Tag Archives: DMV

Paris: Mausolee – Lek x Sowat

April 11, 2012 butterfly 9 Comments

Imagine an abandoned four storey supermarket in the North of Paris occupied by squatters, then deserted again. On August 12, 2010, French graffiti artists Lek (RAW crew) and Sowat (DMV) discovered the place much to their delight.

For a year, in the greatest of secrets, both artists continuously wandered in this 430,000 sq ft monument to paint murals and organize an illegal artistic residency. They invited forty French graffiti artists to collaborate, from the first to the last generation of the graffiti movement. Together they built a Mausolee, a temple dedicated to their disappearing underground culture. There’s always been a constant battle between street art and graffiti, and this project clearly puts graffiti back on.

On 12 April Lek and Sowat will share their experience through an installation and video. Advance copies of the book documenting the entire visual process will also be available prior to the official release.

Due to the nature of the place, very few people have seen it in person. After crossing a train rack, going through a narrow corridor full of rubbish and climbing a 13 ft high metal gate with spikes, the access is by no mean easy. Traces of previous occupants are still visible: abandoned burnt cars, variety of objets scattered accross the four floors, as well as remains of the supermarket signage. Leveraging found material in-situ such as cling film, surreal installations and murals adorn the building.

Further pics here

More info on mausolee.net

Melbourne, Shows

Melbourne: Da Mental Vaporz – Le Venin Part 2

March 11, 2012 butterfly 2 Comments

After mentioning the top floor installation (covered here) we continue our coverage about the Da Mental Vaporz exhibition at Rtist Gallery. With a brand new series of works by all nine crew members consisting of Bom.k, Blo, Brusk, Dran, Kan, Iso, Gris1, Jaw, Sowat, ‘Le Venin’ contains over a hundred artworks, from screensprints, sketches, photos, mix media paintings, to solo and collaborative pieces.

The key piece of the exhibition is an Exquisite Woman Corpse, done by all nine members, featuring all topics the DMV crew are passionate about: graffiti walls, eroticism, and imaginary characters.

Combining all their strengths, the collaborative paintings called Exquisite Corpses are a delight for the eyes, explosion of colours and styles, like Hypnotic Skull.

Reflecting on current world events, the show presents many politically engaged pieces as well as a fight for freedom of expression. Arab Spring by Kan features a halftone graffiti portrait of Stephane Hessel, 94-year-old former French resistance fighter and author of Time for Outrage (Inspirez Vous), which inspired young people to take the streets. Pieces by Gris1 highlight globalisation issues and fight for freedom of mind.

The DMV also responded to the current presidential elections climate in France. Liberte Egalite Fatalite by Sowat, tricolored animals like Pigeons by Gris1, and a sheep by Bom.k are all reminders of never fulfilled political promises “Travailler plus pour gagner plus” (work longer to earn more), or even a crucified cockerel, a French symbol, “Vive la France” by Brusk.

Using only spray cans, the level of details of Bom.k and Jaw‘s large format canvases is hallucinogenic – self portraits, imaginary bestiary and erotic distorted corpses hypnotize the viewers, who are left shocked but still asking for more.

Oniric figures by Blo present a duality of happiness and melancholy, with a constant presence of life and death.
It is also nice to see the initial sketch from Blo‘s recent Wedding Walls mural in Berlin.

Also, the DMV crew enjoy playing with words, like the 3D pieces by Bom.k (Crime doesn’t spray) or the DMV letters forming Dieu Me Voit by Gris1/Sowat (God is watching me), symbolising the big brother society.

The exhibition features many lighthearted and dark-humored pieces, like Smiley by Gris1, a collection of post-it notes and memos to Dran‘s figurative characters like Mr Tea, or Mr Propre, (Mr Clean’s household cleaner) pissing to clean graffiti walls. At first glance at Trompe l’oeil by Dran, a cute koala is happily resting in the forest, but looking closer, all that is left is a tourist backpack.

A patchwork of smaller artworks cover an entire gallery wall with Sowat‘ drippings, Gris1‘ Throw-ups, ISO‘ graffiti lettering, Bom.k screenprints, JAW‘s sketches and more.

As Channel 9 Australia was streaming live in the middle of the gallery, uncensored and fearless Sowat set fire to his calligraffiti paintings to add some unique finishing touches.

View the full set of pics here

Eventually for those who couldn’t see this crazy show in person, here is a video:

Melbourne, Street

Melbourne Streets: New Mural by the DMV crew

March 1, 2012 butterfly

As the Da Mental Vaporz crew is currently in Australia for an exhibition at Rtist Gallery, they couldn’t resist leaving a massive mural. Combining a patchwork of their different styles, the DMV crew consisting ofBom-K, Blo, Brusk, Dran, Gris1, ISO, Jaw, Kan, and Sowat just completed an imaginary bestiary on a four-storey building in the heart of Chinatown, making it the largest graffiti mural of Melbourne.

To view the entire set, click here

The Australian magazine Acclaim did a video of the mural

http://vimeo.com/37729381

Shows, Street

Melbourne: Da Mental Vaporz – Le Venin Part 1

February 27, 2012 butterfly 1 Comment

Aboard “Le Venin”, the French graffiti crew Da Mental Vaporz crossed oceans and snow storms for a spectacular show at Rtist Gallery in Melbourne. The top floor of the gallery has been totally transformed with a massive installation. The tunnel shaped space hosts a life size version of the raft ‘Le Venin’, while on the side a treasure chest reveals a multitude of gold and silver objects like spray cans, tools, toys, drinks.

Inside the cabin, viewers can enjoy detail shots of the Squatters mural done at Le Palais des Congres in Toulouse last summer, and look at accessories that survived this epic trip. While sharks are swimming around the raft, the dark horizon features a short documentary of “Squatters” directed by Emile Sacre.

For further pics of the exhibition, click here

A poster of “Squatters” is currently available online at Edition Populaire.
Photo by Big Addict

Stay tuned for the part 2 covering the rest of the exhibition.

Da Mental Vaporz – Le Venin
Until 4 March 2012
Rtist Gallery
Melbourne, Australia

Street

Toulouse (FR): Da Mental Vaporz – Squatters

February 18, 2012 butterfly 1 Comment

Back in summer 2011, while they were showing in Toulouse at the GHP Galerie, the Da Mental Vaporz crew couldn’t resist leaving their mark on an iconic building: the former Palais des Congres of Toulouse (exhibition center). Famous for its political corruption and dirty money, the place was being left abandoned following legal disputes and is currently being squatted by a small community of local residents.

During a week-end, all members of the crew Bom-K, Blo, Brusk, Dran, Gris1, ISO, Jaw, Kan, and Sowat revisited the building and gave it a second life. Featuring harmoniously their distinctive style, the prolific DMV crew created a skull headed giant with his heart on his sleeve.

Eight months later, while France is being crippled by snow storms and presidential elections delirium, the Da Mental Vaporz have decided to head to sunny horizons down under, boarding their vessel “La Misericorde – Le Venin” with a pirate flag reminder of the “Squatters” face. Direction Melbourne, Australia…