Street art in the Butte-aux-Cailles

Passage Boiton © CAUE de Paris

At the origins of the neighborhood

The Butte-aux-Cailles district owes its name to Pierre Caille, a winegrower who became the owner in the 16th century of one of the hillsides located on the hill.

Belonging to the commune of Gentilly, this hamlet crossed by the Bièvre was, at the time, not part of the City of Paris. Vineyards, meadows and mills are the constituent elements of its then landscape. Some current street names also recall the presence of these so-called mills on the hill: rue du Moulinet, rue du Moulin-des-Prés, or even rue du Moulin de la Pointe.

Sketch of Butte-aux- Quails with two mills, 1832 © Paris Musées / Musée Carnavalet - History of Paris

Away from the major Parisian projects of the end of the 19th century

With the construction of the last Parisian enclosure, the Thiers enclosure, the mound was finally annexed to the City of Paris in 1860. The Bièvre, although useful for the activities of the artisans of the time, was covered for health reasons.

Preserved by Haussmann's major works between 1853 and 1870, the Butte still retains its authentic charm today with cobbled, narrow, green streets, low houses and suburban buildings.

General staff map, 1820-1866 © IGN 2023

A neighborhood strongly marked by its history

During the Commune of Paris, in 1871, the district was the scene of the clashes of the civil war which opposed the Versaillais to the Federates. After the siege of Paris by the Prussians, the government of Thiers capitulated and took refuge in Versailles. From there, he tried to restore order in Paris, held by the elected Council of the Commune and the Federates.

La Butte-aux-Cailles, occupying a strategic position, overlooking the Bièvre valley, became the headquarters of the leader of the Fédérés, Wroblewski. On May 25, 1871, Versailles and Fédérés clashed violently.

It is to this tragic episode in History that we owe the name of the Place de la Commune on which you are located, but also the reputation of Butte-aux-Cailles: rebellious, non-conformist and rebellious!

Tribute to Wroblewski, 46 rue des Cinq Diamants, Jérome Gulon, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

The rise of street art

Street art, subversive by nature, has found a place quite naturally in this district with its anti-establishment past. The neighborhood's landscape, with its steps, narrow streets and numerous gabled walls, is also particularly conducive to the installation of this urban art. From the 1960s, the facades of the district were taken over, covered with tags or militant murals, sometimes referring to the Commune.

Wall of rue Buot, Seth, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Created in 2001, the Lézarts de la Bièvre association is today dedicated to promoting this heritage. Open days for artist studios in the 5ᵗʰ and 13ᵗʰ arrondissements are organized each year and a street artist is invited to punctuate the route that connects them.

Wall of the Boiton passage, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

Miss Tic paved the way and many have since taken part in the exercise. Along this walk, you will be able to discover dozens of artists who have exercised their talents on the mound.

At each stage we invite you to discover the most emblematic walls of the district and to look, at any given moment, at the works of the artists who decorate them. Street art being a changing practice, it is possible that you will find works different from those described in the last version of the route. Once the works have disappeared or been covered, we will update this route with the latest known creations and will keep the photographs of the older works. Last update: October 2023.

Panorama of Place de la Commune, September 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Aerial view of Place de la Commune, May 5, 1970 © IGN, National Photo Library

The Place de la Commune de Paris is one of the most emblematic places in the district.

June 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Pedestrianized around 1975, it is bordered to the north by two 5-story buildings particularly representative of their time. To the left of the 1967 stone building is a typical early 20th century building with a white brick facade, some of which has been glazed to create a discreet pattern. Its ground floor, in plaster, is the support for small-scale works which pile up, disappear and reappear over time and the restoration of the wall.

Seth, Nedi and Kekli, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

But the most popular walls of the square, and undoubtedly the most respected, are those located to the south of the square. Here, under the large acacia tree, three sections of wall protecting a planted courtyard are available to street artists. If some of the works seem to have settled permanently on these walls, others follow one another and can quickly be covered.

October 2023

• Seth

Lala can also fly, Seth, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

Born in Paris, Seth started doing graffiti in the mid-90s, first expressing himself on the walls of the 20th arrondissement. It is there, and thanks to his emblematic childish characters, that he will become known in the industry.

His murals mainly feature children carrying a message and a social, political or geographical question.

The mural with the two children was created in 2018 as part of the Open Days course offered by the Lézarts de la Bièvre association. The artist plays here with street furniture by representing, through optical effect, two children balancing around the lamppost.

For further : www.seth.fr

• Nedi and Kekli

Nedi and Kekli, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Nedi and Kekli work as a duo. Using different media to express themselves, from video to collage through drawing or writing, they come together for joint painting sessions. Their motto: Non Konform!

