Category Archives: Paris

Paris: Art Paris Art Fair 20th Anniversary

2018 marks the 20th anniversary of Art Paris Art Fair. Since its foundation in 1999, the fair has established itself as Paris’ leading modern and contemporary spring art event. The 2018 edition is playing host to 142 galleries from 22 different countries providing an overview of European art from the post-war years to the current day, while leaving room for the new horizons of international creation from Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Open to all forms of artistic expression, this year’s guest country is Switzerland and the fair is also focussing on the French art scene, as well as featuring monographic exhibitions in Solo Show and emerging artists in Promises.

Here are some highlights from the Art Paris Art Fair 2018.

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Art Paris Art Fair 2018
Art Paris Art Fair 2018
Art Paris Art Fair 2018
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Art Paris Art Fair 2018

View the full set of pics here

Art Paris Art Fair
5-8 April 2018
Grand Palais
Paris

Paris: INTI ‘Profane’ at Galerie Itinerrance

Inti - Profane

Chilean artist INTI retuns to Paris for a third solo show called ‘Profane’ at Galerie Itinerrance, featuring new paintings and an impressive site specific installation.

For years Inti kept on traveling all around the world to paint murals . His wall paintings often show the Kusillo, a character originated from the south-american carnival, or figures coming from religious imagery. These intense creations organized through rich and meaningful compositions allow him to approach social issues. The artist draws symbols from different cultures and various fields, he takes them out of their context to give them a new meaning by juxtaposition.

For «Profane», Inti selected a dozen of his murals he recently executed across the world from Lisbon to Miami and China. Based on the subjects represented on each of them, he adapted his artistic practice to the size of the canvas and changed some elements to better clarify his intention.

Inti also created an immersive installation by covering the floor with stencilled skulls while a spectacular Pietà sit prominently in the center of the gallery space.

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Inti - Profane
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This 8.5 feet high installation is the result of a long work for Inti who experimented with a new medium. It took him 6 months of work and 12 hours a day to finish it. Beyond a technical challenge, Inti managed to represent in volume a traditional figure of religious iconography and reappropriated it with his own codes.

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Inti - Profane

Through this new body of work, Inti addresses various issues , like the conflicts between science and religion, with a critical eye without expressing a definitive answer. The same way he spreads numerous iconography and symbols in each of his paintings, he injects in his compositions a multitude of elements and leave the spectator free to interpret them. «Profane» transcribe very well the journey Inti experienced since his last exhibition. His numerous travels can be felt through his openness to the world and his sensitivity.


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Inti - Profane

«Profane» challenges us to reflect on the banality of our beliefs and dogmas, as opposed to the delicate, ephemeral and natural beauty of life.‘ – Inti

Inti - Profane

View the full set of pics here

Inti – ‘Profane’
Until 31 March 2018
Galerie Itinerrance
24bis boulevard du Général Jean Simon
75013 Paris

Paris: Jean Charles de Castelbajac – I Want

Jean Charles de Castelbaljac - I Want

Multidisciplinary artist and internationally successful fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac  (also known as JC/DC) is currently presenting a solo exhibition titled              ‘I Want’ at Magda Danysz Gallery in Paris.

Since the 70’s and 80’s Jean Charles de Castelbajac has been creating clothes integrating popular iconography from cartoon characters by Walt Disney to the iconic Snoopy, and collaborating with multiple brands, allowing him to mix tradition with modernity.
During his visionary exhibition in 2009 “The Triumph of the Signs” in London, he combined brand logos with iconic canvases of art history and has been pursuing this incursion by creating a new hybrid aesthetic, chaotic and iconoclastic.

By bridging the gap between art and fashion for over decades, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac has explored all sides of this universe of collaborations both as a fashion designer and as artist.

Through this new exhibition “I Want – The Empire of collaborations”, the artist closes the last chapter of this artistic path started in 2009 by exploring on the one hand the hegemony of this new collaborative empire and its contradictions, and on the other hand, arises as a curator of desynchronized collaborations provoked by the meeting of artists, different eras and styles: André Courrèges meets street artist Andre, while Picasso secretely meets with Keith Haring.  Fashion designer Virgil Abloh  (covered) of Brand OFF WHITE  lost his ‘Virgility’ …

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Jean Charles de Castelbaljac - I WantJean Charles de Castelbaljac - I Want

JC/DC presents a portrait of the ‘Apotres Modernes’ / ‘Modern Apostles and dresses the Genealogy of Fashion with all the links between Brands and Designers.

