Graffiti on Paris Walls — 巴黎牆上塗鴉現場
The scene of graffiti artists at work on the walls.
By Chen Chi-Hsiang
Living in Paris, walking has become a daily routine. Whether busy or free, I always find time to go out for a stroll. If pressed for time, I walk near home; my favorite route is from the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) to Bercy Park, with detours through the 13th arrondissement’s Entrepôt des Minimes art village and the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris. I am always curious about the Entrepôt des Minimes, often lingering in this free realm of graffiti walls. Perhaps the surrounding murals have been updated; new and unusual works never escape my eyes, yet they are serendipitous finds.
The freedom of wall graffiti is now increasingly rare, marginalized by urban renewal. Free spaces are compressed into clean, white city walls, seemingly losing some metropolitan inspiration and energy. While neat aesthetics are pleasing and charming, the raw beauty of graffiti offers city dwellers a fleeting but thrilling spark. Civilized cities need a touch of wild energy and vitality; otherwise, urban aesthetics can become suffocating. No wonder many large-scale murals by international graffiti artists have appeared in Paris’s 13th arrondissement in recent years, transforming ordinary metropolitan views.
Finding graffiti on Paris walls requires special effort; edge areas still offer possibilities, but urban renewal makes it harder. Opportunities exist within construction sites, but encountering live graffiti creation is increasingly difficult. Unexpectedly, during the summer vacation, after a family picnic north of Paris, we walked along the Canal Saint-Martin, chatting as we went. The riverside scenery was delightful. At a triangular street corner, we encountered a large wall facing the canal where two young graffiti artists were boldly tagging, working frantically and quickly to update an old mural. The image was nearly complete, with people interviewing and photographing them. The energetic graffiti featured a bespectacled female artist’s self-portrait, a spicy dog, and dancing colored lines, releasing youthful vitality and imagery.
Witnessing the live graffiti scene in Paris was exciting. I took photos to record this serendipitous moment. Tagging is stimulating, and capturing it is no exception. Being present felt extraordinary; seeing the artists’ live performance firsthand was deeply satisfying and joyful. Walking brings not only unexpected encounters but also physical and mental enrichment.