Paris

Parisian Street Artist Ludo Takes On Karl Lagerfeld

“Co-Branding”

Who decides what messages and images are displayed in the public? When it comes to advertising, images and graphics are supposedly governed by “community standards”, meaning a body of some sort passes judgment on the worthiness of an image or message based on a common understanding of the collective opinion. More often than not, unless there is a vocal protest from a potent fraction of a community, standards are merely the guidelines to push against to grab attention and a tiny piece of mind share.

As these standards evolve, so do the broadly drawn boundaries of what an advertiser can use to sell a product, whether it is on a sticker, billboard, mural, or high-gloss kiosk. “It’s almost like you can put a dildo on a billboard as long as the brand or logo is there to validate it as another normal commercial,” says French Street Artist Ludo, who has been merging his art with the commercial art in bus shelters.

Ludo "Chanel" (Photo © Ludo)
Ludo “Chanel” (Photo © Ludo)

Ludo’s series is called “co-branding”, a seamless appropriation of existing ads that can be strikingly beautiful and even unnoticeable by the casual observer. These pieces merge so well with the context that they might very well be mistaken by genuine ads. He talks about a piece that re-invents a Chanel advertisement by noting the high-concept imagery that appears in typical ads for high-end consumer goods. “The overabundance of ultra aesthetic visuals in some ads now, the kind of arty stuff that only Karl Lagerfield will enjoy, is so annoying to me that it made me want to hijack my own work and brand them as an other campaign. It’s funny how in fact people see it as advertising because of the logo but are also kind of disturbed by the image.”

Ludo "Del Monte" (Photo © Ludo)
Ludo “Del Monte” (Photo © Ludo)

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Stencil Of The Week 10.09.10

Stencil-Top-5

As chosen by Samantha Longhi of Stencil History X

brooklyn-street-art-stencil-hitory-x-M-City

M-City 18 X 12 m mural, Paris (Photo © Roswitha GUILLEMIN)

Fake (Photo © Fake)
Fake (Photo © Fake)

Maniac ""Ciemka" (Photo © Ciemka)
Maniac “”Ciemka” (Photo © Maniac)

Btoy - Andrea Michaelsson "Tiempos cambiantes. Las hilanderas" (Photo © Btoy)
Btoy – Andrea Michaelsson “Tiempos cambiantes. Las hilanderas” (Photo © Btoy)

Mittenimwald "Amy Go Home". Día de Muertos preview show (Photo © Mittenimwald)
Mittenimwald “Amy Go Home”. Día de Muertos preview show (Photo © Mittenimwald)

Click this link see more of M-City work

Click this link to see more of Fake work

Click this link to see more of Maniac work

Click this link to see more of Btoy work

Click this link to see more of Mittenimwald work

Click this link to go to Stencil History X

Click this link to see what’s cooking at Galerie Itinerrance

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Addict Galerie Presents: ” L’ART URBAIN …du mur a l’atelier…” A Group Show (Paris, France)

Vernissage Samedi 16 Octobre à partir de 18H

Opening Saturday October 16 from 18H
Addict Galerie
brooklyn-street-art-addict-galerie

Exposition Collective du 16 Octobre au 4 Décembre Mardi – Samedi 11 :00 – 19 :00

Group Show from October 16th to December 4th Tuesday – Saturday 11 :00 – 19 :00

La rue, laboratoire d’un nouveau mode d’expression

Un art est né dans la rue parce que ses auteurs ne se définissaient pas comme des artistes. C’était là, la révolution. Des jeunes aux doigts errants, voulaient simplement rappeler leur existence en prenant à partie un paysage urbain, prison de briques et de pierres, souvent délabrée, qui servait de décor à leur vie. Depuis maintenant plus d’un demi-siècle, l’esthétique des cités s’en est trouvée modifiée.

On a souvent dénoncé le spontanéisme immature de ces peintres clandestins qui n’obéissaient en réalité qu’à un besoin instinctif d’expression visant à déconstruire un certain académisme des formes. D’abord terrain d’expérimentation de jeunes “amateurs”, la rue est devenue le lieu d’exposition d’artistes issus des meilleures écoles allant à la rencontre d’un public, souvent absent des musées.

