Astro in front of one of his two frescoes made in Marseille.

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Adrien Max / 20 Minutes

  • Astro, a French street artist specializing in the creation of large frescoes on walls has just completed two works in the Joliette district.

  • He invites passers-by to immerse themselves in his works thanks to his geometric shapes as a trompe l'oeil, without forgetting a calligraphic style, his trademark.

  • After having made many canvases during containment, Astro is happy to find the walls outside.

Color in the middle of the concrete towers.

The street artist and specialist in large walls, Astro, produced two frescoes in the Joliette district of Marseille.

Its geometric shapes by way of trompe l'oeil have been visible since Tuesday morning behind the Quai du Lazaret, on the stairs leading to the Joliette cinema, and behind the building housing La Méridionale.

The bright colors, yellow and red have replaced those they are usually fond of, especially turquoise, but the impression of immersing oneself in the work is there.

Especially on the stairs of the cinema.

“It's not a very big facade like I'm used to making, but it suits me well because the place is very architectural, design, and modern.

It's well suited to my work, geometric optical illusions, with calligraphic shapes.

I only had to adapt my colors to those of the existing buildings, ”explains Astro.

A first in Marseille

Christophe Rioli, from Art Five Galerie, approached Covivio, in charge of street development, to carry out this project.

“The objective is to bring urban art to the city, to Marseille or elsewhere.

And there aren't many, institutional art in Marseille, ”he notes.

“It's true that I usually work mainly with the city, but not here.

This was the second time that I painted here in two months, I went for a walk to see street art and get inspired by the city, ”says Astro.

A project that should have seen the light of day during the confinement period, but which ultimately falls quite well.

“I did a lot of canvases during confinement, but since we can get out I make walls.

I did two in Marseille, and one in Strasbourg.

The canvases require more time, the work requires more precision so I no longer necessarily want to do so much, ”explains the man who has already painted frescoes in New York, Chicago, Tahiti or Brussels.

Interior Exterior

And with the Covid-19, the advantage is that anyone can admire their work outdoors, unlike in exhibitions.

“We have already canceled one, and we have postponed a second.

If that doesn't work, there is a big risk of disappointment, an exhibition that doesn't work can quickly destroy the morale of the artists so we prefer to wait a bit.

But we will have to learn to live in this situation ”, considers Christophe Rioli, who nevertheless hopes to be able to exhibit works at the beginning of September, rue de la République.

Astro, he hopes to quickly go abroad, "I have never stayed so long in France", he confides, and in the meantime he is working on new creations with new media, other than walls, or with sets of mirrors, which may be exhibited in Marseille at the beginning of October.

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  • Marseilles

  • Artist

  • Street art

  • Culture

  • Art