Tag Archives: Art in Paris

How to Visit Current Art Studios in Paris

While Paris has some of the best museums in the world, the city also fosters the creativity of thousands of modern-day artists. A unique way to experience their work first-hand is to visit their studios. There are a variety of ways you can do this thanks to open days (portes ouvertes), artist association-run galleries, and events in artist squats. Discover some of the best opportunities below, including a few events in the coming weeks!

Cité International des Arts / FB

La Cité Internationale des Arts

This City of Paris foundation in the southern Marais welcomes 1,000 international artists-in-residence every year. On Wednesdays from 6pm to 9pm they host an “artist trail” through a selection of the centre’s 325 studios. They also have an art gallery displaying their artists’ work and host a range of other events, learn more here.

The foundation also manages another art studio centre on the northern edge of Montmartre. Opening in the early 1930s, La Cité Montmartre aux Artistes is comprised of 180 art studios. Some events are held throughout the year or you can also visit it on open days. The next open days are 9th to 10th February!

59 Rivoli (and top image) / FB

59 Rivoli

Since 1999 this colourful artist squat has occupied a former bank building on rue de Rivoli. You can freely wander through the various floors and studios of the space from 1pm to 8pm Tuesdays to Sundays (donations appreciated) or check out its revolving line-up of exhibits (and concerts) which take place in its official art gallery on the ground floor.

6b Saint Denis

This artist squat is found within a massive formerly vacant building in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis. Today 200 artists of varying genres contribute to the vibrant cultural ambiance of the venue. They have an active agenda of events from exhibitions to short film screenings. They are host an open house twice a year.

L’Impasse

This hybrid creative space and bar in the 11th has monthly artist-in-residence. Called the “Aquarium”, the studio is found underneath the venue’s impressive atrium (created by Gustave Eiffel!). You can stop by to see what the artist is up to and you may want to plan to come Thursday to Saturday night to also take in a concert or film screening.

Ateliers de Belleville / Paris Info

Ateliers de Belleville

The Belleville area is one of the most artistic in Paris. Its local artist association is made up of 250 members. They display their art in individual and group shows at the AAB GALLERY (1 rue Francis Picabia, 75020 Paris), located near the Park de Belleville which is usually open from 2pm to 8pm, Thursday to Sunday. Or better yet, if you’re here in mid-May, attend their open days event, the largest in Paris. While you’re in the area, take a meander around to discover the area’s great street art scene!

Ateliers de Menilmontant

This collective of over 200 artists of the bohemian district of the 20th arrondissement date back to 1991. They organise a number of events throughout the year at their gallery, Galerie Ménil’8 (8 rue Boyer 75020 Paris), as well as a larger open house in late September.

Les Frigos / Paris Info

Les Frigos

Originally built in 1920, this former refrigerated storage depot in the 13th district was first squatted by artists in 1985. Now legalized, it houses over 80 artists, ranging from painters to jewelry designers. Although their studios are usually closed to the public, visits can be requested via their website. Nevertheless, you can also visit its art gallery, Aiguillage, to see the work of the artists in residence or check out the venue’s website for occasional workshops, other events and updates on their portes ouvertes which takes place in mid May.

La Galerie Ouverte de l’Apla

This association of artists in the vicinity of the world-famous cemetery aims to make art more accessible and interactive to local residents by organizing seasonal open air exhibits in the Place de la Réunion. Meet the artists and get invited to come back to visit their studios on another day! The next event is 23 March 2024 then there will be other events in June, September and December.

**Other Portes Ouvertes – Annual Studio Open Days**

Various neighborhoods around Paris have associations bringing together their local artists. These are usually once a year and offer an opportunity to visit 50-100 actual art studios. Here are some great options, organised starting at the beginning of the academic year.

Ateliers des Artistes d’Anvers aux Abbesses: around 80 artists sprinkled in the streets surrounding Montmartre. Held mid November.

Le 6è: a collective of the artists of the 6th arrondissement hosts its open house event in mid May.

