the essential
The Place du Weight de la Ville in Agen is transfigured. A mural was executed in 3 and a half days by the Streetarterie collective. An order from the neighborhood council “A new 16th” of the Cathedral.
The city’s Place du Weight which marks the entrance to the pedestrian street Emile-Sentini has taken on color, just on the corner at the start of rue Cajarc, a sublime fresco inspired by the painter Mucha was created by three artists from the Streetarterie collective aka Focks, Aurégrfk and Yoernest. Alfons Mucha was a Czechoslovak poster artist, illustrator, graphic designer, interior designer and decorator. He is a major exponent of art nouveau and famous for his portrait of Sarah Bernhardt.
“We travel throughout the department to carry out works, but this is the first time that we have created such a large fresco of 9 m x 5 m in the city center of Agen. We have only had positive feedback since then. that we started working on Monday”, confides Yoernest happily. While they are perched on a scaffolding, passers-by constantly call out to congratulate them: “Well done, it’s magnificent!”, “It’s very beautiful!”, “Hats off, it’s splendid!”.
Downstream of the Bâtiments de France
“Messages that really warm our hearts”, underlines Yoernest who, on behalf of his fellow artists, would like to thank Sébastien Dupressoir, employee in the Town Hall Works department, who helped them, and especially the neighborhood council “A new 16th “(Cathedral) which officially commissioned them to enhance this corner of the city. “This project required a year and a half of preparatory work subject to the approval of the French Buildings Department and of course the authorization of the hairdresser since the wall which houses the fresco belongs to him.”
The three artists began by drawing a sketch on the wall, before giving shape to the effigy of a young woman, using acrylic paint applied with a brush and spray. “We revisited the Mucha spirit in terms of her hair and ornamental flowers to anchor the portrait in our contemporary era.” Three and a half days of work from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day, under the amazed gaze of local residents and people passing through.
The work is crowned with the ancient name “aginnum” which means Agen and highlighted with a light frame to reflect the base where the inscription “place du Weight de la ville” appears surrounded by very art nouveau floral motifs. A style characterized by curves and arabesques, the return to color, floral or plant motifs, nature as a source of inspiration, the sensuality of women with long flowing hair. Mucha’s codes, applied to the historical and bourgeois past of the city linked to the proximity of the Haussmann buildings on Boulevard Carnot.
Thriving businesses that bear their signature
The Streetarterie collective will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year. He excels in graffiti murals, live painting, ephemeral and removable media, cellograff, exhibitions and installations. Active in Agen and Villeneuve-sur-Lot, the collective is made up of seven artists from the world of design, graphics and muralist painting. “But all three of us on this project are multidisciplinary artists.”
Among the feats of arms of the Streetarterie, painted walls at Fonroche, Eau de Garonne, an old-fashioned engraving painted at the Estillac gymnasium, a painting in a nod to Dali at the Félix-Aunac institution, a fresco at the Michel-Serres campus, at the digital campus, dressed EDF transformers…
After having created a graffiti festival in Tonneins, they are hopeful of organizing one in Agen and they hope to be asked again to create and change the appearance of the streets of Agen.
Rue Emile-Sentini full of vitality
Present since 2000 when he bought the salon from his boss, the men’s hairdresser Rémi Caldo who gave the green light for the mural, applauds the creation: “It’s very good! everyone is happy in the neighborhood. My wall was completely empty. India Roberts, the co-manager of the Quarts coffee kitchen, says she is delighted and under the spell of the work. Rue Emile-Sentini has been revitalized in recent years and the renovation of the warmer square has brought a friendly touch. Restaurateurs, merchants and the tattoo artist president of the street association are moving to liven up the street and the help of neighborhood council 16 completes the attractiveness of the twin sister of rue Molinier in its extension. A pictorial fresco which also offers significant visibility to the collective of artists, like a beautiful business card.
