My name is CHANOIR 13 janvier 2020 – Publié dans: Non classifié(e)

You probably came face to face, at the bend in an alleyway or in an art gallery, on a Cha, this creature with rounded shapes that have animated the walls of many capitals. These theriantropic characters are the work of Alberto Verajano, alias Chanoir. Of Bogotanese origin, he later travelled the world where he left his mark with each passing. It is in the studio of Jean-Michel Alberola, a major artist on the French scene in the 1980s, painter, sculptor, video artist or installation artist that Verajano received the Beaux-arts de Paris diploma. Through his works, Alberola aims to reflect on the current world

Unlike his mentor, Chanoir sits on the apolitical side of his painting. Unlike other street artists, such as Banksy or Vhils, who use their grafs to convey denunciatory messages, Chanoir revives the emotions and innocence of childhood. Emotion is the artist’s key word. His feelings are widely felt in his paintings. Full of overflowing creativity, he never twice releases the same collection, sometimes giving his Chains the appearance of tattoo artists, sometimes the appearance of aristocrats or simply floating shapes that leave everyone free to express their imagination.  Jealous, mischievous, mocking, Chanoir metamorphoses his characters according to his moods and the artist’s spontaneity is felt in each piece.

To achieve this result at an impulsive pace, on his canvases, he uses graffiti tools to paint and give velocity to the work, allowing him a faster and more instinctive technique. What drives him is to convey a message only with two small dots and a small line, like many of his Cha, Chanoir wants to put a smile on every face.

Today, his works are presented in galleries and at auctions organized by the biggest auction houses (Digard, Artcurial, Cornette de Saint Cyr…).

 

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5 steps to become a graffiti writer

Although a graduate of the Beaux-Arts, Chanoir believes that 5 steps are enough to become a graffiti artist, he gives us his advice in a video with a playful character: Becoming a graffiti artist in 5 steps.

The first step would be to find a name for yourself, the second to get a bomb. He then recommends checking to be protected from view and to hide his identity. Then comes the drawing of the flop. The flop is a bit like a sketch. It is a flattened area of rounded letters that forms the contours of the tag simply filled in.

The last step: set up a crew.

The crew: coming together to paint together

A founding member of the 1980 Franco-Barcelona collective, it was in 2013 that Chanoir brought together various artists such as Pure Evil, El Xupet Negre, or Malicia around a common project. The collective does not only focus on graffiti but on art in general in order to bring its member artists into the gallery. Their guiding principle is always the same: the return to childhood, they want to bring back to life the pop and sour images of their youth, the youth of the 80s.

15 years later, the collective is still out there. He celebrates his birthday with an exhibition “Broken Mind, Clever hands” in partnership with the city of La Celle Saint-Cloud. The artists present their archives but also new works created for the occasion.

Ten years ago, the collective already propagated its happy wave at various events such as the 2012 Biennale du Havre, at the LJ Beaubourg space in 2007, various exhibitions at the Musée des Art et Métiers in 2019, or at the Fondation Cartier during an exhibition paying tribute to the history of graffiti and its artists “Nés Dans La Rue” where the collective will install an interactive installation “la mobile box”.

The collective also took over nightclubs such as Chez Moune, the Social Club or the Nouveau Casino and became a figure of the Parisian night, Chanoir introduced himself as a DJ this time.

His collaborations

In 2012, Chanoir faced various issues and was offered new challenges. Thanks to his resolutely pop and commercial designs, he is the ideal candidate for brands. Their goal here: to rejuvenate their image and reach a new community.

Who better than Chanoir to boost a brand?

It is not his first time, Cacharel had already sniffed out the potential for artistic collaboration and Chanoir had been offered the opportunity to produce the prints for the 2009-2011 collections and decorate all the offices in the house. A foot in fashion, he did not stop there and created the bottles of For Him & For Her perfume from the Ungaro brand, the bottles of which took the form of a spray paint can. The launch is planned for the international neck.

Also in 2012, one could see on the conciergerie in Paris, a giant poster made by Chanoir promoting the new Samsung SPen phone, he will also make different shells offered for sale.

The following year, a few streets further on, a “Chanoirian” fresco could be seen on the Champs-Elysées where the artist was invited by Disney for Hallowen. We will also discover a mural painting done on the grounds of the Saint-Louis Hospital.

He took over the Galeries Lafayette in Dijon during an exhibition dedicated to him: “Sous Le Totem De Chanoir”.

Following this, he covers the famous Streets Hôtel de ses Cha colorés in the Marais in Paris.
The alternative rock band Pixies, who wrote the very popular song ” Where Is My Mind ? “, featured in the credits of the film Fight Club, called on Chanoir to create the fresco for its video clip “Green And Blues”, produced in Miami in 2014.

In 2016, it is on the iconic Clippers lighters that the Cha appear.

Recently, Chanoir has been plunging back into the world of music. You can see Chanoir at work in the video game Just Dance, creating a fresco against the background of the very pop sound of Bum-Bum Tam-Tam.

Once again this year, the legendary Parisian club Le Montana called on the services of Chanoir to bring its front to life one last time with the final closure of the venue. The artist will take over the walls of the club for a solo show.

The latest collaboration to date, Chanoir has teamed up with Gana bakeries to offer a selection of beans to be found in the galettes des rois!

Chanoir opens its universe to the youngest in the children’s book On fait le mur? around art in the street.

Where to find his works?

Convinced that art and artists are actors carrying optimistic messages, it is in the street that Chanoir has chosen to express itself for 25 years. Present in ten countries, you will find Chanoir wherever you go.

In the streets

One of Chanoir’s notorious walls is of course the Wynwood Walls in Miami.

article street artiste chanoir, My name is CHANOIR

Wynwood, this district of aging industrial warehouses, was redecorated on the occasion of Art Basel 2009 by businessman and patron Tony Goldman, who transformed the place into an open-air cultural centre and became a canva of expression for urban art. Chanoir will have its Cha roaming there in 2013.

At the museum

In 2003, the Cha made their entrance into the museum. Chanoir is exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art of Bogota (MAMBO) founded in 1963 by the Argentinean art critic Marta Traba. Currently located in the city center of the capital, the museum displays more than 2,000 works by foreign and Colombian artists.

In the gallery

Since 2014, Chanoir is represented by the Art Jingle Gallery founded by Stéphane Bou, where his works can be found at 31bis rue des Tournelles, in the Marais in Paris.