Ecole des Beaux Arts: If you’ve ever wondered what it was like inside the Paris Fine Arts Academy, you can take a meander through parts of it during its annual open days. The two day event displays the end of year projects of its students and is usually held at the end of June.

Looking for other original opportunities to discover art in Paris? See these other articles on our blog:

The Paris of the Impressionists

Although fields and country scenes are usually linked to Impressionism, most French Impressionist painters got their careers started off in urban Paris. As such, there are a number of places connected to the artists of this 19th-century art movement in and around the capital. After you’ve seen their works in the museums of Paris (suggestions at the end), head out onto the streets of Paris to see where the Impressionists painted.

Quai du Louvre, Claude Monet (1867)

The Seine River

The city’s iconic river appears in the works of the Impressionists, both inside and outside of Paris. Their love of the Seine might have been sparked in the early days of a small group of these artists, Monet, Sisley, Renoir and Bazille, who met in the studio of Charles Gleyre. It was located on the Right Bank of the river near on Quai du Louvre, in between Pont Neuf (more on this below) and the Pont des Arts, which was yet to be built.

Over the course of the next thirty years these artist commemorated the Seine dozens of times, often from one of the guinguette dance halls which once dotted the river in the city’s western suburbs, like on the Ile de la Grande Jatte or the Ile de Chatou. You can trace the path of their paintbrushes on Chatou’s Chemin des Impressionistes walking route.

The Pont-Neuf, Wreck of Bonne Mère, Camille Pissarro (1901)

The Pont Neuf

Perhaps due to its location near Gleyre’s studio, Paris’s oldest bridge became a recurrent subject matter of the Impressionists. Renoir, Monet and Pissarro all immortalised the bridge, the latter of whom painted it several times (including the top image), as was common with the Impressionists.

The Tuileries (Study), Claude Monet (1876)

The Tuileries Gardens

Also near Gleyre’s studio, the Impressionists might have also appreciated this beautiful historic garden for its natural qualities. Easier to get to than the Normand countryside, the park was a popular place at the time for gatherings, as seen in pre-Impressionist Edouard Manet’s Music in the Tuileries Gardens. Monet, Study of the Tuileries. Monet was fond of the park and painted it from various angles, like the above study of the gardens.

Le Pont de l’Europe, Gare Saint-Lazare, Claude Monet (1877)

Le Gare Saint-Lazare

Even though the Impressionists were more interested in nature, the technological advancements of the 19th century did occasionally appear in their art, including Paris’s first train station. Le Gare Saint-Lazare was also the station from where the Impressionists could access Normandy. The station was captured on several of Monet’s canvases. He explored different perspectives, from the interior as well as from the train bridge behind the station, le Pont de l’Europe, the locomotives billowing smoke creating a very impressionist effect.

Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette, Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Montmartre

Initially drawn to Montmartre in order to work on one of his most famous paintings, Renoir was likely the biggest fan of Montmartre of the Impressionists. He spent the summer of 1876 in this then very working class former village as he worked on Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette. The space he used as a studio and its gardens, where he painted The Swing, are now part of the Musée de Montmartre. From that moment until the early 20th century, Renoir lived and worked in Montmartre. Although the nearby cafés of Montmartre are rather touristy now, places like Le Consulat and La Bonne Franquette, were frequented by the Impressionists. Post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh lived in Montmartre from 1886-88 and painted a number of scenes in the hilly district, included around a dozen paintings of the area’s moulin, its windmills, two of which still stand on rue Lepic, the same street the artist lived on (at #54)

Musee Marmottan Monet

Where to See Impressionist Art in Paris

Several Paris museums have important collections of Impressionist art. The most famous of these is the Musée d’Orsay, however, the Orangerie, the Musée Marmottan Monet and the Petit Palais museum also have wonderful collections and several of the works included above!

If you would like to delve deeper into the art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, consider pursuing our Master’s in the History and Philosophy of Art. Learn more about it, and our other MA programmes in film, creative writing and Medieval studies, at this link.