On this mural produced in July 2023 we find two portraits created by the artists: on the left, the work of Nedi, Alison, on the right, that of Kekli, Smiling rx78-2.

Nedi was first an educator of children and adolescents. Tinkerer, walker, designer, she paints guardians, protectors based on mythology and the diversity of the cultures she encounters. Here, the first name Alison refers to a neighborhood neighbor she met when she created the mural. It is in fact his habit to give his characters the first name of a person he met on site, at the time of painting the work.

Kekli having started painting in the 90s, he first became known with Boyo, his signature character: a round, yellow head displaying a wide, frozen smile. Since then, he has scattered other characters on the walls of our cities. Its goal: to make passers-by smile and get them out of their daily routine! In this mural, the character, Smiling rx78-2, refers to the Japanese animation series Gundam.

For further : @Nedi on instagram @Kekli on instagram

⌛ Previously

• Fléx and Sarcé, Urban Solid, June 2023

Fléx and Sarcé, June 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Sarcé and Fléx from the MECCA collective created this mural in March 2023. They included a human body installed before their intervention by Urban Solid.

For further : @meccaartcollective on instagram @urbansolid on instagram

Panorama of rue de l’Espérance, September 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Dante and Ykon, Bebar, Rémi Cierco and Monkiz, September 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Continuing the two walls of Place de la Commune, this space is also one of the most occupied in the district.

October 2023

• Dante and Ykon

Dante and Ykon, September 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Dante discovered graffiti as a teenager, first practicing lettering, mainly on walls in Brittany, where he came from. Arriving in Paris in 2015, he developed his famous hat character. We can see him from behind in this mural.

For the creation of this wall, he joined forces with Ykon. This young graffiti artist likes to illustrate his life, his passions, his experiences. We recognize its feature by its round lines. This mural was created in the spring of 2023. We can observe with humor the reaction of each of the characters to the arrival of the first spring buds.

For further : @danteoner on instagram @ykonreedit on instagram

• Bebar

Bebar © CAUE de Paris

This mural is signed by the hand of Bebar. Created in 2018, it is one of the most enduring murals. This Franco-Spanish artist was born in 1993. A graduate of the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Parsons School in New York, he masters both graffiti and academic drawing.

We recognize his mural by their abstract shapes, inspired by cartoons, which intertwine. According to the artist, the creation of his paintings is akin to choreography: the aerosol cans guide his movements and take his whole body with them.

For further : www.bebarbarie.com @BEBARBARIE on instagram

• Rémi Cierco and Monkiz

Rémi Cierco and Monkiz © CAUE de Paris

Rémi Cierco is a scenographer, illustrator, painter and street artist. Each of his works is a story in which we find childish characters who travel aboard surreal vehicles, sing, fly, play or surround themselves with wacky animals.

For the creation of this mural he was accompanied by Monkiz. This pseudonym refers to the primates which have always fascinated him. Drawing since childhood, Monkiz is passionate about the animal world and particularly the aquatic environment. This work demonstrates precisely this: the characters of Rémi Cierco sailing aboard a crazy boat are surrounded by fish offering the viewer a broad, peaceful smile!

For further : www.remicierco.com @funky_monkiz on instagram

⌛Previously

• Rémi Cierco and Kafé Korsé, June 2023

Rémi Cierco and Kafé Korsé, June 2023 © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

In June 2023, on the right part of the wall was another work by Rémi Cierco, in association with Kafé Korsé. We could see a sort of chase between two characters driving rolling and flying machines. We identified, on the left, the precise line of Kafé Korsé and, on the right, the fluidity of Rémi Cierco's style.

For further : @kafekorse on instagram

• Move, Protz, Dante and Rémi Cierco, 2021

Part of the wall, 2021 © lesdecouvertesdefab.com

• Sarcé and Fléx, April 2019

Collectif Mecca, Sarcé et Fléx, April 2019 © Collectif Mecca

To go further: @meccaartcollective on instagram

Rue de l’Espérance, traces of an old window, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Every year for more than 20 years, the Lézarts de la Bièvre association has offered an Open House circuit. This route offers all curious people the opportunity to visit the workshops of artists working in the 5th and 13th arrondissements, around the symbolic route of the underground Bièvre. Committed to promoting urban art, the association offers each year a different artist to mark this circuit.

The wall you are in front of was proposed in 2023 as a support to the artist Mr Difuz. This wall is increasingly occupied by artists, and for good reason: in 2018, the window which formerly pierced the wall of the building was walled up and coated.

