Carole B.
ICONS OF YESTERDAY, FIGHTERS OF TODAY
COURSE
How did you become an artist? When did you start out busking?
My debut as a professional artist dates back to early 2017. Until 2016, I worked as a cosmetics trainer in a prison. It was very demanding and I had a lot of responsibility, which wasn't always easy. After a burnout, My friends and family encouraged me to return to artistic hobbies I had already taught myself, such as paper cutting and assembling artworks. I took this time as an opportunity to immerse myself in it again: starting to exhibit my work and realizing that people were interested in it made me feel better. While continuing this activity on the side, I kept my job at the prison, but when my contract ended, I decided not to renew it. If I was going to work precariously anyway, I figured I might as well become an artist! I chose to dive in completely, without a safety net, because it would have been very difficult to have a chance of breaking through while also having another time-consuming job. My first steps in the street art scene date back to June 2018, because after presenting increasingly politically engaged works in traditional exhibitions, I felt out of place. I thought the street would be the best place to show my ideas and my world, which is both feminine and feminist; stencils then naturally emerged as a means of expression.
STENCIL CUTTING
There are aesthetic affinities between the practice of cutting/pasting and stenciling, particularly through the use of many layers.
Stencils and cut-and-paste techniques have a fairly obvious connection. Since they complement each other, the transition between the two was natural, and it took me very little practice to create my first beautiful stencils. They almost form a positive and negative yin and yang: with cut-and-paste, I cut out shapes to compile and assemble them, while with stencils, I remove shapes to fill those spaces with paint. They are, in fact, similar but reversed steps. Once I understood the different types of spray paint available, everything went very quickly and easily. But what's really interesting about stencils is the ability to reproduce designs, both for artwork to sell and for display on walls. So, I keep my sets for multiple uses. I find this very appealing, almost directly in line with Pop art and the mechanical aspect of Andy Warhol's screen prints. Stencils thus offer a wonderful opportunity for exploration, allowing me to test different colors and effects.
How do you now make these two techniques interact?
For now, I'm keeping the cut-out/paste technique indoors, preferring to use stencils pasted up in the street. But I do occasionally mix these two methods, like a bridge connecting them. I'd like to do some cut-out/paste work outdoors someday. For that, I'd need to think about a way to protect it from the rain. Having two techniques also means that one serves as a break from the other: I don't have time to get bored or tired of it.
WOMEN AND ICONS
How did you become interested in icons?
My interest in icons goes back a long way. Since the age of 10, I've been a fan of pin-ups, those women with heightened femininity and emphasized sensuality, those calendar figures. I've always been interested in that glamour that ranges from Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor to supermodels Like Naomi Campbell. I gradually came to understand that I always admired women who, despite their femininity and star status, were not weak, but used their femininity as a strength. At first, those around me thought this world was very feminist: at the time, it almost sounded like a dirty word. I didn't feel like a feminist, didn't identify as one. After hearing it said so often and taking a step back, I realized that all the women I represent are strong women: in that sense, they are feminists because they break the rules to seize power. And so, I continued my exploration of the feminine world with a dose of strength and assertiveness, but always with gentleness.
You are therefore talking about the character of Wonder Woman as being capable of taking on all causes.
What's interesting about Wonder Woman is that her origins, beyond the superhero figure, resonate somewhat with the women's movement in society. When I meet children, I ask them to name superheroes: they only know men, with the occasional exception of Batgirl, Catwoman, or Wonder Woman. This clearly illustrates a reality in our society: women are still not as recognized and represented in positions of power as men. Very few women have been presidents: in France, only one has been Prime Minister, and only for a few months! This stems from a prejudice that femininity cannot be embraced as something serious: glamour cannot be a strength. When we look at the character of Wonder Woman, we see that in 2016 the UN chose her as a symbol of women's emancipation. Very quickly, voices rose up, finding it scandalous that a heroine, a fictional one at that, with an ample figure, should be the figurehead of women's liberation. After a few months, the UN finally abandoned the idea. This story reflects the lives of women in society, who are not considered credible when they wear miniskirts or are too glamorous. It is apparently inconceivable for a woman to be stunning and valedictorian. Wonder Woman has evolved through the ages, going from assistant to positions of greater power, from glamorous to constrained by her corset. She is a reflection of society, and that is why, in my opinion, she embodies this post-MeToo era where women are demanding a great deal and are not giving up.