A rebours de l’individualisme traditionnel du créateur, ces artistes ont su développer générosité et sens du partage pour élaborer des projets collectifs. Ils ont également renouvelé les outils traditionnels de la peinture en explorant toutes les techniques et tous les types de supports. Certains d’entre eux en revisitent l’aspect figuratif avec l’ironie d’un langage métaphorique. D’autres s’approprient aussi le multimédia pour nous sensibiliser aux dangers du monde virtuel.

L’art urbain est désormais un art de vivre pour beaucoup de ses adeptes, artistes authentiques à l’inspiration variée qui entendent créer en toute légalité, sur des supports autorisés.

Surgit alors un paradoxe : comment ces innovateurs nomades, ayant élu la rue comme terrain d’expérimentation, habitués à y exposer des travaux destinés à disparaître, comment ces acteurs du provisoire peuvent-ils se laisser enfermer dans un musée ou une galerie ?

Une chose est sûre : en investissant « l’intérieur », en renonçant à leur clandestinité, ces artistes ne perdent rien de leur authenticité. Ils revendiquent simplement une inspiration différente mais fidèle à leur démarche créatrice. Tous se promettent également de retourner s’exprimer dans la rue. Cette tendance n’est pas nouvelle. Le passage du mur et du wagon au support léger, mobile et collectionnable se produit déjà à New York dès la fin des années 70, avec Crash, Lady Pink…!

Face à ces tentatives qui se mondialisent que pense le citadin de ces « œuvres » qu’on lui met sous le nez ? Il demeure sceptique, parfois choqué, souvent dérouté. Institutions et critiques en ont tiré prétexte pour tenir à l’écart ces fabricants de signes indéchiffrables, ravalés au rang de propagateurs d’une sous culture de ghetto aux slogans parfois subversifs.

La presse, de son côté, a fait preuve d’une étonnante absence de curiosité à l’égard de ce mouvement quand elle ne l’a pas fustigé allant jusqu’à le traiter « d’art dégénéré ».

Les musées l’ont largement ignoré. Les collectionneurs, mal informés, ne pouvaient que se montrer frileux à son endroit.

Un tel contexte assigne à l’art urbain une place singulière dans l’histoire et ne facilite pas sa reconnaissance comme mouvement artistique à part entière. Même si la situation évolue lentement, à ce jour en France, très peu d’expositions lui ont été consacrées. Elles ont notamment peu pris en compte la variété des techniques qu’il met en œuvre, ni la richesse de son inspiration, passant même à côté de certains de ses grands acteurs.

Il n’était que temps de témoigner de l’importance d’un des élans créatifs les plus révolutionnaires du Vingtième siècle car inscrit dans une époque condamnée à l’entassement humain dont il réinvente les formes d’art pictural.

Pour rendre compte de son ampleur, Addict Galerie lui consacre deux expositions, la première débutera le 16 Octobre 2010. Ce panorama voudrait témoigner du foisonnement des talents qui l’irradie. Seront entre autres rassemblées les œuvres de plus de quarante artistes internationaux, des pionniers tels Gérard Zlotykamien, John Crash Matos, Doze Green, Lady Pink, John Fekner et Don Leicht, Jean Faucheur, Toxic… jusqu’aux jeunes talents tels Imminent Disaster, Jazi, Alexandros Vasmoulakis, 36RECYCLAB, Mambo…Partageront aussi ses murs Jaybo, Marco Pho Grassi, Victor Ash, Herakut, Andrew Mc Attee, Nick Walker, Kofie, Boris Hoppek, Thomas Fiebig, L’ATLAS, Mist, TRYONE, Smash 137, Eelus, Dtagno, 108 …

Ce projet unique en son genre suppose une subjectivité dans les choix dont Addict Galerie a conscience et qu’elle assume librement. Il s’agit pour nous de révéler, loin des sentiers battus, la cohérence d’un mode d’expression qui, à travers sa multiplicité, s’affirme comme imaginatif, inspirant et novateur.