October 2023

• Mr Difuz

Mr Difuz, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

In 2023, the artist Mr Difuz, whose works are inspired by graffiti and hip-hop, was nominated. Originally from Paris and a graffiti artist since he was 14, it was in Marseille that Diego Konicheckis cut his teeth.

Mr Difuz, rue des Reculettes, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Inspired by his numerous travels, it was in 2009, following a trip to South America where he was originally from, that he decided to devote himself solely to painting and illustration. His work today focuses on the representation of everyday scenes.

For further : @mr.difuz on instagram

September 2023 © CAUE by Paris

This corner building dates from the first half of the 19th century. Mainly invested in small works, in 2022 it was the support for a larger mural created by Oji and Mister Pee.

October 2023

• Ojidjo and Mister Pee

Ojidjo and Mister Pee, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

This mural was produced in June 2022 as part of the Open Doors organized by the Lézarts de la Bièvre association. Ojidjo, guest artist for the 2022 edition, collaborated here with Mister Pee, his predecessor on the circuit in 2021.

The worlds of the two artists intertwine: on the right, the fish character of Mister Pee offers his umbrella, passing his arm through the window, to the character created by Ojidjo, on the left.

Ojidjo Having started drawing at the age of 25, the artist, influenced by American painting and minimalist philosophy, strives to poetically transmit humanist messages. He works mainly around the theme of water, wishing to make passers-by aware of the fact that this precious commodity is easily wasted today.

For further : www.ojidjo.com @ojidjo on Instagram

Intervention by Mister Pee , Lézarts de la Bièvre 2021 © Mister Pee

Mister Pee Born in 1975, Mister Pee or Thomas Dityvon, is a graffiti artist, illustrator and poster paster. He draws his inspiration from comics, American hip-hop and rap culture, and the works of Basquiat, Keith Haring and Egon Schiele.

First known under the pseudonym Onyx then Songe, he learned about graffiti in the 13th arrondissement, and more precisely at Frigos, rue de Tolbiac. Mr Pee since 2000, he has used humor and derision to portray crazy situations and marginal characters. Mainly using the collage technique, which allows him to create his works in the studio and save precious time during installation, he also creates painted murals, as is the case here.

For further : @misterpee01 on Instagram ▶️A short documentary (in english) which allows you to follow the artist in Lisbon, a document produced in 2014 by Simon Philippe.

Intersection of rue Buot and rue Martin Bernard, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

At the back of the Saint-Anne de la Butte-aux-Cailles church, a fence wall separates the gardens of two private residences: a boon for street artists!

October 2023

• Seth

Works by Seth, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

Rue Buot, a mural was created by the artist Seth in early 2023. According to the artist, “it symbolizes the courage and determination of the Ukrainian people in the face of the Russian invasion.” A first version of this mural had already been produced by the artist in 2022, as evidenced by the photo presented at the bottom of this step.

Port of the obligatory helm, Seth, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

At the corner of rue Martin Bernard, the artist had already taken over the wall by creating, in 2020, a mural representing two helmeted children. Part of the series Wearing a helmet obligatory, the artist wanted to react or make passers-by react to the injunctions to wear a mask during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wearing a helmet is compulsory, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Several works from this series are visible in the neighborhood: keep your eyes peeled!

For further : www.seth.fr

⌛ Previously

• Seth

Seth, July 2023 © Seth

Seth painted a first version of this little girl with the flag in 2022, three days after the start of the war in Ukraine. Vandalized several times, he repainted it in early 2023, walking east.

Baudelocque (top) and Ensemble Réel (bottom), July 2023 © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

This narrow passage bears witness to the varied and atypical landscape of Butte-aux-Cailles. It is bordered, to the west, by individual houses dating from the first half of the 19th century, and to the east, by more recent constructions, with at number 9 for example, a building built * in the late 1960s*.

At the time, the Master Urban Plan authorized the construction of taller buildings and the removal of alignments. This could explain the differences in width observed in the Boiton passage and the appearance of different gable walls which then became supports for street art works.

The wall you are in front of is particularly interesting because it is actually a building built in 2017 by the CLCT architectural agency. It fits into the footprint of the building demolished at the time and recreates the pre-existing gable wall.

October 2023

• Philippe Baudelocque

Hippopotamoebius, Baudelocque © CAUE of Paris - T. Ménivard

Philippe Baudelocque was born in 1974 in Yerres. He started doing graffiti at the end of the 1980s and from these first steps in the street he retained a passion for creating monumental works and working with letters.

Working mainly with chalk, his precise and meticulous line is very recognizable. From graphic forms inherited from scientific iconography and borrowed, for example, from biology or quantum physics. He composes, by accumulation, large-scale animal or landscape figures.

