Category Archives: Street

Streets: Banksy – Les Miserables (London)

January 27, 2016 butterfly 1 Comment

As mentionned earlier (see here) Banksy created a new artwork in London on Saturday night. As usual location is key and the new stencil appeared on the corner of a very busy road of Knightsbridge, surrounded by lots of CCTV but most importantly opposite the French Embassy under the watchful eyes of security guards.

The mural is a re appropriation of the iconic image of Cosette for Les Miserables, the little girl depicted in the historical novel of Victor Hugo during the French Revolution, whose mum left to another family hoping she would get a better life.

The French flag, used as symbol of Freedom during the French revolution but also for Les Droits de L’homme (Human rights) is torn apart. Grey tears are rolling down the girl’s face, provoked by a cloud of teargas from the CS cannister laying on the floor.

The mural is a continuation of Banksy’s engagement in raising awareness about the migrant situation in Europe, and specially in Calais. It’s a direct comment on the recent actions by French authorities to destroy part of the Jungle and evict around 1,500 refugees using teargas.

France is the ‘Pays des Droits de l’Homme’, country of Human Rights, but looking closer at the living conditions in the “Jungle” camp of Calais, it is a total disgrace.

Banksy - London 2016

The mural also features an interactive piece, a QR code that directs you to a video showing the use of CS gas by French Police towards the migrants.

Banksy - London 2016

As soon as the mural was confirmed on Banksy’s website, a few attempted to steal the artwork overnight, but it only resulted in some visible damages.

Banksy - London 2016

While builders were having a meeting on how to protect / remove the piece, more media and fans arrived at the scene.

Banksy - London 2016

It was not long before builders tried to remove it, and failed miserably, noticing it was glued to another board (video).

It was subsequently covered and watched over by a security guard before being taken down permanently, only to appear in the near future at some art dealer or gallery.

Despite the short lifespan of the artwork, let’s hope that it continues to raise awareness about the refugees crisis and inhuman living conditions in the Calais ‘Jungle’ camp and that authorities (regardless of their country flags) will work to improve the situation for both migrants and local residents.

Banksy - London 2016

Farewell Cosette …

View the full set of pics here

London, Street, streets

Streets: Banksy in London

January 24, 2016 butterfly 1 Comment

A new stencil by Banksy highlighting the use of teargas in the “Jungle” refugee camp in Calais has appeared on a building opposite the French Embassy in London.

The stencil on board features a CS can on the floor spreading a teargas cloud. With the French flag waving in the background, the infamous character Cosette from Les Miserables emerges with tears in her eyes.

The work is the latest in a series of pieces by the graffiti artist criticising Europe’s handling of the ongoing refugees crisis, after earlier his stencils in Calais (featured) . It is a direct comment on the recent actions by French authorities to destroy part of the Jungle and evict around 1,500 refugees.

Banksy - London 2016

In a first for the elusive graffiti artist, the artwork is interactive and includes a stencilled QR code beneath. If viewers hold their phone over the code, it links them to an online video of a police raid on the camps on 5 January.

View the full set of pics here

New York, Street, streets

Streets: ESPO – Love Letters Brooklyn to be demolished

January 20, 2016 butterfly

Back in 2011, we were in Brooklyn as street artist Steve Powers ESPO was painting his monumental ‘LOVE LETTERS BROOKLYN’ (covered here) on the facade of the Macy’s parking garage.

As an ode to the borough of Brooklyn and its 99cents stores below, ESPO adorned the building with black and white sentences like ‘Euphoria is you for Me’, ‘Turn to Me, I see Eternity’,

Macy’s restructuring plan to close 36 stores in the United States this year is also affecting one of the most treasured mural in the local community. In a recent Instagram post, Powers confirmed the closing of the garage, and thanked fellow artist Dave Chino, mural painters Colossal Media, Macy’s, and Brooklyn “for making [him] the man [he is] today.”

Developpers will transform the parking into a residential high-rise with construction planning to start next spring.

London, Street, streets

London: Lumiere Festival

January 19, 2016 butterfly

During four evenings from the 14th-17th of January, visitors could experience installations from the world’s most exciting artists working with light at across 30 locations in the UK capital for the Lumiere London Festival.

Architectural landmarks are being coloured with 3D projections like Westminster Abbey by Patrice Warrener, the Kings Cross Granada Building by Ocudo, or Piccadilly by NOVAK.

While Center Points lights have been temporarily moved to the National Portrait Gallery, Trafalgar Square fountains are transformed into Plastic Islands’ by activist group Luzinterruptus .

Lumiere London - Centre Point Lights

In shop windows, shimmering dresses by Tae gon KIM change colours with their fibre-optic LEDs, giving them a Cinderella-esque touch.

Within the famous pedestrian Carnaby Street, passers-by can enjoy the newly permanent installation Shaida Walking by Julian Opie.

Drawing massive crowds, the iconic phone box is turned into an aquarium by Benedetto Bufalino and Benoit Deseille.

Gigantic fishes Lumineoles are flying above Piccadilly, while Travellers figures by Cedric Le Borgne adorn rooftops of nearby buildings. Neon birdhouses by Sarah Blood are nestled within Brown Hart Gardens.

Lumiere London - Lumineoles / Porte par le vent Lumiere London - Cedric Le Borgne

The French collective TILT (not the graffiti artist from Toulouse) have created a giant luminous tropical garden in the centre of Leicester Square.

Janet Echelman used the data of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami from 2011, to create a 3D representation called 1.8 London.

Lumiere London - 1.8 / Studio Echelman

Further pictures from the Lumiere London Festival in Mayfair and King’s Cross below:

Lumiere London - Elephantastic / Catherine Garret             Lumiere London - LAB (AU)

   Lumiere London - Jacques Rival

Check the full programme here.

View the full set of pics here

Barcelona, Berlin, Bristol, Festival, Interviews/ Studio visits, London, Malaga, Paris, Shows, Street, streets, Toulouse, Uncategorized, Weston Super Mare

2015 Highlights

December 28, 2015 butterfly

As 2015 comes to an end, we look back at the highlights of this incredible artistic year across Europe. Click on the pics to view more info.

Solo Shows: Dran, Mark Jenkins, Antony Micallef, Cranio, Daniel Arsham, David Shillinglaw, Julian Opie, Brusk, Angela Lizon, Pixel Pancho, Lisa Wright, Vhils, Anj Smith, Remi Rough, 100Taur, Hisham Echafaki.

Murals and Festivals: Artists for Je suis Charlie in Paris, El Seed, Ron English and Meetings of Style in London, Urban Nation M7 in Berlin, Open Summer Festival in Toulouse, Bom.K for Moniker, MAUS Festival in Malaga.