{"id":211,"date":"2017-09-01T08:06:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T08:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/?p=211"},"modified":"2026-06-20T08:06:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T08:06:53","slug":"ador-semor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/ador-semor\/","title":{"rendered":"ADOR & SEMOR"},"content":{"rendered":"

ADOR & SEMOR \u2013 THE MORE THE MERRIER, THE MORE WE LAUGH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 2017 \u2013 2547 words<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COURSE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you become urban artists? Did your studies at the Fine Arts school influence your career path?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semor\/<\/strong> Working outdoors has always appealed to us: the pleasure of being with friends, spending afternoons painting and sharing. Art school didn't spark anything new because this practice was already established, even if having the time to reflect and research may have allowed us to develop in a different way. However, they have always been reluctant, even hostile, to projects involving murals, walls, and street art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador\/<\/strong> Personally, I was developing a project there in which I was very involved. When they made it clear that I needed to keep my adolescent fantasies to myself, I took them at their word, and that's how I'm thriving today. Even now, art schools often maintain the idea that there's a separation between "institutional" art and other forms of art, and they don't encourage practices that differ from their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So your taste for painting in the street comes from these outings in your youth? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semor\/<\/strong> Rather than talking about the street, I'd say we primarily enjoy sharing images, spending time researching in sketchbooks, discussing ideas, and looking at walls without knowing the potential outcome in advance. It's very pleasant to get up early and head out on a mission with friends in search of a wall to paint on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador\/<\/strong> I envy musical groups who can share a common artistic vision. The physical support of the wall is large enough for several people to work on it at the same time. The street also provides a space of freedom and dynamism for these collective works: these projects bring together those who are happy and there to participate, as well as those who are not happy or aren't there for that reason!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INDIVIDUAL STYLES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador, your universe consists of a gallery of characters that you develop in an animated world that may remind you of Wallace and Gromit.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador\/<\/strong> I try to capture my everyday experiences through drawing. It's an extension of what I express verbally, allowing me to capture the thoughts and reactions I have from time to time. When I draw, each piece allows me to delve deeper into my explorations. Taking a step back later allows me to see the results, particularly the cartoonish aspect. Through this work, I have a strong desire to communicate, to tell stories, to joke, and to make people smile. So yes, I find myself drawn to the worlds of artists like Albert Dupontel or Tim Burton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short films <\/strong>Eratus<\/em><\/strong>, <\/strong>Belicus<\/em><\/strong> And <\/strong>Morbus Fabula<\/em><\/strong>, The main character's human feelings clash with impossibilities, which always lead him to death. Behind this comedic aspect, might there not be a darker side?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I'm artistically drawn to things that have a double meaning. In my images, I try to tell a story that blends a welcoming, rather gentle, and aesthetically pleasing aspect. If it can also serve as a gentle reminder or a bit of gentle mockery, all the better. The characters I create are symbolic, and the fact that they represent commonplaces allows for multiple interpretations. It's actually quite surprising to note that commonplace<\/em> is synonymous with\u2019public space<\/em>: in all cases it is something obvious. The main character of these three short films, a bearded man in pajamas, may remind one of a wizard or Santa Claus, who will have ordinary adventures turned into ridicule, such as selling bananas to make a little money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semor, your work focuses more on accumulation and evokes Hieronymus Bosch or Arman.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semor\/<\/strong> I always keep the New Realists in the back of my mind. The accumulation of images allows me to make identifiable fragments of life or objects, things both harsh and gritty. Interpreting the work requires an effort from the viewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We enjoy working together because understanding our images happens in two stages, allowing us to pause and reflect. Technically, I'm drawn to very raw lines in my drawings. I find that black and white eliminates artifice, allowing you to feel the energy and instinct through the line. This way, I feel I can better identify an artist's work with brief sketches that reveal whether they are highly skilled or simply clumsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARTISTIC COLLABORATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When did you start working together? What are the advantages of being two?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We've been creating images together for ten years, and developing professional projects for six or seven. It's very stimulating to work as a duo while maintaining our own individual styles. As soon as we have a project, we discuss it with each other, but it's primarily about enjoyment: we would still paint without institutions or money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do you want to remain anonymous?