In Rennes, we see a funny character flourishing here and there, recognizable among thousands. With his eyes aligned horizontally on a wide mouth revealing happy teeth… He is unmissable, and captures attention. This spooky creature, called Bobbiewas born from the prolific imagination of Baxter, a Rennes street artist since 2023. The latter thus reinvents urban space with a certain poetry tinged with innocence.
Baxter in his twenties, and a head full of dreams that overflow even into his bag bearing the logo of an Art school that he carries on his shoulder. Despite his young age (let’s be honest, about us, eh…)he has already visited capitals known worldwide for their artistic excitement: Berlin, New York, to name but a few. But the latter, fascinating but demanding, can be hard to tame, and it is therefore in Rennes that Baxter has decided to settle down in 2023. For him, the city has everything to please: a friendly atmosphere, a territory to size human and a bustling artistic scene. “ HAS Rennes, there are a thousand things to do, especially in music. If I had to name only one place dedicated to young people, it would be the Hôtel Pasteur. »
And since then, it’s sparkling, it’s bubbling, it’s been experimenting. The boy tries his hand at multiple artistic disciplines: rap, plastic art, collage, graffiti… “ I am a dreamer, and I have the will to become a great artist », he tells us with a broad smile. And for good reason. His passion for drawing dates back to childhood, to the point that a simple A4 sheet quickly became too narrow to accommodate his creations. So, in high school, with his friend Zazou, he started to experiment : « We had fun sticking our own stickers. We inspired each other. That’s how it all started. » That, and the trouble after getting caught in action. But hey. It’s the job that comes in, as they say!
And then over time, Bobbie appeared. As if it were obvious. “ The principle is simple: two eyes, one mouth at the top, one mouth at the bottom. When you turn him over, he goes from a smile to a sad, desperate expression. When I became aware of it, it fascinated me. It became a symbol, a powerful concept that imposed itself naturally. I liked it, so I incorporated it into my street work. Plus, it’s super easy to draw. I like this principle of doing something minimalist but impactful. »
Since then, Bobbies have flourished all over the city. Sometimes hidden in discreet corners, sometimes visible to all, the characters intrigue and amuse. Unlike other street artists, Bexter does not premeditate anything. With him, everything works on instinct. Posca PC-17K in your pocket, along the way, alone or with a group of friends, day or night, opportunity makes the thief. Instinctively, that is. “ I don’t do this on cars, front doors for example. On the other hand, I like working on the back of panels, street furniture like that of EDF, La Poste or things that are already damaged. The idea is to always remain kind and positive. »
Moreover, speaking of kindness, each Bobbie is generally accompanied by a sweet, friendly or caring phrase, or simply a heart. A positive attitude which would undoubtedly not displease Raffarin. “ The Bobbies are scenarios with a sentence that makes tilta bit like a click. This approach was inspired by relaxadult, an artist that I really appreciate. His drawings, which can seem almost clumsy at first glance (laughs), are always accompanied by super impactful texts. This concept fascinated me and made me want to explore it in my own way. » No wonder, then, that the list of his inspirations includes names like Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey or Basquiat, artists known for their ability to reach a wide audience. Baxter shares this vision: « Through creation, I enjoy myself, but I can also create a positive impact on others thanks to the energy I inject into my works. »
By keeping our eyes on alert, we come across Bobbies more and more often. But Baxter tempers. According to him, he doesn’t do that much. The proof is that he “ procrastinates a lot. » Especially since his other activities take up a good part of his time. It must be said that his works tend to stay in place for quite a long time, accentuating this impression of omnipresence. “ In the world of street art in Rennes, I seem to be accepted, just as I respect certain rules. There is no competition. And for the joke, I have already seen furniture completely cleaned except for my drawing. »
So, yes, on the walls of Rennes-La-Rouge, Baxter’s Bobbies stand out, stand out from the timeless All Colives Are Beautiful and other revolutionary-Marxo-Leninist tags. But after all, it takes everything to make a city, right?
