87 avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier 

Editor: Here we have a street art piece, "87 avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier," created by Epsylon Point. It appears to be a combination of stencil and spray paint on an electrical box. There's a cartoonish character wielding a giant pencil and some text in what looks like French. What statements do you see embedded in the urban landscape through this artwork? Curator: Street art, at its heart, is often about reclaiming public space and voicing dissent. The bold use of graffiti, paste-up techniques and the cartoon imagery presents an interesting juxtaposition. Who do you think the artist seeks to empower with the slogan of ‘solidarité’ painted so openly? And how do the fences painted near the base act as a possible thematic link between expression and social restraint? Editor: I suppose the graffiti subverts the authorized purposes of the electric box; this piece encourages civil responsibility as the message states. I wonder if the angry cartoon person with a pencil implies the act of writing as both expression and also destruction or revolution. Curator: Precisely. By using an unexpected surface like this electrical box, and juxtaposing cheerful color with an aggressive character and text referencing civil responsibilities and action, the artist creates an immediate dialogue with the viewer. Street art challenges the norms of engagement; this act defies authority through a deliberate attempt at free speech. But who is the intended audience? Are marginalized communities invited, engaged, and activated through this urban message? Editor: The use of graffiti in urban environments like this makes the message more accessible, yet is it only "accessible" to some? Is the artist encouraging solidarity and responsibility to only certain social groups and viewpoints? I didn't initially look at it this way; it provides food for thought! Curator: And that's the beauty of art, especially in public spaces – it ignites these essential conversations. By interrogating the space it occupies and engaging with social messaging and artistic intervention we open space to better question contemporary ideologies.