La scénographie proposée scande en deux temps le parcours de ce panorama sans en briser l’unité même si la première étape comporte une dominante plus abstraite et la seconde plus figurative. Cette approche conforte au contraire une vision globale qui voudrait souligner la réussite du passage de cet art en galerie.

Par cette initiative hors norme, Addict Galerie souhaite rendre justice à l’art urbain et l’aider à asseoir sa légitimité artistique.

Laetitia Hecht et René Bonnell

Pour toutes demandes – Contactez la galerie : +33 (0)1 48 87 05 04 / info@addictgalerie.com

Information available upon request – Contact the gallery: +33(0)1 48 87 05 04 / info@addictgalerie.com

ADDICT GALERIE
Laetitia Hecht
14/16 rue de Thorigny
75003 Paris – France.
T: +33(0)1 48 87 05 04
info@addictgalerie.com

www.addictgalerie.com

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Stencils Of The Week 10.05.10

Stencil-Top-5

As chosen by Samantha Longhi of Stencil History X

brooklyn-street-art-Evol-stencil-history-x

Evol at Galerie Bodson-Emelinckx. Installation View /Main Room (Photo © Evol)

Grobkonzept. Boardstock 2010. (Photo © Grobkonzept)

Grobkonzept. Boardstock 2010. (Photo © Grobkonzept)

Zibe Tso “Jump in my car” ( Photo © Zibe Tso)

M-City View of the exhibition “Urban Jungle” ( Photo © SHX)

brooklyn-street-art-Chris Stain-stencil-history-x-web

Chris Stain Outdoor stencil mural Dumbo, NYC (Photo © Lois Stavsky)

BSA……….BSA…………BSA……….BSA…………BSA……….BSA…………BSA……….BSA…………BSA……….BSA…………

Stencil History X

See more EVOL here

For more Grobkonzept go here

For more Zibe Tso

Galerie Itinerrance

M-City

Chris Stain

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Galerie Bailly Contemporain Presents: Jef Aerosol “dans les yeux” (Paris, France)

Jef Aerosol
brooklyn-street-art-jef-aerosol

Vous êtes cordialement invités au vernissage de l’exposition de Jef Aérosol “dans les yeux”, à la galerie Bailly Contemporain (entrée libre).

http://www.baillycontemporain.com/Bailly/accueil

Seront également présentés 3 tirages de la photographe Arièle Schweps

Lors du vernissage, Jef Aérosol signera “Risque de Rêves”, le petit livre consacré à son travail, dans la collection “Opus Délits” ( Critères éditions), dont ce sera la sortie officielle avant mise en librairie : http://www.opusdelits.com/lire/article_details.php?id=130

(on peut aussi le commander par internet : http://www.opusdelits.com/index2.php )

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Galerie Ligne 13 Presents: Autoportraits Et Portraits Du Maitres (Paris, France)

Galerie Ligne 13
brooklyn-street-art-galerie-ligne-13

A l’heure où l’individualisme prime sur le collectif, où le culte du moi peut nous faire perdre la tête, il était tout naturel de s’intéresser à l’autoportrait. Doit-on le qualifier d’exhibitionnisme, de jubilation narcissique ou traduit-il tout simplement un clin d’œil amusé de l’artiste sur son propre miroir… qui lui renvoie forcément l’image d’un autre.
L’autoportrait nous interpelle, nous fascine, son côté « people » séduit notre côté voyeur car la mise en scène choisie par l’artiste – le lieu, le moment, l’attitude – sont autant de petits secrets qu’il nous livre sur sa personnalité. Ainsi les oreilles de Jef Aérosol, le gros havane de Spliff Gâchette, les fusils de Konny Steding, les humeurs de Gregos, les grimaces de Mimi The Clown, Mr Lolo et ses roses, les appareils photo de Jana et Js ou encore les empreintes de Pixal Parazit sèment une multitude de petits indices sur la personnalité des artistes.

