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It was once marginalized but now street art has spread to city walls to become a contemporary art form in its own right. It's success and ephemeral nature have seen it move to galleries. Here's an overview of the art form in Paris.
The term "street-art" refers to an artistic movement that uses public space as a means of expression. It is said to have originated in Philadelphia in the early 1960s, initially with the "graffiti writing" movement launched by two American artists, Cornbread and Cool Earl. One of them is said to have written his love for a lady on a wall, as he was too shy to admit it to her directly.
Over the decades, street art has been democratized and has found its way into museums. And while some artists now display their work in galleries, leaving behind the counter-culture spirit that characterized the discipline in the first place, others insist on staying in the street. They have made protest their spearhead, and many of the capital's walls bear witness to this. Among the artists who have left their mark in Paris are Shepard Fairey aka Obey, Monsieur Chat, Banksy and C215.
Whether exhibited in a gallery or on the street, street art is the epitome of freedom. And as the Fonky Family rap group liked to sing in their 2001 hit "Art de rue", when it comes to street art, "the most important thing is to do what you like the way you like".
The current favorite
For the first time, the Petit Palais is opening its doors to urban artists, inviting them to engage in a subtle dialogue with its permanent collections and architecture. Visitors are invited to explore urban art through a series of original works, free of charge. The exhibition is curated by Mehdi Ben Cheikh, director of Galerie Itinérance, with Annick Lemoine, director of the Petit Palais, in collaboration with the Association de promotion des arts plastiques et urbains contemporains (APAPUC). It brings together exceptional works of urban art for a unique experience.
A must-see
Meet the most famous of unknown artists
Initially temporary, the Banksy Museum is now open all year round, offering visitors the chance to find out more about the British street artist Banksy.
Anonymous among the anonymous, the world's most famous graffiti artist - whose identity we still don't know - reveals himself here through his many exhibited works.
The Banksy Museum's permanent exhibition on the most mysterious of graffiti artists
Musée Banksy - 44 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, Paris 9e
Du samedi 01 juin 2019 au mardi 31 décembre 2030
Open-air art all year round
Spot 13
SPOT 13 is an open-air gallery. It attracts art aficionados as well people who are just passing through the neighborhood, which boasts countless works of art by well-known and lesser-known artists.
Underneath the T3a tramway, you'll discover a passageway strewn with small galleries, resembling a construction site decorated with frescoes.
Credit
Sophie LEROUGE
Arty basketball
Artist-designed 3x3 basketball courts are popping up all over the city. The newest one is located on boulevard Sérurier in the 19th arrondissement. Additionally, there are three playgrounds in the Square du Docteur-Calmette (15th arrondissement) created by artist Polar, the Vincent-Auriol physical education ground (13th arrondissement) designed by L'Atlas, and the Ladoumègue stadium (19th arrondissement).
Murals putting NBA in the spotlight
When the National Basketball Association (NBA) arrived in Paris for the second time, on January 19, 2023, for a match between the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons, the American league wanted to leave tangible proof, or rather two, of its annual visit to the capital: two murals.
These can be seen on boulevard Kellermann (13th arrondissement) and at the Jules Noël sports center (14th arrondissement).
Mural in tribute to the Chicago Bulls in Paris
Credit
Joséphine Brueder / Ville de Paris
Paris pays tribute to Ukraine
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Since the start of the ongoing conflict, artists have been using their imagination to pay tribute to the victims throughout Paris. In the Butte aux Cailles district, rue Oublot, artist Seth created a moving fresco depicting a little Ukrainian girl running over military tanks.
Christian Guémy, aka C215, covered a four-storey building in Ukraine's colors. The tribute also depicts a child with a worried, innocent look in his eyes. The fresco can be seen on rue Nationale in the 13th arrondissement.
Work by artist Christian Guémy alias C215 for Ukraine, at the corner of rue Patay and rue Domrémy in the 13th arrondissement.
Credit
Ville de Paris/Fresque de Christian Guémy alias C215
Seth's work
Credit
Jean-Baptiste Gurliat/Ville de Paris - © œuvre de Julien Malland – SETH globepainter
Since February 24, 2022 and the start of the Russian invasion on Ukrainian territory, the world of street-art has been showing its solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Set off on an artistical adventure along the walls of Paris.
Made in Paris galleries dedicated to street art
Gallery Itinérance
It's the street-art galerie in Paris. If there's one neighborhood you shouldn't miss if you are a street-art lover, it's the 13th arrondissement. Mehdi Ben Cheikhest, founder and director of Galerie Itinérance, has seen the likes of Obey, a true lover of the discipline, come and go.
For the past ten years, Mehdi Ben Cheikh has been creating a grandiose layout in the streets of the 13th arrondissement, in the form of an itinerary where you can encounter works left by some of street-art's biggest names.
MathGoth
The MathGoth gallery is located in the heart of Paris' 13th arrondissement. True to their convictions, Mathilde and Gautier, the founders, worked with three ideas in mind: to help and support artists, to introduce and surprise, and to offer the means to collect artwork.
With a selection of international artists, they stage exceptional events in an atypical urban setting. A key player in the street-art scene, the MathGoth gallery has created several monumental frescoes across the country.
Urban walks from Saint-Denis to La Villette,
It's been said enough: Paris is covered in street art. From Montmartre to the Marais, via Belleville, Ménilmontant and the BNF district, from Saint-Denis to Vitry-sur-Seine, Ivry and Montreuil, here's our selection of unmissable urban strolls for lovers of outdoor art.
Street art in all its forms!
Du lundi 01 août 2022 au mardi 31 décembre 2024
Les Plateaux Sauvages and Art Azoï
Since 2019, Les Plateaux Sauvages has entrusted Art Azoï with the programming and production of the terrace wall. The association and its artistic director, Elise Herzszkowicz, invite artists to participate approximately every three months.
The Art Azoï association promotes and disseminates artistic creation in the public space. It acts as a bridge between artists, venues, works of art and the public, creating interaction around different forms of creation proposed by contemporary artists. It oversees artistic direction, organizes the production of large-scale cultural projects, and fosters reflection on the role of art in the city.
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