Invited in 2012 to enhance the Open Doors route carried by the Lézarts de la Bièvre, the work Hippopotamoebius was created for the first time on this occasion, just like the bird you see below.

Baudelocque, passage du Moulin des Prés, September 2013 © street-art-avenue.com

Hippopotamoebius was preserved and reproduced in 2018 with oil pastels, on order from the real estate developer OGIC during the construction of the new building.

Through this mural, the artist wanted to pay homage to Moebius, the artist having died the year this mural was created. There is no formal link between Moebius's drawing and that of Baudelocque, but the latter considered the artist a genius since childhood. Their favorite subjects bring them together: science fiction for example, or even extraterrestrial life, multi-dimensions, but also the question of inner journey.

For further : www.baudelocque.com @philippebaudelocque on Instagram

• Real Set

Together Actual, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

In 2021, Ensemble Réel appropriates the space left free on this same facade. Ensemble Réel is a fraternal duo created in 2017. Introducing themselves to drawing and painting, Hugues and Medy became passionate about graffiti since adolescence.

Although they create their murals with four hands, each continues to develop their own style. Thus, when one strives to create a realistic work, the other diverts it by working with graphic elements and colors that deliberately break with it.

For further : www.ensemblereel.com @ensemblereel on Instagram

• Tegmo

Tegmo, October 2023 © CAUE de Paris

In October 2023, we can observe a mirror planted between the two works described here. Maybe he's still there? If so, it is a creation of Tegmo. Keep your eyes peeled, you might come across others!

His ambition: to create objects that catch the eye, adorn the walls and reflect the sun. If the artist first started by installing glass structures with mirrored backs, today he only uses pieces of mirror. This allows him to create more solid and more resistant works, but also to offer passers-by new points of view on spaces.

For further : www.tegmo.fr @tegmo_streetart on Instagram

Crossroads between rue Samson and rue Jean-Marie-Jégo, October 2023 © CAUE de Paris

You are at the junction of rue Samson and rue Gérard. Here, at 1 rue Samson, stands a high-rise building built in the 1970s. On either side of the building, rue Simonet and rue Jean-Marie-Jego, façade detachments, sometimes completely blind, are regularly taken over by street artists.

October 2023

• Ojidjo

Ojidjo, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Ojidjo is creating this work in 2022 for the Open Doors course of the Lézarts de la Bièvre association. Located between rue Samson and rue Gérard, the artist plays with an urban fantasy: two plaques, two names, a single street! The character, a little lost, then dances between the two panels.

For further : www.ojidjo.com @ojidjo on Instagram

Rue Gérard, October 2023 © CAUE de Paris

In this street, the different periods of construction of the buildings and the numerous facade gaps that result from them contribute to the creation of an atypical urban landscape. Thus, on rue Gérard, there are individual houses dating from the first half of the 19th century, taller buildings built between 1850 and 1914 in the background, and buildings more contemporary erected in the 1990s. Observe each of the gable walls of the street: most are regularly painted.

The walls in front of which we invite you to stop now host a cartoon production company, Mondo TV France. The works painted by Mathias Lelong in 2021 and 2022 were produced in agreement with the owners.

October 2023

• Mathias Le Long

* 54 rue Gérard, Lelong, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris*

Starting out with graffiti around the age of 15, Mathias Le Long first worked as a director, artistic director and animator in the field of video and animation. Wishing to return to his first passion, he takes advantage of his nighttime outings to return to painting in the street. His motivation: to make passers-by smile and add color to the street!

This is how he began to cover the walls with animals in bright, vibrant colors, first in the 13th arrondissement, then in the 20th. Each painted animal tells a story, it has a name, an origin, a place of life.

Nazar and Anushka, the leopards of love, Lelong, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Created in 2022, this mural represents two leopards “living between Russia and China, on the east side. Their name refers to the Amur River, which flows through Siberia and China. They are among the last 50 individuals recorded in 2012.” (Along)

A black bear, which has become anything but black, Lelong, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

This work predates the first. It was carried out in January 2021. In both cases, the technique used is the same: the artist paints by touch, that is to say by successive applications of several small flat areas of color on the wall.

🎧 To listen: an interview (in french) with the artist carried out in September 2023 by the CAUE in Paris, by clicking on the icon at the top of the page.

For further : @Lelong on Instagram

The block that rue Jonas crosses is mainly made up of suburban buildings and individual houses dating from the first half of the 19th century.