Top Image: Morning, Winter Sunshine, Frost, the Pont-Neuf, the Seine, the Louvre, Camille Pissarro (1901)

Five Cool Contemporary Art Centres in Paris

Private art galleries, especially those in the Upper Marais, are a great place to see contemporary art in Paris. However, since the turn of the 21st century, Paris has seen an influx in venues dedicated to art made by current artists. These are often in repurposed historic buildings or structures designed by top contemporary architects, which adds another fascinating level to your visit. Discover our favorite contemporary art venues below.

Bourse de Commerce (and top photo)

Bourse de Commerce

Once used for storing grain at Les Halles, Paris’s former central food market, and then the grain stock exchange, the former Bourse de Commerce reopened in June 2021 as the home of French Industrialist Francois Pinault’s collection of modern and contemporary art. The building was reinvented by Japanese architect Tadao Ando who added a 10-metre-high concrete cylinder inside the main exhibition hall, allowing visitors to better appreciate the building’s glass dome and historic frescoes. The galleries surrounding it feature revolving thematic presentations of art from the 1960s to today.

Photo Credit: Palais de Tokyo

Palais de Tokyo

First built for the International Exhibition of Arts and Technology of 1937, the west wing of this Art Deco building on the Seine has housed France’s largest museum focused on temporary exhibitions of contemporary art since 2002. Vast industrial style exhibit halls allow for large scale installations which often involve sound, video or other modern technology. Check their agenda as they sometimes host DJ nights and other events.

Photo Credit: Fondation Louis Vuitton

Fondation Louis Vuitton

Designed by star architect Frank Gehry, this curvaceous glass building is hidden in the Bois de Boulogne woods in western Paris. It hosts temporary exhibits, both featuring the works of the Louis Vuitton fashion house collection, as well as top traveling international art exhibits, usually on work from the late 19th century to the present. Read more on the Foundation’s architecture in our post on the best contemporary architecture in Paris.

Photo Credit: Fondation Cartier

Fondation Cartier

Original located in the suburbs of Paris, the Fondation Cartier received a new home in the 14th arrondissement, not far from our Paris School, in 1994. The sleek glass and steel building was designed by leading French architect Jean Nouvel, who also designed the Institut du Monde Arabe, the Musée du Quai Branly and the new Philharmonie (also included in our contemporary architecture article). Part offices, part exhibition space and with a notable bookshop, the Foundation puts on significant temporary art exhibitions, usually of living international art stars like Damien Hirst or Junya Ishigami.

Photo Credit: Fluctuart

Fluctuart

Occupying a modern glass barge moored in the Seine near the Musée d’Orsay is this art space dedicated to street art. There are rooms displaying the centre’s permanent collection and then temporary exhibits every few months. Ponder the works afterwards at the barge’s cool terrace café overlooking the river. Learn more about street art in our article on top street artists to spot around Paris.

Looking for more art explorations in Paris?

Discover the works of up-and-coming articles by visiting these Alternative Art Venues in Paris.
Travel around the city to view the best contemporary outdoor sculptures.
Tread off the beaten path by visiting these great small museums in Paris.
Understand the birth of Modern Art by pursuing our Paris Master’s in the history and philosophy of art.

Historic Art Studios You Can Visit in Paris

Many artists have lived and worked in Paris over the centuries. We are fortunate enough to have the legacy of some preserved at their former art studios which have been transformed into museums. From early 19th century romanticism to modern sculpture, here are our top picks of historic art studios you can visit in Paris.

Photo: Musée Délacroix

Musée Délacroix

Tucked away on a charming square in the Saint Germain neighborhood is the former studio and residence of Eugene Délacroix. One of the most important painters of the early 19th century Romantic movement, Délacroix is best known for his dramatic painting Liberty Leading the People (1830), hanging at the Louvre. The artist moved here in 1857 to be closer to the Saint-Sulpice church, where he’d been commissioned to produce several large murals. Facing a verdant courtyard and with large windows, he lived in this studio-apartment until his death in 1863 and it was converted into a museum in 1932.