Thomas Sankara occupies a special place in your work, being the only man represented.
That's true, but I'm going to try more and more to include men. Thomas Sankara is one of those people who aren't represented enough in art. When I discovered his life, I truly fell in love with his convictions and his political will. Through him, I show that even men can be feminists. When Simone Veil passed her law, she didn't present it to an assembly of women: she therefore had to convince men, so that some would defend this advancement for women. So for me, feminism is also a man's issue.
WHAT MAKES A NATION
Your work also raises questions about the Republic, about what constitutes a nation.
I chose the motto Liberty, Equality, Femininity Because I realized that it embodied the universal aspirations of women. At first, I hesitated to add "sisterhood," but I don't find the word very appealing, and most people aren't familiar with it, just like the word "adelphity." I prefer to take a different approach and use the word "femininity." It's not exactly the equivalent of "fraternity," but people know that I'm inherently referring to a fraternity understood broadly and addressed to women. Even the youngest children will understand that women are also present and that we must stand in solidarity with them. I have a very broad vision of feminism, one that tries to include and encompass: therefore, "femininity" is a word that can also refer to men, who can have a part of it within them.
Why did you choose to use the stamp as a medium?
I thought it would be fun to represent this object, which everyone knows in miniature (don't we say "as big as a postage stamp"?), in a large format. It gives my pieces an official and very republican dimension: and I really enjoy playing with symbols that people recognize. Through the stamp, the portrait becomes Marianne, a figure who serves as an example, who embodies an ideal, without needing to add any further information. I often do a lot of research: until 2020, the color of stamps varied depending on their destination. That's why Simone Veil's stamp is both pink and blue, because blue was used for stamps destined for Europe, even though she herself was the first woman president of the European Union. The use of purple, originally used for international mail, often makes me think of International Women's Day. Colour can therefore be paramount and truly be the subject of a concrete choice, varying the interpretations, but for small series in which it does not have a crucial importance, it also allows me to explore harmonies.
STICK IN THE STREET
What is your perspective on the ephemeral nature of collage?
In the street, I use original stencils that I paint at home on paper and then stick, or have someone stick, on the walls. This technique is practical and allows me to prepare beforehand. My stencils are multi-layered, ranging from six to sometimes twenty or more layers, depending on the complexity of the details. It's almost impossible to do this in the street, but it also allows me to share them by entrusting them to others, so they appear outside of Paris. But I also have to take a step back: my collages are all the more ephemeral because they are politically engaged and feminist. Almost all of my Simone Veil collages have been targeted by people opposed to abortion or hostile to her. I observe this philosophically, because behind those who tear the face off my collage, there are often others who come to correct and repair it, rewriting the original motto or substituting the words "humanist" or "feminist." Someone even once traced Simone's face, which proves that there are still people who support us.
Urban collage is often linked to a spot-based logic.
I might have favorite spots that aren't often featured on street art routes. I find it interesting to be a bit unconventional, to have spots that go against the grain. I often paste up my work alone, sometimes in absurd places where I know my piece will be practically invisible, but where it has a chance of lasting. Even if I'm not particularly attached to the artwork, I still hope to make it last as long as possible, which will give it some visibility.
In what ways is the street a unique space for creation?
For the freedom of expression it offers and the ability to gently reach diverse audiences, conveying messages to people who might not be interested in politics. I've even seen people start discussions about the characters depicted, ask questions, and go on Google. This allows me to pique people's curiosity and further express my educational side, making it accessible to all audiences.
Is urban art an artistic movement for you?
Good question! I find it difficult to determine if it qualifies as urban art because the field is extremely vast and multifaceted. I'm always surprised by the diversity of themes, media, and techniques, as well as its ability to appeal to all audiences. So the question remains open, but I consider my work to be part of urban art. I find it wonderful to be able to freely offer the street an ephemeral work of art, subject to the elements and the behavior of viewers.
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