Their architecture is simple and modest. At the corner between rue Jonas and rue Samson, the ground floor of the building, simply pierced by a glass block opening, offers a full surface suitable for creating murals. The narrowness of the street offers little distance from the wall, making it easier for passers-by to immerse themselves in the drawing.

October 2023

• Sarcé and Flex

Sarcé and Flex , MECCA © CAUE de Paris

Sarcé (César Dubroca) and Fléx (Félix Lesur), painters, illustrators and tattoo artists are part of the MECCA collective.

Founded in 2010, the collective initially brought together four friends around the practice of skateboarding in the 13th arrondissement. The production of images (drawing, painting, photography) quickly becomes a complementary activity to skateboarding. Little by little learning to work together, they carry out various collective projects: exhibitions, performances or even partnerships with clothing brands or independent music labels.

César Dubroca and Félix Lesur having grown up in the Butte-aux-Cailles district, it is quite naturally that the two artists, inspired by the murals they encounter on a daily basis, came to express themselves on the walls of the neighborhood. Working on murals, on a large scale, allows them to execute larger, more instinctive movements and at the same time open up to another way of creating. They define their style as psychedelic, mysterious and sometimes even obscure.

Their realization rue Jonas dates from February 2023. It is based on compositional elements of the wall itself: the glass blocks, the joints of which are highlighted in red, serve as a basis for the creation of a volume who becomes a character. The wall is thus highlighted and each element of the composition seems to want to stand out from this surface.

For further : @sarce.mecca on Instagram @flex.mecca on Instagram

Rue des Cinq Diamants © CAUE de Paris

Rue des Cinq Diamants is one of the oldest in the district but also one of the liveliest.

Bordered mainly by buildings built in the first half of the 19th century, it now has a large number of restaurants, bars and shops. Among them, we find well-known institutions in the neighborhood: the restaurants Chez Gladines, Au passage des artistes and Chez Mamane.

October 2023

Miss Tic and The Jo Footprint V © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

On the facade of the restaurant Chez Gladines, two works by two distinct artists were created. On the right, on the cut side of the building, we recognize the feature of Miss Tic. On the left, The Jo V print represented two crying women. Made in May 2018 following the death of Miss Tic, they pay tribute to her.

• Miss Tic

Facade of the restaurant Chez Gladines, Miss Tic, 2020 © missticinparis.com

An essential figure in street art, Miss Tic became known in 1985 through her creations printed with stencils on the walls of Paris. We easily recognize his black and white works, realistically representing women or moving figures. His creations are most often accompanied by an incisive sentence, an aphorism in black and red and with characteristic typography.

Exhibited in France and abroad, she has also worked in the fashion world (Kenzo, Louis Vuitton, etc.) and for the cinema. In 2007, she created the poster for Claude Chabrol's film The Girl Cut in Two.

The Girl Cut in Two, movie poster © Miss Tic, Claude Chabrol

Although the artist left us in May 2022, many traces of his passage are still visible, in the 13ᵗʰ arrondissement and elsewhere (Ménilmontant, Montmartre, le Marais, Montorgueil...).

23 rue des Cinq Diamants, Miss Tic © CAUE de Paris

As a tribute to the artist, a square in the 5ᵗʰ arrondissement, located not far from n°71 rue Buffon where the artist lived, should take his name.

For further : missticinparis.com

• The Jo V imprint

The Jo V imprint, October 2023 © CAUE de Paris

The Jo V imprint is a self-taught artist of Portuguese origin. He mainly creates realistic portraits. Observe his signature: it is the print of his finger!

To see more: @l_impression_jo_v on instagram

Above the door of the old Hôtel du Commerce, stencil made in 2010 by Miss Tic, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Miss Tic, born in Paris in 1956, lived in Butte-aux-Cailles for more than 20 years. His workshop was also located rue Henri-Michaux. Making this neighborhood his playground since the 1980s, his works can still be found there regularly. She inaugurated the Open Doors course at Lézarts de la Bièvre in 2001.

Passage Sigaud, Miss Tic, October 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Rue Gérard, Miss Tic and Jace Gouzou, October 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Known to everyone and particularly to the neighborhood's merchants, we can find at the end of her book Parisienne, thanks provided "to the friends of Butte-aux-Cailles with whom I drank and had a good laugh" . (Miss Tic)

Among them, Christian Barnathan, owner of the Café du Commerce in front of which you are standing. Elected president of the neighborhood merchants' association in 2000, he, like the other restaurateurs on the street, knew the artist very well.

Miss Tic, 2010 © Christian Barnathan

This is evidenced by the numerous stencils still visible on the storefronts, notably the one made in 2010 above the café which housed a monthly hotel until 2012. We see a woman lying down and the following aphorism "You make me dream, to fall asleep better.

