Speedy Graphito

Urban Spirit

2013

One of the pioneering figures of the French street art movement in the 1980s, Speedy Graphito’s work explores the presence of images in contemporary society. He is most recognized for his recurring “la peinture” character, which he created to form a connection between his works. He studied at the School of Art Estienne and had his first retrospective exhibition at Touquet Musée du Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. Paintings such as Mouse (2019) blend bright colors, patterns, and pop culture references into the outline of iconic cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, creating a commentary on the omnipresence of pop culture imagery. Working in painting, photography, video, drawing, performance, and sculpture, Graphito investigates themes of consumerism, pop culture, art history, and conventions of collective memory. He works with stencils and brushes to produce his distinct graffiti style known as “Style Graphito.”