Jace at Le M.U.R – Art and Meditation

It’s quite strange to say that it is possible to feel in a meditative state at the vibrant Rue Oberkampf in Paris. Specially when it’s a Printemps afternoon, and feeling like weekend time. But yes, yesterday I felt in a meditative state watching Jace’s performance at Le M.U.R.

It’s always a beautiful present to watch the creative process of one artist when he is working on it. In the case of Jace was even special. On the huge 24m2 panel he draw his famous character Gouzou, (who is celebrating 20 years old) “playing” with the word ART. Actually a critic to the business of art.

Watching for 3 hours Jace’s performance for the street, looking for the massive word ART, made me deeply submerse into a meditative state.

A lot of things contributed for this kind of “nirvana” that I reached. Before going to the show, I watched an amazing video of his work in Anakao, Madagascar. I was inspired by the lovely song and the beautiful fabric for vessels that he painted for this community. The song was so special that I heard 3 times before taking my bike on the way to Le M.u.r.        I posted the link of the video here with the pictures. In the end of the video, observe the beautiful images of his painting reflecting on the water of the ocean. It’s genial!

Arriving at Le M.u.r feels always a good energy. Fans that are following Le M.u.r for long time were there with their big and curious eyes. All of us, children, youth and seniors, journalists, filmmakers, photographers, people that are just passing by, were there, in the same energy, trying to register in cameras and minds this so special moment.

At the end of the show, Jace patiently distributed autographs with individual drawings for the fans. Saturday, June 9,  will be the opening of his solo show in Paris at the Gallery MathGoth. Celebrating Gouzou’s birthday, the exhibition promises good surprises until June 21.

Congratulations Jace!

Below some pics that I took during Jace’s performance.

Imaginary Museum – Ephemeral Artistic Residence

Some artists of the collectives 1984 of street artist in Paris have chosen the day of the presidential election to invade an abandoned building in downtown Paris and present us the Imaginary Museum.

12 artists worked for 12 hours overnight in a complete illegal way. The abandoned building owned by  the electricity company EDF was invaded on the night of Saturday May 05 and opened for the public on Sunday 06, just for one day.

With the proposal of transforming the negative and abandoned part of the city in a place to display art work. An collaborative public including children and seniors accepted to use manholes to access the building. By the time the guards who were posted outside realized that the  Imaginary Museum was already in full effect, it was to late and there was nothing to be done. As predicted by the organizers, the police didn’t show up once they were busy during the election day.

Cakes and quiches were offered to the visitants by donation, in a so lovely way, confirming the good intention of the artists who were there in the name of true street art.

While there, in company with Demian Smith of Street Art Paris, we  use the opportunity to make a video and register the process and result that were so shortly available to the public.

 

Street art in Paris

While I am writing my last post about Prague, which I consider the most important, I decided to post some pictures that I have been collecting in those 3 months since I arrived in Paris.

My first plan was to talk about each artist individually, but I just decided to show it as a collective because I realized that some of those works are already gone.

The “ephemeral phenomenon” is a peculiarity that I love about street art. Sometimes is there forever, some times just for a few days or for few hours. Specially when interventions happen and change the first proposal, giving a whole new meaning for the concept.