Tag Archives: graffiti

Banksy in Ukraine

November 7, 2022 butterfly

As the war in Ukraine continues, a new stencil has appeared in Kyiv in a special location: Independence Square. It bears all the hallmarks of elusive artist Banksy: one layer stencil featuring a boy and girl adapting to war playing seesaw with an anti-tank obstacle. It was left unfinished, as it seems that the grey paint was a first layer to avoid rust on the anti-tank obstacle.

Photo credit: Max Ganz

Update 9 November

Banksy continues his trip through Ukraine. This time in a residential district of Borodyanka, a town located north west from Kyiv that was partially destroyed at the start of the conflict.

This time the multilayered stencil features a child throwing a man on the floor like a judo match.

For info Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was a black belt in Judo, was removed from his position of honorary president of the international Judo Federation (IJF) in May.

Photos credit Ed Ram / Getty Images

Banksy has now confirmed the artworks on his website. Despite the chaos, the gymnast is still standing

Festival, France, Street, streets

Lek and Sowat Sandcastle for the LaBel Valette Festival

August 8, 2022 butterfly

Marking the fifth anniversary of the LaBel Valette Festival in France, artists Lek and Sowat have given a new identity to this 19th century castle, by painting all its surfaces and transforming it into a monumental sandcastle.

Located in Pressigny-les-Pins, around one hour from Paris by train, Château de la Valette sits on just under 100 acres of wooded land and is comprised of the castle, a chapel, and two three-storey dormitory buildings. After the colourful works of Okuda (2018), 3ttman (2019), the giant calligraphy of L’Atlas (2020) and the optical illusions of Astro (2021), this mythical duo open the LaBel Valette festival that will take place on August 26 and 27, 2022.

The LaBel Valette Festival, organised by UAC (Urban Art Crew) and U2A (Urban Art Agency), will take place on August 26 and 27, 2022 at La Valette estate in Pressigny-les-Pins.
The two days programme includes graffiti battles, a musical production competition, live painting, workshops as well as a series of music concerts. Full programme here

Check pictures of the work in progress below:

Lek and Sowat were struck by the intense history of the ‘Domaine de La Valette’. Firstly belonging to the estate of a Count and a Countess, it then became property of Franco, followed by the Spanish republicans. It was later transformed into a college, then fell into abandonment. And was bought by an individual. The castle holds eventually a strong position of Street Art in France thanks to the LaBel Valette Festival project.

The artistic duo decided to work around the image of the sandcastle, which refers to the ephemeral nature of Street Art, and pixels, which evoke the aesthetics of the 80s.
Using bright blue and neon colours, they painted 10 000 square meters to transform the castle entirely.
Lek and Sowat ’s Sandcastle illustrates this year’s theme of the festival “Believe in your dreams”: A sandcastle can be erased by the rising tide but is rebuilt thanks to the venue of a new artist. A sandcastle is fragile, requires attention and commitment. It is imagined, hoped for, then built.

Art Fair, Paris

Art Paris Art Fair: TILT Solo Exhibition

April 12, 2018 butterfly

With Switzerland being the guest of honour at Art Paris Art Fair (covered here), the Swiss Kolly Gallery focuses on the universe of French graffiti artist Tilt by dedicating a Solo Show. Tilt has won the First Prize of the Art Paris Art Fair, with “L’art est vivant – Promises prize”

With Tilt, work and life coexist closely, and its artistic, radical and singular vocabulary is marked by an anti-aesthetic approach based on destruction, disintegration and erasure.
Tilt likes to break codes, playing on the dislocation of plans, textures and density. The painting is abused. Tilt reveals a frontal vision of his artistic universe, where signs and references to the graffiti world are concealed, juxtaposed, in order to present a perfect synthesis of these street scriptures that he particularly enjoys.

View the full set of pics here

Art Paris Art Fair
Le Grand Palais
Paris

Marrakech, Shows

Marrakech: Tilt – Voyage Retour

July 9, 2016 butterfly

We continue our coverage behind the scenes in Marrakech at Jardin Rouge with French Graffiti artist TILT as he works on the second instalment ‘ Voyage Retour‘ of his installation that is currently exhibited at Rose Beton Festival in Toulouse.

The first part of the installation ‘Voyage Aller’ ( covered) was featured at the Marrakech Biennale ealier this year.

Tilt - Voyage Retour

Gathering items from the souk and local markets in Marrakech, Tilt and his assistant Gauthier set up the second version of the sectioned car with a roof rack loaded with objects brought back from Orient to Occident. Carefully assembled and defying laws of gravity, ‘Voyage Retour’ pays tribute to the big summer migration flows.

Tilt - Voyage Retour

Then Tilt adorns the installation with graffiti, tags and flops and secret messages.

Tilt - Voyage Retour

Here is a snapshot of the before / after result:

Tilt - Voyage Retour

Some spots have been deliberately left open for additional graffiti writers to add their touch to the final installation in Toulouse displayed at the Musee des Abattoirs. Stay tuned for more details coming soon.

View the full set of pics here

Tilt – Voyage Retour
Rose Beton Festival
Toulouse
Until 28 August 2016

Shows, Toulouse

Toulouse: Rose Beton Festival – Part 1

June 23, 2016 butterfly

Rose Beton Festival - Toulouse

Curated by Tilt, this year’s Rose Beton Festival in Toulouse is dedicated to the roots of graffiti and specially New York.

So to kick start the three months festival in the pink city, a photographic exhibition held at the oldest art space for photography, Chateau d’Eau retraces iconic moments from the NY subway trains and graffiti scene with legendary graffiti photographers Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant.

Both had a very different approach when documenting the scene. Martha Cooper was interested in the overall scene as well as the context, while Henry Chalfant focussed on the graffiti itself.

Rose Beton Festival - Toulouse