The 4L of David, former waiter at Gladines, marked by Miss Tic's stencils, 2005 © Christian Barnathan

Another testimony to the link that the artist had with the inhabitants of the neighborhood, this 4L tagged with a stencil. It belonged to David, a former Gladines employee.

🎧 To listen: an interview (in french) with Christian Barnathan carried out in July 2023 by the CAUE de Paris, owner of Café du Commerce since 1996, by clicking on the icon at the top of the page.

July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

The walls of this corner building on the ground floor house the neighborhood's central grocery store. They are regularly invested by artists. Backed by a 3-storey building built between 1850 and 1914, this atypical configuration reveals a vast gable wall also regularly covered with murals.

October 2023

• Collective 2AC

Djalouz, Caligr and Onepesca, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

This mural dating from July 2022 is signed by the 2AC collective, founded by the artists Djalouz, Caligr and One Pesca. While each has developed their own artistic style, they regularly collaborate together.

We recognize here the pigeon of Djalouz, which is part of his Pigecam series. With these pigeons whose heads have been replaced by a surveillance camera, the artist wishes to denounce our increasingly controlled and monitored societies. Their golden patina gives the animal the appearance of a trophy: like a relic of our society?

Caligr's sheep, chewing a smartphone, amplifies this criticism by addressing the issue of overconsumption.

At the bottom of the mural, we find the lettering of One Pesca.

For further : @djalouz on Instagram @caligr_one on Instagram @onepesca on Instagram

⌛ Previously

Miss Tic © archives 2006 - author unknown

In 2006, the wall overlooking the grocery store was covered with various works. Christian Barnathan, owner of Café du Commerce, then contacted Miss Tic to offer to work on this wall.

The artist agreed and created the work you see above. Christian says: “the wall remained intact for 6 months, to the day”. After this time, other works accumulated around and ended up covering the stencils of Miss Tic.

Crossroads between rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles and rue of the Five Diamonds, October 1964 © DHAAP

Here you are on the other side of the grocery store, two sections of the wall of which have been regularly occupied since 2015. The murals replaced the billboards previously present on the building.

The sidewalk widens to the right of the paintings and thus allows you to take the necessary distance to observe them.

October 2023

• Tito Mulk

Tito Mulk, October 2023 © CAUE de Paris

In October 2023 the artist duo Tito Mulk created this mural in black and white on a red background. Through a profusion of details, their creations offer several levels of reading: a black line drawing and a white message on a bright background which appeals to the passerby. We can read two messages here: “Peace” and “there is no good war or bad peace”.

Another particularity, the work of the two artists is strongly influenced by comics. In each of their works we can indeed have fun finding superheroes, film or cartoon characters. Here we recognize, for example, Gandhi or Caliméro.

For further : @Tito/Mulk on Instagram

⌛ Previously

• Tito Mulk, June 2023

Tito Mulk, June 2023 © CAUE de Paris - T. Ménivard

The same two artists had already created a mural on this wall in May 2022. In the latter, two distinct worlds faced each other: on one side nature, on the other technology.

Here we could again identify several characters from comics or cartoons. On the right side, there was for example Inspector Gadget, John Blacksad, Astro the Little Robot, Bender Tordeur Rodríguez from Futurama, Grendizer and Daft Punk. On the left side, nature side, appeared Pumba, a dinosaur from Jurassic Park or even Maurice from the film Madagascar.

At the bottom of the mural was written “I see humans, but in humanity”.

• Collectif 2AC, June 2020

Collectif 2AC, June 2020 © One Pesca, Caligr, Djalouz

• Collectif 2AC, September 2019

Collectif 2AC, September 2019 © One Pesca, Caligr, Djalouz

• Miss Tic, 2006

Miss Tic, 2006 © Christian Barnathan

Louyz, Dawal, Selor, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

At the crossroads between rue Alphand and passage Sigaud, the construction of a high-rise building in the 1970s, set back from the existing alignment, made it possible to free up several gable walls and therefore as many supports for large-scale murals. The open square thus offers a significant distance from which to observe the murals which follow one another on the walls.

You may have noticed that the neighborhood continues to evolve: at number 13 bis of the street we observe an increase in height carried out between 2020 and 2022.

October 2023

• Louyz

Louyz, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Louyz, born in 1987 into a family of muralist painters, is the author of this yellow lizard which has been meandering along the facade since spring 2019. Her objective is to make the city wilder while highlighting highlighting the link between man, nature and animals.

