Must See Parisian Street Art
Parisian street art is the subject of controversy. Some in French society criticize graffiti and street art for damaging the beautiful landscape of the city and see it as pure vandalism while others see graffiti as a complex, modern form of art.
Paris is the city where elegantly designed buildings are juxtaposed with temporary examples of the street art that pop up from unexpected places. This is an interesting combination of modern and classical styles which makes Parisian streets quite miscellaneous. Below are some of the most beautiful street art sites in Paris.
1. Place Igor Stravisnky, 4th arrondissement
The famous painting called “Chuuuttt!” by Jef Aerosol. It is one of the biggest touristic attractions of Paris as it is right next to the Centre Pompidou and the Gothic Church of Saint-Merri. The painting is huge in size, illustrating the self-portrait of the artist with his index finger against his mouth in a shushing gesture.
Instagram: @12_sagittarius
2. Canal St Martin – 10th and 11th arrondissements
Near this area there are many amazing street art examples, the great majority of them belonging to Kashink, the French female street art painter. Her style of painting is characterized by the use of thick lines, bright colors, surrealistic elements such as multiple eyes and bulging facial features.
Instagram: @kashink1
3. Montmartre – 18th arrondissement
The street art paintings made by Hopare are known for being eye-catching and colourful. They are usually found in tourist attractions like Montmartre. Hopare combines traditional and alternative styles of graffiti painting and usually paints anthropomorphic portraits with unusual facial colors.
Instagram: @hopare1
4. Rue de L’Ourcq, 19th arrondissement
This is the place where visitors can view beautiful frescos illustrating the mix of cultural elements of Indian, Egyptian and other contemporary cultures. Even though the actual paintings are not as expressive as the above mentioned ones, the imagination of the painter used in this fresco is wild and impressive.
Instagram: @harmonydl
5. Gare du Nord
The black and white paintings of Levalet in Gare du Nord cannot go unnoticed. Levalet’s paintings show the train conductors ordering suitcases. The unique style of this artist lies in his method of using objects already embedded in walls and adding humorous elements to them.
Instagram: @levaletdessinderue
These examples of Parisian wall paintings show street art not as a form of vandalism, but more as a form of contemporary art, which make Parisian streets more colourful. It is amazing the way these street paintings pop up in different parts of the city, beautifully juxtaposing the Haussmannian elaborate design with the contemporary art form.
