the street is our gallery

We recently hooked up with Ariane from Nice Art in Paris and got her to tell us about her dreams and futures goals. She started sharing her art in 1986 and never stopped since then. Read on to find out more about her! 
(ISSA) -What you choose to drink? Coffee, Tea, Beer, Soda or something else?

(Nice Art) – I am a coffee lover but I can have beer as well. I love Brussels ;-).

-Introduce yourself to us!

Hi, I am Ariane. I founded the Nice Art group with some buddies more than 30 years ago and I have been doing stencil art in the streets since then. Not really ready to stop doing this…

-Where does your tag name come from?

The name Nice Art relates to Nice in France, where I am from along with some other colleagues of the group. Also, Nice Art recalls Nissart, the local language that identifies any form of art coming from this city.

-How do you define yourself? Artist? Street artist? Anything else?

I am first a stencil maker and I express myself by painting on the walls. It may be art or something else.

-How did it all start for you, and what is it nowadays?

I started one night on a wall in the 20^th arrondissement of Paris. It was in 1986. I have never stopped since then. Night and day.

-What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

Drink a coffee (go back to first question !).

-Street art is mostly a visually stimulating form of art. To add one more sense to it, what music would you pick to accompany your art work?

La Callas, Jim Morrison, The Dandy Wharols, Nick Cave… Punk, Rock and Baroque.

-In all forms of art, inspiration is crucial. What inspires you?

First, creating stencils and put graphic research at the heart of my artistic quest. Then some walls can capture my imagination and I can choose what to compose spontaneously.

-Before going to paint, what is on your check list to take along?

My favorite color sprays, stencils, caps, a protective filter mask (I have been doing this for too long to avoid protection), and of course a camera.

-Do you have an artist you admire and what for?

Only one ? As painters, Alechinsky for his zen attitude, Jef Aerosol with whom I started to paint, Zao Wou Ki for his strength, Ernest Pignon Ernest of course, and many others, Gerard Zlotikamien …

-Which cities do you think are the most inspirational in Street Art?

A part from Paris, Lisbon, London and Los Angeles are among the city I know that have a lot of energy. In the south of Italy, Naples and Lecce are also full of street art.

-Do you have other passions apart from art?

Connecting with nature, under all its forms. Theater also.

-Do you have a wild project that you dream of achieving some day?

Spray in orbit (must be fun) or paint on a satellite.

-Tell us about your art, does it include symbolisms, messages or repeated patterns?

Make like more beautiful by putting more of nature in big cities. Looking more into the details will make you see that every stencil use the same pattern at least once. I will let you discover what pattern it is.

-What is your reaction when you realise someone has vandalised your creation?

Hum ! That risk is an inherent part of what you do. You have to live with it. But it is rather frustrating to see one’s own work degraded after a few hours only…

-What do you think people first think or feel when they see one of your works on the street?

“How lucky I am” (laughts).  I hope that they are happy and can think about art even for a few seconds.

-What kind of responsibility do you feel you have towards society as an artist?

An artist must keep on screaming.

-What are your creative plans for the future?

In the very next future, a book about Arthur Rimbaud, the French poet, and projects of frescoes on huge city walls. Very soon, I will also act as a “live painter” during a theater performance.

 

Thank you Ariane! It’s been great to get to know more about the mind and person behind such talented and inspiring works.

Want to know more abour Nice Art? check out their website (here) and Facebook page (here)

‘’I Support Street Art’’ team.

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