Street Artists

The following guest post is by Houda Lazrak

On the facades of high-rise Parisian apartment buildings near the southern bank of the Seine are beautifully painted walls by some of our favorite local and international street artists. Paris’s 13th municipal arrondissement, a multicultural residential neighborhood — adjacent to Chinatown and home to France’s National Library — has become a street art destination in its own right, with a distinctive mural-driven identity. The 50+ walls works erected since 2009 are curated by Street Art 13, an initiative of Galerie Itinerrance‘s founder and director Mehdi Ben Cheikh, in collaboration with the local Mayor’s Office. The project has not only been fully embraced by local residents, but also officially celebrated by city’s government. The 13th municipal arrondissement Mayor Jérôme Coumet was awarded the distinguished Marianne d’Or in 2016 for his contribution to the city’s culture.

On a particularly frisky Parisian morning, I explored these streets to capture some of these works. Featured above are murals by the NY-based duo Faile, And I Held My Breath, and French artist Seth.

Seth, closer up

French artist Maye, Thau Pond

Austrian-French couple Jana and JS, Self-Portrait

West Coast-based Shepard Fairey, Delicate Balance

UK-based D’Face, Turncoat

French artist C215, The Cat

All photos by Houda Lazrak