Paris

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Art

Nathan Walsh’s Unusual Urban Landscapes Painted Atop Precise Graphite Sketches

Trying to pin down exactly what makes these urban landscape paintings by British artist Nathan Walsh (previously) so unusual is difficult, in part because of the variety of techniques he employs to get from a vision in his mind to the final, exacting artwork.

Starting with his own photographic references, Walsh first draws an elaborate blueprint of sorts by establishing a horizon line and a host of perspective strategies that varies from piece to piece. This is followed by several months of painting with oils to achieve the final landscape that appears to be a strange hybrid of both illustrative and photorealistic styles. Photography, architecture, and painting converge to create a “painted world which in some ways resembles the world we live in,” says Walsh. “The work aims to create credible and convincing space which whilst making reference to our world, displays its own distinct logic.”

Walsh is currently preparing for a group show titled “Cityscape Paintings: Looking from the Outside In” at Bernarducci Meisel Gallery in October, followed by a solo show during the same period in 2016. You can follow more of his work in progress on Facebook.

Art

New Large-scale Geometric Illusions in Paris by Felice Varini

Swiss artist Felice Varini (previously) recently opened a new solo exhibition titled “La Villette En Suites” featuring a number of anamorphic projections designed to be viewed from a single location creating an uncanny optical illusion. Varini is fascinated by architecture as backdrop for his artwork and seeks unusual spaces with varying planes of depth for his installations which can grow to be quite dramatic.

The new geometric pieces (which are technically paintings) are installed in both interior and exterior spaces around the Grande halle de la Villette within Parc de la Villette through September 13, 2015. You can see more views of the exhibition on StreetArtNews, and follow Varini directly on Facebook.

Art

French Artist ‘Levalet’ Injects Humor into the Streets of Paris with New Site-Specific Street Art

A bronze bull head fountain is suddenly transformed into a Minotaur. A decrepit corner of an alley becomes a holding pen for ostriches. If any of these odd happenings sound familiar to you, you’re probably living in Paris and have just witnessed the work of French artist Charles Leval (previously). Assuming the name Levalet, the artist injects humor into the streets of Paris by gluing animal and human-shaped paste-ups onto walls. A lot of thought goes into location too as each piece usually interacts with its environment in one way or another.

Levalet has been updating his site and facebook page with new work he’s created so far in 2015. “I was looking for places and contexts to operate,” says Levalet, referring to his prime medium: the wall. “The street became a creative space I had to invade.”

 

Photography

Abstract Parisian Rooftops Photographed by Michael Wolf

For a photographer living in a major city filled with iconic architecture, museums, and myriad tourist destinations, the struggle to capture an authentic image is great. This was the exact situation photographer Michael Wolf found himself in after moving to Paris from Hong Kong in 2008. Surrounded in a city filled with sights that could easily be interpreted as cliché, Wolf pointed his camera away from the recognizable landmarks and instead focused on the dense rooftops surrounding the city. Packed with stout chimneys, tv antennas, graffiti, and numerous geometric forms, these shots present a strange abstracted view of a usually recognizable place.

Wolf’s “Paris Abstract” series is currently on view at Robert Koch Gallery in San Francisco through September 6, 2014. (via Juxtapoz)

History Photography

By the Silent Line: Photographer Pierre Folk Spent Years Documenting a Vanishing 160-Year-Old Parisian Railway

The Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture (French for “little belt railway”) was a 32 km railway that encircled Paris, connecting all the major railway stations within fortified walls during the Industrial Revolution. In service from 1852 to 1934, the line has now been partially abandoned for 80 years.

Several developers and local officials have recently set their sights on the vast swath of unused land, tunnels, and stations as an opportunity for new development. However, some railway enthusiasts and related organizations want the tracks and stations to be preserved indefinitely as part of the cities’ heritage. Others want to turn areas of de Petite Ceinture into parkways similar to the nearby Promenade plantée, a 4.7 km park built on an elevated train track in 1988 that later inspired New York’s famous High Line.

As part of his project “By the Silent Line,” photographer Pierre Folk has been working since 2011 to photograph the 160-year-old railway’s last remnants before any final decisions are made. He stalks the tracks at all times of the year, often returning to the same locations to document nature’s slow reclamation as rusted tracks and crumbling tunnels are swallowed by trees, vines, and grass. This is just a small selection of Folk’s work, you can see many more photos right here.

Design

Modern Abstract City Maps

I’m really enjoying these abstract city maps by Jazzberry Blue (warning: audio). The cities you see above as well as Jerusalem and New Delhi are available as Giclée prints over on Etsy.