Street art makes Marseille more beautiful

As Marion Fabre from the city’s Tourist Office explains, Marseille is now a must-see destination for fans of urban art. “We were voted the most ‘Instagrammable’ city in Europe in 2016. Its murals
appear on the social media feeds of professional and casual bloggers from around the world, and street art is a major travel destination, especially for city breakers. Marseille has a very vibrant art scene, both contemporary and urban. Exhibitions, events, and festivals are flourishing. Underground culture is increasingly represented here, and artists are eager to make their mark.” Numerous events, such as the Street Art Festival, which has taken place every May since 2014, thus ensure the dynamism and renewal of artistic creation.

Rooted in history

, Alexandra Blanc Véa, a tour guide and expert in the history of Street Art since the 1990s, fell under the city’s spell, blown away by the richness and diversity of what it offers. “I arrived in Marseille in 2001, and even back then, the walls of the Cours Julien were covered with all kinds of markings: collages, stencils…
It radiated incredible energy! But the locals told me there had been graffiti as far back as the ’80s. According to Julien Valnet’s book, M.A.R.S, Stories and Legends of Marseille Hip-Hop, on June 5, 1984, the film Beat Street, directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Harry Belafonte—which had been presented at the Cannes Film Festival in May of that same year—was screened at the Odéon cinema at the top of the Canebière, alongside a performance by Marseille breakdancers. When the young people of Marseille discovered the film, which showcased hip-hop music and dance as well as graffiti-covered New York subways, the enthusiasm was such that, the very next day, the Rond-Point du Prado subway station was spray-painted. And on Cours Julien, there was the Maison Hantée, at 10 Rue Vian, which became a hub for Marseille’s alternative scene. It was there that DJ Khéops and Massilia Sound System performed for the first time. The Cours Julien also became an alternative hub where an alternative youth scene gathered.” As Julien Valent puts it, “The Cours Ju’ was like Soho.”

Must-Visit Neighborhoods

The Cours Julien is thus a veritable open-air museum. “In these entirely pedestrian-only streets, the bars with their lively terraces add to the charm of the place. Shop owners have also realized the power of street art to attract locals and tourists. Cours Ju’ has become a must-visit destination with its small shops featuring colorful storefronts and walls entirely covered in art,” says Marion Fabre. But there are other neighborhoods worth exploring as well. “Just a stone’s throw from the Old Port and its legendary Canebière, Le Panier is the city’s most renowned and iconic artistic neighborhood. In its winding pedestrian streets, street art spreads out in the open air. Artists collaborate, and their works brighten the walls of this charming neighborhood, a source of pride for Marseille. Near the beaches, the Borely stop has been a favorite spot for athletes since its creation in 1991. Marseille’s bowl, with its California-style vibe on sunny days, is famous worldwide for its skatepark and the graffiti that brings it to life. Finally, the Friche de la Belle de Mai, a former tobacco factory, has been transformed into a unique experimental space dedicated to artistic creation in all its forms. Studios, performance halls, exhibition spaces, incubators, and a skate park flourish within the Friche. “An unmissable artistic melting pot.”

Recognition on the Rise

As everywhere, the transition from vandalistic, historical street art to accepted, recognized, and even official creation sparks diverse reactions. Graffiti artist Joan Gandolfi founded the Massilia Graffiti collective to support this evolution. “Living in the Cours Julien neighborhood, street art is an integral part of the urban landscape and shapes our daily lives. In 2015, we envisioned creating a space where everyone could engage with this art in their own way, by offering customized items or decorative services on a wide variety of surfaces. We rose to the challenge, and together with Marie, my partner who works in the motorcycle and vintage scene, we’ve just opened our concept store, Massilia Graffiti Feat Heritage Mecanik, where we combine customized and customizable items.” The collective acts as an intermediary between graffiti artists, residents, and public authorities. Joan is, however,
aware of the ambiguity. “Today, street art has become a focal point in its own right, highlighted
by organized tourist tours throughout the city. The municipality, for its part, is sometimes a participant, sometimes a police force, but hasn’t yet figured out where to stand so as not to offend the most reluctant residents and not alienate urban art aficionados of all kinds.” In 2018, the collective participated in a major renovation project for the shops on Cours Julien. “The idea came about by chance, from a chance encounter on a street in the neighborhood with the department’s project manager. It’s a wonderful project for the shop owners in this underground neighborhood where, on this occasion, two worlds that usually just observe each other worked together to harmonize the storefronts. I have only one regret: that it didn’t continue.” Between legal artworks and vandalistic graffiti, it’s not easy to tell the difference. “Almost all the walls on Cours Julien are covered, so it’s hard to make sense of it all! There’s a sort of tolerance, a permissiveness, in this neighborhood. Especially since, when a wall is cleaned, it’s covered up again the very next day! I would say, however, that today there are more authorized painted walls than before. First, because many walls—often the largest ones—were created during the Street Art Festivals organized since 2015 by Marseille Centre. Second, because there’s the M.U.R. on Rue Crudère, managed by the Juxtapoz Association since 2012, which provides an authorized space for artists. Finally, because many businesses work with graffiti artists who paint their storefronts. “In the summer of 2018, the Departmental Council allocated a budget of 40,000 euros for graffiti artists from the Massilia Graffiti collective to create murals in the parking lot and on the storefronts,” notes
Alexandra Blanc Véa.

Big names…

All the big names in street art have passed through Marseille, even if many of their creations have disappeared over the years. “Space Invader has left his mark here, just as he has in all major cities. Monsieur Chat’s drawings, which have covered the entire facade of the WAAW since 2015, are also everywhere. I even saw some on a fisherman’s boat in Cassis! You can also find stencils by C215, who has visited Marseille at least twice at the Cours Ju’. Unfortunately, some in other neighborhoods—like Rue Edmond Rostand or Place des Pistols in Le Panier—were immediately painted over. The same goes for a stencil by Jef Aérosol on Rue Crudère, which has sadly disappeared. There must still be a poster by Eddie Colla, featuring his characters wearing masks—almost prophetic—at the corner of Montée des Accoules and Place de Lenche, in the Panier. I also love
Bash for his humor, Joke for his lettering, and the Italian Alberto Ruce, particularly his *Baiser*, which can be seen in the Panier. There’s also JR’s pair of eyes that follow you as you pass by the Friche de la Belle de Mai on the TGV. His other works have disappeared. Finally, don’t miss the monumental murals on the L2, whose artists were selected by Jean Faucheur, one of the great historical figures of graffiti in France

.”… and gems to discover

The Marseille scene is also brimming with talent—local artists making their mark nationally and internationally—for whom Alexandra Blanc Véa has particular favorites. “I really like Manyoly, whose superb portraits of women can also be found in Paris, London, Borneo, Murcia, and Berlin; Stéphane Moscato for his ultra-stylish posters; Gamo and his B-boys; Mahn Kloix, a socially conscious street artist who, together with Gutan, created a stunning tribute to nature, *Man versus Wild*… There are so many others, like those who contributed to the collective mural telling the story of the trees of La Plaine.” Joan Gandolfi also has her own favorites among the local artists. “For me, Abel is the one who has mastered the art of lettering. Another standout is the artist Dire 132, who pays tribute to femininity in the most beautiful way. Finally, a third gem in our Marseille scene, Braga, for his total mastery.” All good reasons to set out and explore the walls of Marseille.