Musée Gustav Moreau (and top photo)

Musée Gustave Moreau

The former home and studio of symbolist artist Gustav Moreau is set in an elegant mansion in the 9th district. The first section takes you through his former living quarters, however, the real highlight is his vast studio area, spread over two floors with towering ceilings and commissioned by the artist in the view of creating a museum in the building upon his death. Moreau passed away in 1898 and the venue opened as a museum in 1903. In addition to admiring the dozens of paintings of nymphs and mythological gods and goddesses, be sure to peer into the drawers and cabinets, filled with drawings, prints and more paintings.

Musée de Montmartre

This collection of buildings, formerly the art studio of Renoir, Degas, Suzanne Valadon and Maurice Utrillo, is now a museum on the history of this artistic neighborhood of Paris. The museum has displays on the history of the area in one building and temporary exhibits in another section, but the interest for art fans is the front wing where there is the reconstructed art studio of the last major artists who used the space: Suzanne Valadon and her son Maurice Utrillo. There is also a charming café in the garden, where you can also see what they consider as the swing depicted in Renoir’s famous painting La Balançoire.

Musee-Zadkine-vue-aerienne-jardin-630x405-C-OTCP-Didier-Messina

Musée Zadkine Photo: Paris Info

Musée Zadkine

Located on the edge of the Luxembourg Gardens, and only a few blocks away from our Paris School, is the former studio of artist Ossip Zadkine. The Russian-born cubist sculptor spent much of his career living in Paris and working at his Montparnasse studio. Visiting it provides insight into what the area was early to mid 20th century, when it the artistic and literary centre of the city. In addition to the studio, you can contemplate more works in the museum’s tranquil garden. As it is one of the museums of the City of Paris, admission is free, extra incentive to visit!

Photo: Musée Bourdelle

Musée Bourdelle

Another studio of the Montparnasse area, the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle worked in this space from 1885 to 1929. An excellent example of a turn of the 20th century Parisian artist studio, the museum unfolds through a series of buildings and peaceful courtyards. Vast rooms filled with colossal sculptures are contrasted with his more intimate studio spaces. The museum also hosts temporary exhibits, so be sure to check the programme in advance.

Brancusi Studio, Groume / Flickr

Brancusi Studio

Many visitors to the Centre Pompidou are not aware that there is a famous art studio located at its base and which is annex of the museum. Although not at its original location, this is a loyal reconstruction of artist Constantin Brancusi’s Montparnasse studio, the contents of which he bequeathed to the French state in 1956. Living and working in Paris from 1904 until his death in 1957, the Romanian artist gradually expanded upon his studio on the Impasse Ronsin in the 15^th arrondissement which were faithfully recreated after the artist’s death, first at the Palais de Tokyo then here when the Modern Art Museum was created in the 1970s.

Other Studio or Artist Homes:

Musée Jean-Jacques Henner – although it isn’t in its original location either, this charming museum in the 17th arrondissement was once the studio-home of Guillaume Dubufe and was transformed into a museum-studio in honor of painter Jean-Jacques Henner, both artists prominent painters in France during the second half of the 19th century.

Fondation Giacometti – also not in its original location and not an exact reconstruction, this center presents exhibitions, research and pedagogy around the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti. The Institute is found in the Montparnasse neighbourhood not far from where Giacometti lived and worked and in the former studio of artist and interior designer Paul Follot.

Carry on discovering art in Paris thanks to these other thematic articles on our blog:

Interested in studying art in Paris? Consider pursuing our Master’s in the history and philosophy of art taught in English at our Paris School of Arts and Culture.

Alternative Places to See Art in Paris

There are literally hundreds of wonderful museums in Paris, however, art in Paris isn’t only about the studying the past. You can experience today’s art scene in Paris is by visiting some of the city’s more eclectic art venues. From former squats to art centres in repurposed historic buildings, here are some unique places to see art in Paris and perhaps discover the Picassos and Matisses of tomorrow.

Le Centquatre. Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC

Le Centquatre

Located in the working class 19^th district, this former municipal undertaker’s building dating to the 1870s, was restored and reopened as an art centre in 2008. The sprawling venue hosts art exhibits, concerts, film screenings, dance performances, lectures and community events. It is also home to three cafés, including the hidden Café Caché as well as a bookstore and charity shop.

