Ever wondered who Jean Faucheur was? Here on Allée des Faucheurs we honor him. Jean Faucheur was a prominent figure in urban art. He possessed a pioneering spirit. He also had a taste for disruption and an acute sense of sharing.
Faucheur was born in Paris in 1956. He remained a resident of the city throughout his life. He graduated from l’Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Early on, he became a pioneer of urban art in France.
Armed with a solid classical education he soon had an intuition. Museums’ walls needed to be brought down. He felt they should be replaced with the sky as a roof. Since 1983 he covered commercial billboards with his own paintings. He wanted to hijack their function. He wanted to showcase his artworks to the public. Faucheur became one of the first artists in France to leave the studio. He wanted to put his art out in the streets.
Faucheur started covering the streets. He used around 120 artworks of 3×4 meters. His most recognizable method involves cutting out images. Then he wove and rearranged them. These images were assembled to form a unique piece of art.
He received an invitation. It was to display his artwork on the streets of New York City. This came from the Tony Shafrazy Gallery. It was a famous house of works by Keith Haring, Futura 2000, and Basquiat.
Over the next 15 years, Faucheur dedicated himself to sculpting. He also focused on painting and photography. In 2002 after meeting artist Thom Thom, Jean Faucheur re-engaged with the street art scene. He co-founded Le M.U.R.. It was the first association of its kind. It became an emblematic urban art spot in Paris.
You can see Faucheur’s work in many cities. These include New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Lyon, Brussels, and Lausanne. His technique involved disrupting the norm. He brought art to the streets. He made it accessible to everyone.
So as you walk along Allée des Faucheurs remember Jean Faucheur. Remember his innovative spirit. Remember his contribution to urban art. He truly brought the museum walls down. He gave the art a sky for a roof.