Street art: French artist colors the cities with origamis

Urban landscapes can transform through street art. City streets are like an outdoor museum. There is no better space for artists to express their emotions and ideas in a positive way. And street art need not necessarily be associated with graffiti. Ephemeral installations, for example, can be a true poetic narrative of the world in which we live.

The artist Mademoiselle Maurice is one of those artists who really care about the deep relationship of individuals and the environment they belong to. Surprisingly, she has been combining origami, photographs and paintings in her works. Throughout the world, Maurice seeks to inspire people by alerting and instigating debate on important issues such as freedom and human rights.

SEE ALSO: GUIDE FOR A SHORT TRIP TO PARIS

The art of folding paper

Origamis are very beautiful and delicate components. It was in the East that this technique was created and developed, but today it is known and practiced all over the world. These are a variety of folds made in paper and, when combined, can generate numerous shapes.

In Japan, there are several legends and stories involving the elaboration of origami pieces. Sadako Sasaki is perhaps the best-known character of all. This girl had become very sick after the Hiroshima nuclear attack in 1945. Before her death, she made about a thousand ‘cranes’ – a kind of bird-shaped origami – seeking to have her wish to live granted. Therefore, his figure is associated with all innocent victims of war and origami has become a symbol of international peace.

Mademoiselle Maurice

This young French artist is, in fact, an architect of formation. Before setting up her studio in Paris she lived in Japan, where she learned the origami technique more deeply. After the tsunami in the country in 2011, she returned to Europe. He later toured places like Hong Kong, Vietnam, San Francisco, Berlin and Italy, creating colorful ephemeral installations in squares, walls, stairs and more.

Its artistic facilities

The origami, in Maurice’s works, has only a symbolic value. But the two-dimensional, multicolored pieces of different proportions help instigate the interest of observers. They are arranged so as to form bold patterns. Each origami can have a different form, referring to themes of harmony, peace, happiness and unity. And all are made from simple materials, most of them recyclable.

The works of Mademoiselle Maurice have a limited duration. They are ephemeral. In the infinite possibilities of using these pieces in paper, the artist is able to find the exact form of transmitting the most positive messages. They break with the monotony of city life and counter the roughness of the streets with the delicacy of the pieces. But after some time, regardless of the magnitude of the work, all the places chosen for the premises need to be cleaned. And the material that remains intact is collected and stored, to be reused later.

Lunar Cycles

Throughout his recent career, Maurice has participated in several street art festivals, such as the city of Angers in France. But perhaps his most iconic work was in an old building in Paris. Before being demolished to make room for a new venture, it was all painted in black, becoming a backdrop for a beautiful drawing, made by the artist in partnership with the local community.

The geometric patterns, formed by the set of origami, symbolize the changes anticipated for the urban transformation. Altogether, there were fifteen thousand small colorful figures in the shape of a bird, spread over an area of more than two thousand square meters. It was the largest urban mural ever created in the country, until then. And also the way that Mademoiselle Maurice found to help the inhabitants of that region to face all these transformations, evoking good news.

Source: Blog da Arquitetura

We really hope you liked our article. Feel free to pin all the images to your favorite Pinterest board or to print it and use in your mood board. You can always choose to follow us and see the coverage of this event step by step. Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest , Instagram or subscribe here and don’t miss a single breath.