La Halle Saint Pierre

Tucked away beneath Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre, this art space, occupying a former market hall, has been dedicated to “art brut”, or outsider art since 1995. In puts on several larger scale exhibits per year as well as smaller monthly shows featuring contemporary local artists. It has has an art-focused bookstore and lovely café where you can flip through your new book purchases or contemplate the art you’ve just viewed.

59 Rivoli (above and top photo). Facebook

59 Rivoli

A short walk from the most traditional of Paris’s art museums, the Louvre, is this quirky venue. One of the oldest squats in Paris, in 1999 a group of artists took over this abandoned Crédit Lyonnais Bank building. After years spent trying to evict them, the squatters won and the Marie de Paris (the Paris City Hall) bought the building and turned it into an official establishment in 2009. The unmissable building now has an art gallery on the street level, but the real fun is had roaming through the thirty plus art studios distributed over its six floors. Entrance is on a donation basis and the public can visit it from 1-8 pm from Tuesday to Sunday.

Le Générale Nord-Est / Facebook

La Générale Nord-Est

This association was first located within a defunct power plant in the 11^th arrondissement before moving to the 14th district. Another project endorsed by the the Marie de Paris, the association deems itself as a laboratory on artistic, political and social creation. The site has an active programme of exhibits as well as concerts, theatre shows and conferences, which are always open to anyone and with a “pay what you can” policy. See their website calendar for these events.

DOC! Photo: Franck Arnault / Facebook

DOC!

This art centre occupies a former technical high school in also in 19th district, near Place des Fetes. The spacious 3000-square meter complex includes 24 workshops, two temporary artist residences, five shared workshops for woodworking, metal-working, print-making, theatre and video post-production. These art forms and the artists in residents are showcased in the venues regularly changing exhibits.

Le Plateau Paris / Facebook

Le Plateau

Another art venue in the 19^th arrondissement, this exhibition space is Paris’s branch of the FRAC, a French governmental organisation that supports and promotes contemporary art. In addition to having regular exhibits, especially by younger artists, the centre has outreach and education projects and a curator in residence programme.

Art in Paris goes beyond indoor spaces as well. Learn more about street art in our blog on top street artists in Paris.

The Best Outdoor Contemporary Sculptures in Paris

Paris is one of the best cities in the world for strolling, the city is an open-air museum for more reasons than the obvious. Its buildings tell the city’s 2000 years of history (including new cutting edge buildings like in this article), but you can also admire some great art, mostly in the form of sculptures, on display in various places around the city. From beautifying the tramway to accentuating parks, here are the some of the best contemporary sculptures displayed around the city.

Bouquet of Tulips, Jeff Koons (above photo)

One of the most recent additions to Paris’s collection of outdoor art is this controversial work by International art superstar Jeff Koons. Inaugurated in October 2019, the oversized bouquet of flowers was gifted by the artist to the city of Paris and its citizens as a gesture of solidarity and hope following the November 2015 terrorist attacks. Nestled within the Champs-Élysées gardens, between the Petit Palais and Place de la Concorde, the ballooning bouquet rises to a height of 12 metres and consists of 11 flowers, instead of the typical dozen, the missing flower symbolising the void caused by the attacks. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s growing on Parisians!

Le Bel costumé, Jean Dubuffet. Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / Flickr

Le Bel Costumé, Jean Dubuffet

One usually thinks of classical sculptures when imagining the Tuileries Gardens, however, these formal royal gardens are actually home to a number of contemporary and modern sculptures, this being the one that stands out the most. In signature Dubuffet style the four-metre high sculpture, The Beautiful Costume in English, is an outlined figure in white and black with sections of primary colours. Originally designed in 1973 for the entrance to a wing of the National Gallery of Art of Washington, the current piece was created in 1998 and installed in this location in 2000.