If the artist's grandfather and mother painted a large number of trompe l'oeil murals, it is with her own style, freer and less academic, that she gradually made a place for herself. in the world of urban art. A resident of the neighborhood, she created her collages or paintings, small or large, almost everywhere...keep your eyes peeled!

🎧 To listen: an interview (in french) with the artist carried out in July 2023 by the CAUE in Paris, by clicking on the icon at the top of the page.

For further : @louyz on Instagram

• Dawal and Selor

Dawal and Selor, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

This blue surrealist mural created below that of Louyz is a collaboration between Dawal and Selor. It dates from March 2023. The two artists both have very different styles. On the one hand, Dawal proceeds by accumulating details, creating complex illustrations that invite passers-by to approach to discover all the subtleties. Selor for his part creates more peaceful drawings. He usually likes to portray his half-man, half-animal character, the Mimil. Lending him his words through a short text, the Mimil expresses humorous or poetic messages to the spectators.

Dawal and Selor come together for this mural on a theme that is dear to them: the opposition between nature and technology. In this precise and complex drawing, an industrialized society seems to take up more and more space in the landscape.

For further : @_dawal on Instagram @s_e_l_o_r on Instagram

• Mathieu 1976

Mathieu 1976, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Mathieu Dussaucy signs his graffiti under the alias Mathieu 1976. Painting in the street since 1994, his murals are recognizable by their colors: pink, orange, yellow.

Mathieu 1976, October 2023 © CAUE de Paris

This work dates from May 2023. It represents with absurdity and offset a tank bursting from an umbrella. Between May and October 2023, adjustments were made by the artist: will you be able to find the differences? The artist wishes to advocate the ephemeral and his works are perpetually readjusted at irregular intervals.

To see more: @mathieu_1976 on Instagram

• Mric Writers and Robi Keith

Mric Writers and Robi Keith, September 2023 © CAUE de Paris

At the corner of rue Alphand and Passage Sigaud, two Nébuleuses by Sbam (Mric Writers) and Robi Keith were created in 2021. The walls previously served as supports for numerous posters, stencils and tags, the owners asked the two artists to create these two murals.

Mric Writers and Robi Keith, September 2023 © CAUE de Paris

For further : @robi.keith on Instagram @mricwriters on Instagram

⌛ Previously

• 2020 The wall on rue Alphand, 2020 © lesdecouvertesdefab.com

This street corner occupies a strategic position for street artists. Located at the crossroads between Passage Sigaud and Rue Barrault, it offers artists and their works great visibility. Since 2021, these three sections of wall have been occupied by guest artists as part of the Colors Festival.

Born after successive periods of confinement and closure of museums, the Colors Festival responds to a double desire of the street artists who founded it: to meet up with each other and reconnect with their audience. For this, an immersive street art exhibition is offered each year to Parisians. For its 3rd edition in 2023, the festival brought together nearly 80 artists. Every year installed in a building left empty and awaiting work, it allows visitors to return to view the works at any time. In parallel with these indoor exhibitions, the festival team systematically invites artists to take on this wall on rue Alphand.

October 2023

• Victoriano

Free the toro, Victoriano, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Victoriano, born in 1981, has been practicing urban art since his adolescence. Initially an artistic director for English or Spanish companies, in 2009 he created his own graffiti company, GraffitiCompany.

Since 2015, the world-renowned artist has devoted himself exclusively to his personal creation. He is mainly known for his portraits of women and his looks. His line, unstructured and as if thrown onto the surface he is painting, is particularly recognizable.

Free the toro, Victoriano, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

The work Free the Toro was created in February 2023 as part of the Colors Festival.

A sort of nod to Picasso, several bulls pursue the artist who is forced to flee, abandoning his palette and his painting. Victoriano is playing Picasso here: although the latter certainly depicted a certain number of bulls during his career, it was not so much out of love for the animal but rather out of a passion for bullfighting. It’s the sprinkler watered!

For further : @victoriano_tx on Instagram

⌛ Previously

• Colors Festival, 2022

Colors Festivals, 2022 © Colors Festival

For further : colors_festivals on Instagram

This wall forms the corner between a quiet passage, the passage Sigaud, and a busy street, the rue Barrault. Its position is therefore strategic for artists because on the one hand it allows them to paint quietly, out of sight, and on the other, it offers very good visibility to the works.

October 2023

• Fléx and Sarcé

Fléx and Sarcé, MECCA, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

This work is signed by the duo of artists from Collectif MECCA: Fléx and Sarcé whose work has already been described to you in step 10 of this walk. It was carried out in February 2023.