Jean Charles de Castelbaljac - I Want
Jean Charles de Castelbaljac - I Want
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Jean Charles de Castelbaljac - I Want

A Mickey Mouse shaped canvas titled Kazimir, Walt & Raymond contains references to Russian painter Kazimir Malevich, Walt Disney and Raymond Pettibon

Jean Charles de Castelbaljac - I Want

On the first floor, a series of portraits illustrate brand collaborations and ironically plays on words: Le Coq40 / CAC40 , French Kiss/Kith, Lacaste (the cast) / Lacoste, L’or & Elle (Gold and her) / L’oreal), Hell/ Shell, L’EGO / UNIQLO…

Next to the portraits gallery, a Wall / Mall showcases branded shopping bags painted with portraits or poetic statements.

Jean Charles de Castelbaljac - I Want

In parallel, the 68 years old artist never ceases to be a street art poet, and describes himself as a ‘Craieateur (playing on the words craie =chalks and createur = creator) leaving chalk drawings and quotes on the streets.

View the full set of pics here

Jean Charles de Castelbajac – I Want
Until 17 March 2018
Magda Danysz
Rue Amelot, Paris

Paris: Street Art Guide

Paris is an open air museum! Looking up, we can discover amazing pieces from graffiti writing, humourous stencils , poetic collages or monumental murals. We take you through the best locations in Paris to enjoy art in the streets from the festive district of Oberkampf via the 13th arrondissement or the suburbs.

From Montmartre to Butte-aux-Cailles , you have to open your eyes because each crossing is a pretext for creation and in many places in Paris, colourful frescoes have covered  concrete walls.

In recent years, the 13th arondissement of Paris is the favourite spot for street artists and has today become a true open-air museum ! In the vicinity of the National metro station, in the rue Jeanne d’Arc and the boulevard Vincent Auriol, it is possible to observe more than thirty murals! The American artist Shepard Fairey has produced several of them, from Rise above Rebel ( which we helped organise with the Mayor of 13th District) and one bearing the French motto: ” Liberty, equality, fraternity “.

Next door, a mosaic of several meters high representing the whimsical doctor of television series Doctor House is signed by French artist Invader .  The artist also invaded the city with other 1600 mosaics, so look up when wandering around.

Throughout the neighbourhood, you only have to walk around to discover a masterpiece, from Tristan Eaton, Okuda,  Bordalo or the colossal fresco “Embrace and Struggle” depicting two men facing each other in 18th century clothes. , made by the Irish painter Conor Harrington.

East of Paris, the districts of Oberkampf , Belleville and Ménilmontant are high places of street art. Thanks to the action of associations like Le MUR , some facades even have their own artistic programming!  Every two weeks, a new artist is invited to paint at 107 rue Oberkampf (11th). The performance takes place during the day and in public, a real treat for the eyes!

Lek & Sowat

Going up in rue de Ménilmontant (19th), there is an iconic fresco by Jérôme Mesnager : characters form a round and sing to the glory of the musical past of the neighbourhood. Higher up in the same street is the facade of Pavillon Carré de Baudoin which is repainted regularly by renowned artists like Lek & Sowat.

Finally,  you can enjoy a bit of nature while admiring art by wandering through the park of Belleville (20th) where frescoes of street artists such as Seth or Pez adorn walls and pillars.
In the center of Paris, the Halles district to Serge Gainsbourg’s home are the artists’ playground.

On the Igor-Stravinsky Square (4th District) for example, a fresco of 350 square meters shows the enigmatic face of a man inviting silence: a monumental stencil work signed Jef Aerosol .

On the other side of the Seine, Rue de Verneuil (7th),  the house occupied by the singer and poet Serge Gainsbourg is regularly covered with graffiti , drawings, paintings and collages, paying tribute to the musician Since his death in 1991.

Finally if you fancy travelling in the vinicity of Paris, Vitry sur Seine is a town dedicated to Street Art thanks to the artists and local authorities.

Paris: FIAC 2017 Highlights

After Frieze, the art world is gathering once more for the 44th edition of the International French Contemporary Art Fair (FIAC) in Paris. As the fair drew to a close this week end, we look back at the highlights amongst the 193 modern and contemporary art galleries from 30 countries filling the Grand Palais , like  Flame of Desire  a five meters high golden sculpture by Takashi Murakami featured at Galerie Perrotin.


Jeppe Hein


Andrea Bowers


Tomas Saraceno

John Giorno

Kohei Nawa

Photo Credit: Celine Neveux for Butterfly Art News

FIAC
18-22 October 2017
Paris