WHO ART THE STREET ARTISTS I'M INTERESTED IN ?

Which artist interests me?

When you start to be interested in Street Art or any other artistic movement, it is sometimes difficult to find his way as so many artists and so many universes of creation are available, that's why today, I'll go to present an artist who intrigued me and deserves our full attention: KATRE.

Who is he?

KATRE is a French artist born in Paris in 1977. It is still here that he lives and works, when he is not invited to performances or festivals in France or elsewhere.
From a very young age, he saw in him a passion for drawing, photography and comics. In the 90s he discovered the graffiti that will become his universe and he began to express himself outdoors and on all types of surfaces. In 1993, he practiced graffiti in parallel with his studies in the visual arts and was quick to create his style mixing prints on URBEX photographs and colorful lettering, which give his works an explosive side.
His art perfectly ties his two passions, graffiti and abandoned places and makes them more than fusional thanks to his creative genius.

What is he doing?

Between 1998 and 2005, KATRE invested in the community, oscillating between frescoes and animation workshops graffiti. In 2005 and 2012, he published a duet of Street Art books titled "Out of Time" and "Out of Time 2". In 2016, he realizes an installation in an old bath cabin of Molitor pool. Thanks to multiple meetings and many trips, KATRE has been able to do graffiti in 35 different places, to integrate a large number of collectives and to participate in many festivals.

KATRE has taken part in more than 40 events such as the "Mr Freeze" festival, the biggest exhibition of urban art in France, which brings together more than fifty international artists and which takes place in Toulouse on more than 10,000 square meters. Created a decade ago, the "Mr Freeze" festival has become a major event of Street Art in France.

How to see his creations?

His talent for lettering, sets and characters also allows him to embark on solo shows, although he continues the benefits in duo or collective.
You can also find his creations on his website or in some galleries in Paris or Montpellier where he is a permanent artist.
Here is one of his works that particularly marked me. This is a creation he had exhibited in Marrakech on the occasion of the exhibition "Urban Memories" which took place on November and December 2018 in the industrial district of the Moroccan city.
We find the basis of the work of the artist: a black and white photo of a disused place, printed on canvas with very intense lettering or for its 3D version, letters made with red and white LEDs reminiscent of X-rays. His work is both clear and abstract since the photos of very good qualities are treated. An impression of life emerges, although all human presence has been removed. These lettering and lights seem to pierce the picture by their color and brilliance but they also highlight it. Indeed, the contrast between color and black and white, between the shadows, very strong on the photos, and the brightness of the LEDs gives a unique look and taking on the board.

What is his news?

We will find KATRE in Marseille in 2019 during the "French Art Touch" at the Artcan Gallery where he will present his new creations.