Tree of Vowels, Giuseppe Penone. Photo: L R / Flickr

Tree of Vowels, Giuseppe Penone

Also in the Jardin des Tuileries, but contrary to the Dubuffet, this work by Italian artist Giuseppe Penone almost goes unnoticed. Blending perfectly into its natural environment is what appears to be a fallen tree. Penone’s art often relates to nature, and the tree is a common subject matter of his. The work was commissioned by the French State in 1999, the year in which torrential storms felled thousands of trees in and around the capital. Cast in bronze the 30 metre-long sculpture was inaugurated the next year in 2000. Once you find its discreet location (in a side section on the south side of the garden), you can contemplate the work in tranquility on a nearby bench.

Les Enfants du Monde, Rachid Khimoune. Photo: Rachid Khimoune

The Children of the World, Rachid Khimoune

Installed on a grassy lawn in the east end Parc de Bercy, near the Simone-de-Beauvoir bridge, are these whimsical sculptures by French artist Rachid Khimoune. Commissioned for year 2000, the artist chose to represent the 21st century with 21 bronze statues depicting children from 21 countries. The artist himself has Algerian roots, and on his travels around the globe, he collected urban items, such as cobblestones, sewer plates and broken bitumen, which he used to create the works.

La danse de la fontaine émergente, Chen Zhen and Xu Min. Photo: Une Autre Asie

La Danse de la Fontaine Emergente, Chen Zhen and Xu Min

Emerging from the ground of the Place Augusta-Holmes in the 13th arrondissement is this sculpture by Chen Zhen and Xu Min, The Dance of the Emerging Fountain. The work was a commissioned by the City of Paris in 1999 to French-Chinese artist, Chen Zhen, however, the artist passed away the following year before finishing the work. Fortunately, it was decided that another artist with Chinese roots, Xu Min, would complete the sculpture. The stylised dragon, made of transparent tubes and metal, appears to snake in and out for the paving-stoned ground of the square. The 13th district’s is home to Paris’s largest Chinatown and the dragon is of course an important symbol for the Chinese. A modern “fountain”, the work, which comes out of an underground water storage facility, has water flowing through it and is lit up at night.

Monochrome for Paris, Nancy Rubins. Photo: Fred Romero / Flickr

Monochrome for Paris, Nancy Rubins

Also found in the 13th district, in the Esplanade Vidal-Naquet, this sculpture by American artist Nancy Rubins was inaugurated in 2013. The monumental work, rising to 10 metres and consists of a grouping of 50 stainless steel canoes and 10 boats, is aptly found near the Seine River. The work falls within the artist’s “Monochrome” series, with similar works in other cities, like Las Vegas and Chicago. It was commissioned, along with 14 works by other artists, by the city of Paris to add a cultural touch to the T3 tramway line. You can hop on and off the tram to see all the works, including 1SQMH (One Square Meter House) by French artist and architect Didier Fiuza Faustino (Porte d’Ivry station), Tchaïkovski by the French artist Claude Lévêque (Montsouris), From Boullée to Eternity by American artist Dan Graham (Porte de Versailles) and “Murmurs,” a sound installation by French artist Christian Boltanski (Cité Universitaire).

The Centaur, César. Photo: Oeil de Verre / Flickr

The Centaur, César

Although this work is a little older, its central location in Place Michel Degré in the 6th arrondissement means that you’ll likely walk by it at some point during your time in Paris. Made by prominent French artist César Baldaccini, the original model of the sculpture, the half-man half horse figure from Greek Mythology, was created by the artist in 1976 as a tribute to great Pablo Picasso. If you look closely you can find a small statue of Liberty hiding in the breastplate of the centaur. The sculpture was among 100 works commissioned by the Minister of Culture Jack Lang in 1983. You can see another momental work by César, The Thumb (1994), at La Défense, the business district located to the west of Paris which is home to a number of other modern and contemporary sculptures.

Sculpture lovers may also want to take a stroll through the Jardin Tino Rossi, a park located along the Seine in the 5th district which contains the Musée de la Sculpture en Plein Air, an open-air sculpture museum with thirty sculptures, including another work by César as well as works by Brancusi and Zadkine.

If you’re interested in exploring more urban art in Paris, have a look at our article on the top street artists in Paris.

