Famous for his large scale multicoloured murals on his own or with his crew, the Da Mental Vaporz, French street artist Brusk, is back to Paris for a new solo show ‘In Memoriam’ at Galerie Laurent Strouk.  It is his second solo show ( see Ad Vitam Eternam coverage here) in Paris.

The prestigious front sign ‘Matignon’ has been cheekily striked through with black spray paint while highlighting the letters ART in the Gallery name.

Combining a Fine Arts background with more than twenty years of graffiti,  Brusk’s  gestural painting is instantly recognizable. The artist creates questions, variations, wanderings through a poetic fantasy, mastering his signature  multicoloured dripping effects to create an abstract-figurative lyrical mix where all the misery of the world is transformed by the force and tension of bodies and forms. For the artist, the drippings no longer define a style effect but rather a technique in its own right, Brusk successfully tames it to create movement, relief, lightness and fluidity.

The themes touched upon by the artist resonate with the formal duality mentioned:  opposing love to death, urbanity to animals, the nobility of creation to the triviality of news.

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More recently, Brusk has started experimenting with volume and created two sculptures-installations for the exhibition, transferring his vision into sculpture.

References to his graffiti roots appear in numerous artworks from the high speed train ‘TG Vaporz’ to ‘Hors les Murs’ ripped building.

Often tainted with a touch of humour,  the artworks sometimes reveals a more acerbic and more committed criticism. Brusk is also politically engaged and aim to raise awareness about societal issues such as global warming, pollution and the migrant crisis.

 

At the core of the exhibition, a series dedicated to Refugees illustrates the often unfair fate of these populations in Europe. A sculpture represents at totem of refugees stacked on paper boat, while poignant sound recordings  from migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea play in the background ( these were recorded by  SOS Mediterranee, an association rescuing migrants across the Mediterranean Sea).   Deeply affected by the current situation, part of the proceeds of the artworks in the ‘Salle des Refugies’ will go to support SOS Mediterranee.

The artist endeavours to demonstrate that art can modify our view, play a political role, and trigger actions.

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View the full set of pics here

Brusk – In Memoriam
Until 15 July 2017
Laurent Strouk Galerie
2 Avenue Matignon
75008 Paris