L’autoportrait en quelques mots. Le genre a vu le jour sous la Renaissance et on attribue le premier autoportrait à Titien. Ces autoportraits coïncidaient alors le plus souvent avec le nouveau statut social du peintre. L’artiste est représenté dans son atelier, ou entrain de peindre. Mais c’est au XVIIe que l’exercice acquière ses lettres de noblesse avec Rembrandt, Velasquez… Par la suite tous les grands peintres ont laissé au moins un autoportrait puis l’influence de la psychanalyse au XXè siècle a particulièrement aidé au renouveau du genre (Van Gogh, Picasso, Bacon…). Se représenter est bien une tendance naturelle de l’être humain et la génération Street Art n’échappe pas au genre. Qu’il soit une représentation réelle de sa propre image, ou simplement une suggestion l’artiste aime jouer avec son image.

L’exposition réunira une trentaine d’autoportraits, et présentera également quelques portraits d’artistes, maîtres ou figures incontournables de leur époque : Gustav Klimt, Salvator Dali, Picasso, Epsylon Point…


phpMyVisites

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Galerie Itinerrance Presents: C215 Solo Show and Book Launch “Community Service” (Paris, FR.)

Galerie Itenerrance

C215
« Community Service »

Exhibition November, 12 to December, 25, 2010 at Galerie Itinerrance
Opening on Friday, November, 12 from 6 pm

brooklyn-street-art-c215-Galerie-Itenerrance-flyerA solo show:
C215 became in a short time an important phenomenon in street art. He is considered by his
peers as one of the most talented artists on the international scene. And his success goes
much further because he also collaborâtes with institutions such as the council of Vitry-sur-
Seine, his town, which supports him into his vision of the street. The stencils of C215, so
numerous in the streets of the world, of Vitry and Paris, are very trendy to a large audience.
Through a stunning technique, C215 realizes portraits and scenes with very intricated
stencils in a fine attention to the details. His extensive researches in the field of coulours
during this past year, brings now a new dimension to his work more and more powerful.

Today, this exhibition is an opportunity for C215 to return to the evolution of his
studio work and his reflections on the urban environment. These two dimensions
will be then highlighted on the two floors of the Gallery Itinerrance.

brooklyn-street-art-c215-Galerie-ItenerranceA book:

In October 2009, Critères Editions published a book in a little collection that became a real
success. After a few thousands of sold copies, they are prepared a more complete
monography in another collection named Urbanité.

The Community Service book gathers the testimonies of a dozen photographers in Europe
and the United States, as Romanywg (GBR), Luna Park (U.S.), Lois Stavsky (U.S.), Jaime Rojo (US) or Jessica
Stewart (IT).

A review : thousands of stencils painted on the walls of cities worldwide.

A tribute : in text and pictures, to the dedication and commitment of this street artist.

A thought:
Christian Guémy, also as doctor of art history, continues the discussion of Daniel Buren on
the link between the concept of public art and the in situ, with a new approach toward the
movement of street art, like the concept of placement or interaction with the environment.

He develops that further when  he doesn’t hide his face neither his name, during day and
oftenly without authoriszation.

“When you paint on trains, public buildings or blank walls, I understand the desire to protect his identity, but this
is not my situation […] I try to paint what is beautiful and accomplished, which can be understood and
appreciated by all. ”

Interview given to Samantha Longhi for Graffiti Art Magazine # 8, October 2009

C215, Community Service
Paperback / 128 pages / 22 x 22 cm
Cover (previous page) by Jérémy Gibbs aka RomanyWG
Upcoming in January 2011 in bookstores
Launching Galerie Itinerrance on November, 12, 2010

7bis, rue René Goscinny⎟ 75013 Paris ⎟ FRANCE
00 33 1 53 79 16 62 ⎟ 00 33 6 58 05 56 01⎟ contact@itinerrance.fr
Wednesday – Saturday 2-7 pm ⎟M° Bibliothèque François Mitterrand

Accueil

Galerie Itinerrance, specialized in street art is located in the 13th arrondissement since
2004. Close to the Bibliothèque Nationale and the Frigos, it is part of a growing urban
economy and culture. With its concrete walls and 6 meters high, exhibitions combining
traditional display & wallpaintings are not to be missed. Gallery Itinerrance is positioned in
the field of street and stencil art in particular revealing the work of artists internationally
settled but unvealed in France.
Galerie Itenerrance
Représented artists :
BTOY (SP) / C215 (FR) / JANA & JS (FR) / ORTICANOODLES (IT) / STEN & LEX (IT) /
LOGAN HICKS (US)
Head office
Medhi Ben Cheikh
00 33 6 19 98 06 33
mehdi@itinerrance.fr