Top Photo: Bouquet of Tulips, Jeff Koons – Sortir a Paris

Top Street Artists to Spot Around Paris

Although Paris comes across as a more classic city when it comes to art, it actually has an exciting street art scene. This is thanks to innovative street artists who have forged a path for newcomers and added colour to the beige palette of the cityscape. Here are some of the pioneering figures and most active ones today as well as some tips on where you can seek out their works.

Blek Le Rat. Photo: Eric Lin / Flickr

Blek Le Rat

One of the earliest French street artist and one of the very first to use stencils, since the early 1980s this artist has been stencilling rats, and other images, across the city. According to the artist, the rat “the only free animal in the city”, and one which “spreads the plague everywhere, just like street art”. In 1991 he was arrested while stenciling on the Champs Elysées, therefore, since then he’s been creating his works on paper and pasting them instead of painting them directly onto buildings. His work has become more political over the years, addressing topics such as the environment and homelessness. Learn more about his work in this short documentary in English by Arte.

Miss.tic rue de Veron / L.Heise

Miss.Tic

One of France’s first street artists, Miss.Tic’s black and white stencil art is usually paired with a short poem or pun. A feminist, her provocative work, often featuring a dark hair woman, challenges female stereotypes and the representation of the female body. You can spot a number of her works around Montmartre (like some new ones on rue de Veron), where she spent her early childhood years.

Jef Aerosol, place Igor Stravinsky. Photo: Ferdinand Feys / Flickr

Jef Aerosol

Another artist who’s been added colour to the capital since the early 1980s, Jef Aérosol’s (Jean-François Perroy) works span the globe and he currently lives in the northern French city of Lille. His mostly stencil-based murals are usually in the form of oversized portraits. These always have a red arrow somewhere on them, a symbol to help you know that it his work. In fact, you have probably already seen his most famous work in Paris, the gigantic mural entitled Chuuuttt!!! (Hush!), painted in 2011 on a building wall in place Igor Stravinsky next to the Centre Pompidou.

Invader. Photo: Delete / Flickr

Invader

With just shy of 4,000 works in almost 80 cities around the world, Invader (Franck Slama) is France’s best known and most widespread street artist. A graduate of the Fine Arts Academy of Rouen, since 1996 he has been creating his signature space invaders and other pixelated mosaic works, mostly inspired by 1970s and 80s video games. These often have a slight creative twist, like the above image, or with a subtle twist connected to the work’s location. There are over 1,000 in Paris, often in the most unlikely places, there’s even one on the Eiffel Tower! You can have fun logging (and verifying the authenticity) of the ones you find via the app, Flash Invader, which tallies up your points, just like a video game.

Les temps d’une vie, C215. Photo: Jeanne Menjoulet / Flickr

C215

Born in the Parisian suburb of Bondy, C215 (Christian Guémy) now lives and works in Ivry-sur-Seine. He’s put this southern suburb on the “street art map”, but his work can be found around the capital and in a number of cities around the world. Active since 2006, C215 is known for his vivid and beautifully done stencilled portraits with spray-painted colour added. Instead of building walls, these can usually be found on post boxes or other utility objects. His work often explores social issues and feature the portraits of the homeless or refugees. He’s also been commissioned to do various projects for the different Parisian districts, including the portraits of important historical figures of the Marais and the 5^th arrondissement, some of which are still visible in these neighborhoods.

Le Diamantaire. Photo: Nefasth / Flickr

Le Diamantaire

Another street artist who doesn’t use a spray can, Le Diamantaire (the “Diamond Maker”) is known for his diamond-shaped creations. Born in 1987 in the Normand city of Caen, he trained in various metal-working techniques. He started using these skills to make street art in 2008. His diamonds tend to be made of pieces of mirror he finds and are often painted different colours. The artist sees these as jewels for the city and can often be found next to the street signs, which are posted onto buildings in Paris.

If you’d like a little more guidance on discovering street art in Paris, refer to this handy interactive map which is also updated regularly.

If you would like to study the history of art in Paris in more depth, considering pursuing our Master’s degree in the History and Philosophy of Art.