Now artists stage and inspired by the street

Non-it is not an "art of vandals". Street art certainly takes its source in the street, in the same way as the graffiti art. But it is a singular renaissance. It expands even its public. Thus, in France, Laurence Parisot, President of the Medef, cache not do part of his new followers. In this time chahutés by economic conditions, it is even one of the only areas that record rating increases. Some values were to be multiplied by up to 50 in five years. It must be said that the movement share very far!

But how this mode of expression out system came to recognition, to the point that magazine "Beaux Arts" he devoted the cover of its December issue "Urban art has definitely made the wall," observed journalist of the magazine. Recent years saw its legitimacy to increase, refreshing a movement born 25 years ago in public space to exist as one of the fine arts.

In fact, urban art is in the making, and many institutions interested in the subject. Last summer, the Tate Modern in London had dressed one of the walls of this former power plant of works of street art. Next summer, the Cartier Foundation he also devoted a major exhibition. In the meantime, on 15 December (), Artcurial Paris House organizes auctions under the title "Street art". It should disperse a hundred works. The estimates are significantly lower than the prices charged in the "classic" contemporary art The average is around 3,000 euros.

At the same time, the galleries multiplying initiatives in this area. The young Gallery Le Feuvre, the 164, rue de Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, exposes until 21 December one of the Veterans of street art, Jonone (pronounced John One), forty-five years. 20 Proposed canvases, 15 have already been sold between 5,000 and 30,000 euros. It is a work full of energy but that, in its directory, also takes abstraction." "Jonone has obvious talents of colorist", note Franck Lefeuvre. The artist of American origin, who worked in Paris since 1987, is supported by a famous French collector, Agnès B, who dedicated him even an advantageous place in the catalogue of his collection which has been published in JP Ringier. His record at auction: 20,000 euros for a 2 metre-long painting dated 1993. He refrained from Roy Lichtenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, artists he met in New York. At Artcurial, three of his paintings are proposed between 700 and 20,000 euros to the largest.

Urban art in a broad sense

However, the international star of street art is referred to as English Banksy. Born in 1975, he is known for its images created the stencil which mixes animal representations and written messages. It is also now presented in the generalist sales of contemporary art. On 23 October last in London, for example, Bonhams was awarded one of his paintings of 2002 to 114,000 euros. It represents a monkey with a moralistic message on her tank top. At Artcurial, a silkscreen of Banksy representing two children who are dressed in a bullet-proof vest marked "Police" is estimated at 4,500 euros. However, it should be noted that the multiple works of street art star found little success in the past few weeks. Banksy claims of older French Blek rat (fifty-seven years), which used before him the same kind of clean graphics drawn using stencils. His record date October last in London, when one of his paintings representing an inspired by the ancient topic has reached 22,000 euros. "In 2002, his works were for 600 euros barely", note the expert of the sale, Arnaud Oliveux. This time he proposed four batches a spray paint on canvas representing Françoise Sagan and a naked male figure estimated 10,000 euros. Finally, among the French who reached international fame, we must also mention Zevs (pronounced Zeus). Thirty-one years old artist is defended in Paris by the Patricia Dorfmann Gallery. Last summer, he was the Interior and exterior of the great Museum of Copenhagen, NY Carlsberg Glyptothek. Until 21 January next the la galerie Gallery for Zurich, De Pury Luxembourg (), shows his recent work. Its production is made up of photographs and paintings on Plexiglas. Its price ranged between 5,000 and 15,000 euros. "The art of the street has changed," explains its Patricia Dorfmann Gallery. "It is more simply graffiti but an urban art in the broadest sense." Now, artists stage and inspired by the street.