Although Paris comes across as a more classic city when it comes to art, it actually has an exciting street art scene. This is thanks to innovative street artists who have forged a path for newcomers and added colour to the beige palette of the cityscape. Here are some of the pioneering figures and most active ones today as well as some tips on where you can seek out their works.
Blek Le Rat. Photo: Eric Lin / Flickr
Blek Le Rat
One of the earliest French street artist and one of the very first to use stencils, since the early 1980s this artist has been stencilling rats, and other images, across the city. According to the artist, the rat “the only free animal in the city”, and one which “spreads the plague everywhere, just like street art”. In 1991 he was arrested while stenciling on the Champs Elysées, therefore, since then he’s been creating his works on paper and pasting them instead of painting them directly onto buildings. His work has become more political over the years, addressing topics such as the environment and homelessness. Learn more about his work in this short documentary in English by Arte.
Miss.tic rue de Veron / L.Heise
Miss.Tic
One of France’s first street artists, Miss.Tic’s black and white stencil art is usually paired with a short poem or pun. A feminist, her provocative work, often featuring a dark hair woman, challenges female stereotypes and the representation of the female body. You can spot a number of her works around Montmartre (like some new ones on rue de Veron), where she spent her early childhood years.
Jef Aerosol, place Igor Stravinsky. Photo: Ferdinand Feys / Flickr
Jef Aerosol
Another artist who’s been added colour to the capital since the early 1980s, Jef Aérosol’s (Jean-François Perroy) works span the globe and he currently lives in the northern French city of Lille. His mostly stencil-based murals are usually in the form of oversized portraits. These always have a red arrow somewhere on them, a symbol to help you know that it his work. In fact, you have probably already seen his most famous work in Paris, the gigantic mural entitled Chuuuttt!!! (Hush!), painted in 2011 on a building wall in place Igor Stravinsky next to the Centre Pompidou.
Invader. Photo: Delete / Flickr
Invader
With just shy of 4,000 works in almost 80 cities around the world, Invader (Franck Slama) is France’s best known and most widespread street artist. A graduate of the Fine Arts Academy of Rouen, since 1996 he has been creating his signature space invaders and other pixelated mosaic works, mostly inspired by 1970s and 80s video games. These often have a slight creative twist, like the above image, or with a subtle twist connected to the work’s location. There are over 1,000 in Paris, often in the most unlikely places, there’s even one on the Eiffel Tower! You can have fun logging (and verifying the authenticity) of the ones you find via the app, Flash Invader, which tallies up your points, just like a video game.
Les temps d’une vie, C215. Photo: Jeanne Menjoulet / Flickr
C215
Born in the Parisian suburb of Bondy, C215 (Christian Guémy) now lives and works in Ivry-sur-Seine. He’s put this southern suburb on the “street art map”, but his work can be found around the capital and in a number of cities around the world. Active since 2006, C215 is known for his vivid and beautifully done stencilled portraits with spray-painted colour added. Instead of building walls, these can usually be found on post boxes or other utility objects. His work often explores social issues and feature the portraits of the homeless or refugees. He’s also been commissioned to do various projects for the different Parisian districts, including the portraits of important historical figures of the Marais and the 5th arrondissement, some of which are still visible in these neighborhoods.
Le Diamantaire. Photo: Nefasth / Flickr
Le Diamantaire
Another street artist who doesn’t use a spray can, Le Diamantaire (the “Diamond Maker”) is known for his diamond-shaped creations. Born in 1987 in the Normand city of Caen, he trained in various metal-working techniques. He started using these skills to make street art in 2008. His diamonds tend to be made of pieces of mirror he finds and are often painted different colours. The artist sees these as jewels for the city and can often be found next to the street signs, which are posted onto buildings in Paris.
If you’d like a little more guidance on discovering street art in Paris, refer to this handy interactive map which is also updated regularly.
If you would like to study the history of art in Paris in more depth, considering pursuing our Master’s degree in the History and Philosophy of Art.