As for the future, Baxter half-dreams of joining Brussels, this bustling capital where events, museums, theaters, concert halls and art galleries meet. Or perhaps try your luck across the Rhine. But for now, the street artist prefers to concentrate on the evolution of his Bobbie and refine new graffiti techniques to enrich his creations. In the meantime, he is slowly recovering from a successful open-mic evening at Élabo, organized with his crew DDNC (Worthy of the name, Editor’s note). From Posca for graffiti to pen for rapping, ultimately, no matter the tool, only the message remains engraved!
(Street-art, Vandale, etc… )
- But who are these strange characters who flourish in the city of Rennes?
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- Petite Poissone: “What I like is the difference, whether in words or in form”
- Boudette or the “fury to say (on the walls)”!
- TEGMO or the (urban) art of “making people think”
- [19 aout 2023] – One day, a photo: “Take the power b(oudette)ack”
- [26 juillet 2023] – One day, a photo: “Xoana Almar, or dreams against the wall”
- Be careful with fresh paint! The artist Vincent Broquaire is revamping the Dominos de la Courrouze sector!
- FatherFucker or the art of militant collage
- The fresco of the rue d’Échange toyée.
- Comfort Zone: “Unconsciously, I had to reclaim public space. »
- [Fresque murale rue de Saint-Malo] [4] : “My project could have been taken as a snub” (Mardi Noir)
- [Fresque murale rue de Saint-Malo] [3] : “A poorly designed call for projects generates a waste of creativity” (Mathieu Tremblin)
- [Fresque murale rue de Saint-Malo] [2] : Presentation of the painter Annie Hamel, finalist.
- [Fresque murale rue de Saint-Malo] [1] : The “Plus de Couleurs” collective supports artists in their efforts
- “Everything is fine”… so far at least!
- The Polaroid in Rennes is art and Cork!
- Meeting with a “Justiciar” in the city.
- Avenue Aristide Briand, the house “with a thousand and one collages”
- Does the Rennes MUR really promote “an equal presence of women and men”?
- Dark and delicate, welcome to the world of Naga
- Treasure hunt, “Je de M”!
- STOER had better take action!
- “This guy, with his beard and his glasses, is…”
- In Rennes, a new Street-Art route (ephemeral, no doubt…)
- Mysterious posters signed with a parallelogram abound in Rennes…
- Be careful, “Fresh paint” on the city walls!
- Meeting with Richard Volante, co-director of the film “Anatomy of an Urban Body”
- On the walls of Rennes, he displays his hatred of street art!
- Another Bomb in the Wall: new location, new walls, new scene!
- Rennes encourages Street Art but only when it’s cute…
- Black Tuesday: “A wasteland has an interesting aesthetic…”
- “I salute you my street”: portrait of SimOne Pictures Factory
- Rust is on display at the Ombre Blanche gallery!
- WAR exhibits for the first time!
- Observe the city of Rennes through a prism…
- “Rust” or the dark side of street art…
- Meeting with the street artist ‘DeuxBen De Rennes’
- A fresco or nothing for the ACC Crew.
- “In Situ” exhibition at Blosne: watch out, Défi Graff!
- Image creators: MicMac at Chapelle-des-Fougeretz
- Urban art happily takes over the walls of Rennes.
- Meeting with WAR
- Explosion of artists at Teenage Kicks in Rennes
- Bomb alert! First international street art meeting in Rennes
- Street Art: BREZE, at the sources of Rennes graffiti
- Street Art: Hey, the wild beauty
- Street art: Žilda, myths and walls
- Wall art: Mioshe, sower of chimeras
- Wall art: The RAs are in the city
- Graffiti brings the Saint-Hélier brewery back to life
- Bombs storm the former Kronenbourg Brewery on January 28 and 29, 2012
- Urban: the Antipode is changing walls!
