Imagine R is back

This year's visuals are even better than last year's (check them here) for Imagine R. They really try to pull out something edgy with their agencies H and Lézilus.

The feminine visuals are signed by Jeanclode, a very cool collective whose blog can be seen here. I noticed their wonderful "Faisons Connaissance" campaign for France 5.


The masculine visuals are signed Cream and Hello.


Each teenager (let me remind you that Imagine R is aimed at high-school and college students) has their own personality and their own style. Without being too cliché, their universe displays different metro/train station in different fashions. A cute idea.

The Futur Triangle of the Porte de Versailles

The news just broke. A fantastic glass triangle should be built in the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles, in Paris. This 180-meter tall skyscrappers should host hotels (for the numerous business visitors), conference rooms, temporary offices, shopping areas, etc.

This project is signed Herzog & De Meuron (they built Beijing's famous "Bird's Nest") and could rise in 2010-2012.

I find this project a lot more exciting than the future (ecological, but black and square-shaped) tower designed by Jean Nouvel on the Défense business district. I can't wait to see this bridge between Paris's XVth arrondissement, and the suburband cities of Vanves and Issy-Les-Moulineaux... According to Paris's mayor Bertrand Delanoë, some 5,000 jobs should be created.

Dots Obsession

La Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris presents an installation by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in the frame of its "intercultural dialog: when different types of madness meet".

Dots Obsessions is a multitude of inflattable pink baloons with black dots, some of which you can enter, see pictures below.

Kusama, who's considered at the avant-garde of Japanese art scene started her work in the 1950s with Andy Warhol. She stages her nightmares and child hallucinations (such as dots). She states that her "life is like a dot, lost among thousands of other dots".

Kusama hovers between minimal virtuosity and destructive madness... In 1973, ill, she goes home to Japan and destroys many of her pieces. She's been living ever since in an instution that treats insanity by artistic expression. She's had a workshop built next to her clinic.

These huge pink bubbles provoke a weird feeling in every visitor, they're first surprised and amused, walking through this light and imposing figures. The dots then almost subjugate and absorb the audience's attention. On a screen, a short movies shows us the artist in a pink wig reciting a daunting poem.


The artist's website: click here.
Through Aug. 17, 2008 only at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris (metro Porte de Pantin). Hurry, no entry fee, closes at 10 pm.

So weird...

(click to enlarge)
Line 1 - June 18, 2008

How does it feel... in my arms?

Concert : Kylie Minogue, reine des meneuses de revues "dance"
LE MONDE 07.05.08

©

Painted Wagons

Some more graphic mutilations of the Paris subway (line 3).


I'm more and more seduced by the ephemeral state of this works. Also, I love their growing complexity.


I promise I'll try to know more about the artists nex time.


Below, one of my favorite...


Pictures taken between March and April 2008.

Craziest Paris metro maps

2008's RATP's best wishes campaign received interesting feedback. Here it is again (click to enlarge)


Of course, it was parodied...


The anagram version is a very interesting and poetic idea...


Intégrale ordered the following design for an advertising campaign, and I totally dig this flower-like spreading Paris... It was created by Antoine+Manuel who did some wonderful other works.

A rather futuristic (and impressive) forecast of the RER structure in 2025...


Board games fans? I know some who would probably love to try this one based on Paris's metro map. Learn more about the project, and download the printable version here.


At last, here are the 3 posters used for a very nice campaign, using every station's name.

Metro Line 3: slowing down?

I notice a fewer number of painted wagons. On the other hand, lots of remains or less happy tags can be seen here and there...


Here are the latest I could see (January 2008).

Line 3: contaminated

I can't help noticing that the street art is growing. I think the RATP - which apparently already took some mesures to erase these works - will end up reacting very badly.
I can also notice I'm not alone to take pictures...
Some of these pieces are interesting, colorful and inventive. Sometimes, like here, the sign is preceded by the inscription "Line 3 Lover" (in English)...
Pictures taken between December 2007 & January 2008.
The writings can be huge....

Merry Xmas!

Already Xmas. Like every year, I didn't see it coming at all.


Thank God, the Xmas ornaments (always very good taste - some can be very funny) are here to remind us that it is high time to take care of presents...

This fresk was seen - and captured - Passage des Petites Ecuries, in December 2008.

Line 3 - Late at night...

At night, on my way home...

A very cute couple seen in the subway.

I know, I should have blurred their faces because I didn't ask if I could publish their pictures here.

I'm sure they'll be nice in the very unlikely situation they find out these pictures!

And then, they disappeared and I probably ended up staring at some old womand...

Rue de la Banque

Is it possible to remain emotionnally intact after walking past a camp of legal citizens with papers protesting for the horrendous conditions they live in?


This operation might seem a little too much for some, but it is here to remind all the privileged people that we don't all get the same chances in life. There really is a huge and increasing gap that is personally tearing me apart.


Some celebrities take these people's side, and in my opinion they can only be admired. Some singers make a public announcement they're asking for another European citizenship to espace French taxes while others seek political asylum and devastated countries... Pick your side!