street Art Paris gives an insightful, interesting walking tour that was a highlight of Sam and Molly’s visit for all four of us. We learned a lot about street art and graffiti culture on Virginie’s tour of the working-class 11th and 20th Arrondissements (Oberkampf and Belleville), and had fun along the way. www.streetartparis.fr
Some would argue that unauthorized, illegal marking of walls in any form is not art, but vandalism. Officially, the city agrees. Anyone caught by the Paris police marking walls with paint – or even removable chalk – is subject to a minimum fine of €3,750. The fine increases if the building’s owner wants to press charges. Police generally do not turn and look the other way – artists are often caught and charged with the crime. For this reason, most of the street art performed in Paris takes place in the dark of night. Can you imagine creating this piece in the dark, at the top of a very tall building, hanging onto a ladder with one hand while stretching-out to paint with another?
Often, the art reflects the artist’s feelings regarding current political and social issues. Shepard Fairey is known worldwide for his original painting of Obama, and his André The Giant pieces, small and large, that allude to Big Brother can be seen everywhere from stickers on light poles to large wall stencils. Now a full-time artist, his is work is displayed in The Smithsonian, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art, among others.
Both single artists and groups (often with a supportive crew and lookouts) go to great lengths to create their masterpieces. Some are better artists than others, of course, and some take greater risks, like climbing ladders on rooftops and hanging out windows or on the side of a building. There are those who are quite famous (Banksy and Shepard Ferrie come to mind), who have traveled the world to place their works in multiple countries. One young Parisian artist, who went by the pseudonym Zoo Project, decided to create his art in America. He unfortunately chose Detroit as his canvas, and was shot and killed by gang members who knew nothing of his fame and ability.
There is a code of conduct among artists. While it isn’t always respected, it is generally agreed that one never paints over someone else’s work, unless their talent is at the same level or greater. If they decide to paint over another artist, they must completely cover the previous work before beginning their own. Everyone knows that the art is meant to be temporary, so nothing is off-limits, if the next person has more talent. It is extremely disrespectful to tag another artist’s work.
Virginie told us that there is an easy way to identify each piece of art:
- The artist will have a pseudonym with (usually) 4 or 5 letters, with which he/she will tag the art when finished.
- The artist will often have one or more crews identified on the work, and each crew is usually ID’d with three letters.
- The art is usually dated (and if you see something that has been there quite a while, it is probably because the artist is widely-respected).
One highly-secretive artist who goes by the pseudonym INVADER is a graduate of Paris’ School of Fine Arts (École des Beaux-Arts). He uses ceramic tiles to create pixel-like characters (inspired by the early video game, Space Invaders) that can be found in more than 60 cities throughout 30 countries. He’s placed over 1,000 pieces worldwide, and you can even download a free app to your smartphone, “Flash Invaders,” to capture images and score points for each one you see.
Artists have what they call a Black Book, a sketch book with their plans for future art. These are the artist’s most guarded possession, as it not only has their creative ideas, but can be used against them if the police get ahold of it. We watched one talented, well-known artist, POX, working on a street in Belleville who uses his smartphone as a blueprint – leaving his black book in a safe location elsewhere.
POX was working during the day on this street, as it is generally considered acceptable (even by the police) to paint here. Our guide, who is friends with POX, was so excited to be able to introduce us and show us his work in action. Like a lot of these folks, he wears a respirator and usually gloves, to protect his health (although he still smokes cigarettes, LOL).
It is a heavily male-dominated field, but there are a few women who have gained notoriety and respect for their craft, such as KASHINK (self-proclaimed artist, activist and performer). Her work is known for its fat faces with four eyes, a uni-brow, and for being very hairy. She is well-respected in the street art culture, but note the disrespectful tagging of her work here:
It is important to note that most street artists have full-time jobs in another field. They are creating art on their own time, at their own cost, receiving no compensation. However, some of the more talented artist become so popular that they’re recognized in the legitimate art world, and those can become professionals, charging sometimes thousands for a single canvas. Alex HOPARE, one of the nine artists (8 men, 1 woman) on Belleville’s Dream Wall (which was a commissioned, legitimate, piece) is one of those.
The city of Paris recognizes the art with a project called “Le Mur” (the wall). This one large wall, located at 107 Rue Oberkampf in the 11th Arrondissement, is commissioned to non-professional street artists who have applied for the honor to be chosen to paint here. The city pays €750 to a chosen artist, every 1st and 3rd Saturday per month, to cover the old art and paint their own masterpiece. The current wall, by CIX MUGRE of Mexico, is number 230 in this series. I asked how these artists are willing to come-out publicly with their art, since it is illegal and would have them publicly acknowledge their work. Virginie explained that some artists work with their faces masked, to protect their identity, while others may be older and feel that it is time to enter the legitimate art world (like CIX MUGRE). For more information: http://www.lemur.fr