Art director
Samantha Longhi
00 33 6 58 05 56 01
samantha@itinerrance.fr

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Galerie Itinerrance Presents: M- City “Industrial Jungle” (Paris, France)

Galerie Itinerrance
brooklyn-street-art-M-City-Itinerrance-gallery-parisM-CITY

« Industrial Jungle »

M-City (Gdansk, Poland – 1978)

M-City used to be a video game designer obsessed with sciences.
One day in the early 90s he has been caught by the street art.
He went to conquer the continents, with some stencils in his
pocket and a concept: the imagination is the only limit of
representation. By the way of pixel art, his work unfolds as
infinite landscapes, black and white, standing at the dawn of the
Industrial Revolution. With paintings ranging up to 85 meters
long, this young Polish man delights in gigantism. M-City’s
renown is now undeniable, both on the street that gallery. He is
proposing today to come and share his dream both wildly poetic
and mathematics for the first time in Paris.

Exhibition September, 24 to October, 30, 2010 at Galerie Itinerrance
Opening on Friday, September, 24 from 6 pm

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Fun Friday 09.03.10

Fun-Friday

Fun Friday 09/03/10

C215 and Eelus are in Brooklyn This Weekend

Brooklyn-Street-Art-Brooklynite-Sept2010-Eelus-c215

Brooklynite Gallery, deep in Bedstuy, creates a certain lively tension with  two Street Art tricksters in this duo Euro show.

Parisian C215 continues to exceed expectations, which isn’t easy because he has already set them pretty high as a world class urban stencillist with  portraits that glow from within uncannily, summoning more empathy than a Jerry Lewis telethon.  The vastly more light-hearted Eelus guards the class impudent role – combining youthful humor, technologic fantasy, and a bit of antsy-lad sexual tension in his starkly popish compositions. A rewarding and rich show, “Paradise Lost” is another solid and smashing Street Art /gallery show that doesn’t compromise either one.

Kid Acne “Stabby Women” New Zine and Video

Word the heck up.The Stabby invasion is here…

Image Courtesy of the Artist

STABBY WOMEN – 52 Page Fanzine & Postcard Set, edition of 250

Stabby Women”  – a project of serendipity that started in São Paulo includes the female battalion of over five hundred Stabby Women now patrolling our streets amongst the hustle and bustle of New York, Paris, Barcelona, Munich and London – peering from the bottom of doorways, subtly patrolling their domain.

Learn more about this Kid Acne project directly from the artist here

Countdown to FAME

FAME Festival Begins This Month in Italy

A stunning array of street artists from around the world have been gathering over the summer to do large-scale and high quality installations leading up to the FAME Festival, starting September 25. Included in the lineup are JR , ERICA IL CANE , SAM3 , NUNCA , BLU , OS GEMEOS , BORIS HOPPEK , ESCIF , 108 , DALEK , NICOLA TOFFOLINI , LUCY MCLAUCHLAN , SWOON , SLINKACHU , CYOP E KAF ,DAVID ELLIS ,VHILS , BEN WOLF , WORD TO MOTHER , MOMO , and BASTARDILLA.

As told by our friends at HookedBlog.com, “The festival now is in it’s third year and is set to be bigger and better ” Read more at HookedBlog.com      (image of MOMO © HookedBlog.com)

Brooklyn-Street-Art-MOMO-FAME_copyright-HookedBlog-ceramiche-dettaglio

Shepard Fairey in San Diego for Viva La Revolucion

“The thing with Street Art is you can’t be too precious about it.  It’s ephemeral.”


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Fun Friday 06.25.10 : A Street Art Salute to the King of Pop

Fun-Friday

A Street Artist Tribute to Michael Jackson a Year After His Death

The pain is still fresh for those of us who were shocked last June 25th to hear the talented musician and entertainer we grew up with had died too soon.

