Nick Walker: The Morning After Paris

May 25, 2012 butterfly 1 Comment

Last year I joined British artist Nick Walker on a special mission, as he wanted to develop his vandal series with a Paris focus. From accompanying him on Paris rooftops to get some inspiration, to following the different steps of the creative process, it’s been a very exciting journey and here are some behind the scene pics.

Full set of pics by Butterfly here

On June 23rd Nick Walker will be releasing The Morning After Paris print version, an edition of 150, available in person only at Opera Gallery Paris.

TMA Paris printer proof by the artist.

The Morning After Paris – Print release
23 June 2012 at 2 pm
Opera Gallery Paris
356 Rue Saint-Honoré 75001 Paris, France.

For those outside of Paris, there will be a lottery in place.
Please email info@theartofnickwalker.com with ‘TMA Paris Lottery’ in the subject line to participate. Winners will be contacted shortly after the release.

London, Street

London Streets: Banksy

May 14, 2012 butterfly

In response to the upcoming Jubilee Celebration in June, marking the Queen’s 60-year reign, a new Banksy stencil appeared in Turnpike Lane, North London, featuring a young kid working on a sewing machine. While some of the Union Jack flags didn’t last long, the one on the sewing machine has been screwed onto the wall…

London, Shows

London: Blek Le Rat at Opera Gallery

April 27, 2012 butterfly 1 Comment

Xavier Prou aka Blek Le Rat opened a new exhibition at the Opera Gallery in London. Despite exhibiting all over the world, this is the French artist’s first London exhibition since 2008. With this being his 30 year career anniversary, the new body of work pays tribute to the people that inspired him from his childhood including figures from the Renaissance era as well as people he met during his travels. He also celebrates “Street Art” as in “Arts in the Streets” with his street dancer and musicians.

Many graffiti and street artists joined the frenzy crowd at the private opening including Risk, Remi/Rough, Stik, Ben Slow to name a few.

Fans started queuing overnight for a chance to get one of the 100 free signed prints by Blek. The next morning 300 persons were waiting around the block.

View the full set of pics here

Blek Le Rat
27th April 2012 – 17th May 2012
Opera Gallery
134 New Bond Street
London W1S 2TF

Paris, Videos

Video: In Bed with Invader

April 25, 2012 butterfly

First featured at the 1000 exhibition in Paris (covered here), this video by Raphael Haddad follows Space Invader as he attacks the streets, providing great insights into his creative process.

Books, London, Shows, Street, Videos

Paris Opening: Mausolee with Lek x Sowat

April 23, 2012 butterfly 2 Comments

On August 12, 2010, French graffiti artists Lek and Sowat found an abandoned supermarket of 430,000sq. ft in the north of Paris. For a year, in the greatest of secrets they invited forty French graffiti artists to collaborate and create an illegal graffiti Mausoleum.

As the monument is not accessible for safety reasons, Lek and Sowat recreated a few murals and installations in an abandoned apartment to share their experience with the public .

During the two years, they discovered traces of life from squatters that left in a rush. For the exhibition, the artists brought back toys, letters and objects as a tribute to the families living in the Mausolee.

An installation made of found signage on site, staff instructions and reports reminds of the golden days of the supermarket as key role to the community.

The opening was also the occasion to celebrate the release of the book (available here) and a video retracing all the visual process of this adventure.