As in rue Jonas, the two artists here took advantage of the architecture of the wall. They feature an eye stretching from a blocked window to illuminate a character with a rectangular head. In keeping with their style, the number of colors is limited. Here, the artists only play with three colors and yet create a work full of contrast.

Fléx and Sarcé particularly appreciate this place. They have already created nearly five murals there and have also worked on the rest of the street.

For further : @meccaartcollective on Instagram

• Jace Gouzou

JACE, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

The passage Sigaud is one of the most heavily occupied walls in the district. Before MECCA, Seth, Joe ber & EZK, ZABOU, Emyart's, Kamlaurene, had already left their mark.

Above the front door Jace Gouzou created, in June 2014, an astonishing yellow character who seems to be carried away by a balloon. Invited to enhance the Open Doors circuit by the Lézarts de la Bièvre in 2014, some of the artist's works are still visible in the neighborhood.

One of the most emblematic is located at n°59 rue du Moulinet. Made in 2016 and 16 meters high, it is inspired by the world of Mario Bros.

For further : @jaceticot on Instagram

⌛ Previously

• Seth, Jace Gouzou, Sarcé et Flex, 2019

Seth, Jace Gouzou, Sarcé and Flex © lesdecouvertesdefab.com

You are here at the corner of rue Barrault and rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles. Behind these walls is a local body shop.

October 2023

• Ojidjo

Ojidjo, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

This work, produced in June 2022 as part of the Open Doors course of the Lézarts de la Bièvre, is signed Ojidjo. On the theme of water, the mural is based on the relief of the wall to represent a large boat led by a character playing the flute. For a note of humor and surprise, at the back of the boat a character is chatting with a chicken.

Other elements of the facade have been integrated into the mural. The electrical boxes are sometimes backpacks and sometimes part of the boat's hull. The original color of the wall was preserved to represent the clouds.

For further : www.ojidjo.com @ojidjo on Instagram

⌛ Previously

• Ojidjo, June 2022

* Ojidjo, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris*

On the rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles side, another mural by Ojidjo responded to the one created the same year on the wall of rue Barrault.

The tones and colors were identical but this time we observed people on the ground, observing the sea. The edge of the wall delimited the space of the mural and served as a seat for its protagonists.

Place de la Commune, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Throughout your journey, you have probably noticed the profusion of other creations which are not presented in this route.

The walls of the neighborhood are changing. As soon as a mural is created, it is not uncommon to see smaller works accumulate alongside it. Although it is sometimes difficult to identify the authors of these installations, their signatures are often hidden nearby.

You have undoubtedly come across Spaces Invaders by the artist Franck Slama, the anarchist hearts of A2, the multi-faceted mirrors of Tegmo or the *monkeys * from Zorm, for example.

• Space Invaders

Space Invader brown and beige, Franck Slama, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

We no longer present the world famous Space Invaders! These mosaic characters from the video game of the same name have gradually invaded cities around the world, hence their code name: Invader.

They are the work of the artist Franck Salma. Is he an artist ? Rather ULA or Unidentified Living Artist as he self-defines. Always acting masked, the artist can act incognito and go to his own exhibitions without anyone noticing his presence.

See more: space-invaders.com

• A2

Top left, an anarchist heart, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

The anarchist hearts of A2 are particularly present in Paris. There are more than 1,800 of them today, and that's just on the streets of the capital!

If hearts are the most common representations of the artist, A2 also creates portraits of famous women like Louise Michel or Emma Goldman.

See more: a2-streetart.com

• Tegmo

Above, a mirror of Tegmo, July 2023 © CAUE de Paris

Mirrors by the artist Tegmo are regularly nestled on street corners.

See more: @tegmo_streetart on Instagram

• Zorm

Monkeys, Zorm, July 2023 @ CAUE de Paris

And these colorful monkey heads? These are the monkeys of the artist Zorm. Volume works are rare in street art, so these heads are all the more visible and remarkable.

Defender of the animal cause, the artist chose to represent bonobos: a species close to humans but unfortunately endangered.

• Souvenir of the first manned hot air balloon flight

September 2023 @ CAUE de Paris

In the courtyard of a private building in the neighborhood there is a monumental mural. It represents the first manned flight in a non-captive hot air balloon carried out in 1783. This flight, guided by Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes, started at the Jardins de la Muette, today located in the 16ᵗʰ arrondissement, to land on Butte-aux-Cailles.

What if you went for a walk in the neighborhood again? You might come across in particular:

• stamps and portraits of women by Carole B. - www.carolebartiste.fr
• the animals of @MS Béja on Instagram
• the busts of @Aydar on Instagram
• the murals of @C215 on Instagram
• the works of @Valé on Instagram

and many others !