We found some comfort in the sincerity and hilarity of this couple of French buddies who like to make giant mural tributes to musicians who have died. Today at one minute past midnight and with much fanfare Shygun and Keflione released photos of their tribute to Michael Jackson.

Pulling together many of the visual elements associated with the 40+ year career of Jackson, the artists inject a dose of cheeky irreverence to keep it light, if verging on disrespectful. Perhaps the most impressive and endearing part of their work is that not only do these guys paint, they also re-enact shots and poses of their honoree in action.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-copyright-Shygun-and-Keflione-michael-jackson-picture-dance

BSA: Can you tell us about your personal history as artists?

Shygun and Keflione: We are Street artists from Rennes, France, and we started graffiti almost 10 years ago in abandoned factories.

I’m Shygun and I live and work in Rennes, France. I’ve been active as an artist for ten years now, with my bro Keflione since day one. I gradually moved away from graffiti but never let it go completely. Today I use a logotype representing a gun with a bent barrel as a signature, and I’m planning to publish a comic book series by the end of the year.

I’m Keflione, also known as Keflouis Vuitton or Keflouis XIV.  I live and work in Paris as an artist and designer. Even if I don’t do graffiti, I’m a font addict and I still work in the streets.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-copyright-Shygun-and-Keflione-michael-jackson-picture-dance-2
BSA: Why did you do this tribute to Michael Jackson?
Shygun and Keflione:
MJ tragically passed out a year ago now, and since we are kids from the 80’s, it was a big loss for us. His music is eternal, and we felt we had to pay him this massive tribute. Since he was an active musician since he was 5, they were many aspects of Michael’s life to represent.  The first anniversary of his death was the right moment to release our masterpiece.
_

BSA: Who dresses in the costumes?
Shygun and Keflione: We both get dressed as MJ look-a-likes. The costumes are as important as the painting itself. It’s not Graffiti anymore; we consider it as a performance with a painting, costumes and a photoshoot. For every artist we paid tribute to, we enjoyed using their dress codes, accessories, and the whole atmosphere of their music. It’s a part of the whole concept, pushing our limits off the wall!

Brooklyn-Street-Art-copyright-Shygun-and-Keflione-michael-jackson-picture-stage
BSA: What motivates you to pay such strong tributes to the memory of musicians who have passed away?

Shygun and Keflione: It’s a kind of tradition in the Hip-Hop culture.  As street artists, we never did such a thing. Here we wanted to give it a try with something more creative and fun. Biggie and Tupac are Hip Hop icons who are often painted in the streets. Our goal was to go further, and represent other main artists. As Graffiti is sometimes still considered as vandalism, we choose to ironicaly use celebrities to conquer a larger public. We had so much fun doing the first one (Bob Marley) so we choose to go for a series.Brooklyn-Street-Art-copyright-Shygun-and-Keflione-michael-jackson-thriller

To see more photos of the Michael Jackson Wall and their other tributes to musicians who have passed including Bob Marley, Biggie Smalls, Jimi Hendrix, Freddie Mercury, and Elvis, go to http://www.keflione.com/prevolution.html

At the moment, Keflione is putting an exhibition together about a year when he travelled in Asia in 2008-2009 (India, Brunei, Singapour, Thailand, Cambodia). The first “Call ME His Majesty” show will presented at the Traffic-Art-Gallery in Brussels, Belgium, in February 2011.

Check out Keflione’s work on : www.keflione.com or his blog : http://keflione.ekosystem.org/

All images courtesy and copyright of Shygun and Keflione.

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Brand New Piece From Dain: “Born Again” Solo Show in Paris at Lebenson Gallery

JUST RELEASED

An image of a brand new piece by Brooklyn’s Own DAIN for his new solo show tomorrow in Paris.

DAIN’s new show is opening Thursday at Lebenson Gallery


“Dain: I don’t call myself a ‘street artist’ or this or that type of artist, too many people are looking for a title. I respect all art, whatever that may be.”

Click here for the rest of an interview with DAIN published today on Elle’s website

Image courtesy the artist.

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