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We want our work to remain autonomous and independent of us. We're not here to be the third element in a finished image. Some artists complete their work with their own personality, to the point that it sometimes takes up more space than the creation itself. This is a bias we don't share, and we're too often disappointed when we meet other artists. The starting point of a work should always be the desire to offer a piece that speaks to people on its own terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you maintain a balance between your styles?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's important that everyone has their own style; otherwise, we wouldn't do it. Many artistic duos merge in their work, but it's precisely the fact that each retains their identity that appeals to us. The energy comes from the fact that we always bring something different to the table. If a collaborative painting is planned and one of us breaks a leg working on a mural, the other won't take their place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also place great emphasis on the \u201cmobile\u201d nature of your work, without being anchored in a predefined place.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mobility allows you to be surprised and to take risks by stepping outside your comfort zone. It means painting in different contexts, facing people who will react differently. Changing the conditions of creation allows you to meet new people. You never know what to expect: while you might have preconceived notions about China or the United States, the things that stick in your mind are sometimes very different from what you could have imagined beforehand. Painting abroad also means adapting your vocabulary and the images you use. You won't allow yourself the same things depending on the context, trying to entertain without shocking, without harming anyone, or at least as many people as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also showcase your unique world, whereas other urban artists prefer an immediately recognizable image.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The art world today demands that you be identifiable, but it's easy to blend visual identity with the development of a unique style. Two types of artists are remembered: those who have found a signature style that they endlessly reproduce, and those whose artistic personality is such that whatever they do, they will be instantly recognizable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FACING THE WALL: PAINTING A MURALS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You paint a lot of frescoes. In this case, will the size of the wall determine the format of the artwork?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador\/ <\/strong>Sometimes I get a sudden urge to paint and sketch a design onto a postage stamp, thinking about where to put it. If the wall I have available isn't suitable, I might, for example, lengthen the character's nose to fit the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador & Semor\/<\/strong> The image needs to be well-positioned in relation to the wall. It also requires adaptation, due to its texture or surface. This creates surprises during the painting process and ensures that something new is always happening. Adapting, racking our brains to avoid simply rehashing a preconceived idea\u2014that's the most enjoyable part, and that's why we like working as a team. The important thing isn't whether the result is successful or not, but having an idea in mind before starting the work, and ensuring that the finished product lives up to what we envisioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, do you improvise once you're there or do you prepare your mural in advance?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador\/<\/strong> For me, the more I prepare, the more effective I am in front of the wall. If I leave it to chance, I'll have to start over. In fact, I at least know the main lines and composition of my drawing. I don't mind doing the same thing three times, and I don't think that's enough to bore me. Even if it's a highly detailed sketch I've spent hours on, I'd be happy to redraw it on a wall to make sure the message got across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semor\/<\/strong> I prepare much less, which generally gives her plenty of time! I find it less exciting to have her sketch ready to be reproduced on the wall, because then we already know the final result and it leaves less room for surprises. So, I always try to maintain a certain degree of freedom, even if we agree on the overall composition, while still allowing for the possibility of adding details or dedications later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador\/<\/strong> I often add a yellow detail, like a banana or a piece of Gruy\u00e8re cheese. This can take us quite far: for example, if I want to paint animals, I might want to depict a penguin mating with a banana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semor\/<\/strong> And so we'll end up with a seal and a pineapple\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador\/<\/strong> But we will be happy because at the time we were in agreement and in cahoots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semor\/<\/strong> The annoying thing is the surprises. When I don't want him to add something, I delete it, but then I realize it's reappeared. And even if I remove it again two days later, I know it'll be there the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ador\/<\/strong> We created a mural depicting a horse stealing an amphora. I really wanted to add a piece of Gruy\u00e8re cheese because I felt it was important to have a third element that disrupts the interpretation. It's rather gratuitous, but I'm certain it leads the viewer to another possible reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semor\/<\/strong> And I think we made some very intellectual connections about this Gruy\u00e8re cheese that you missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you view these rather permanent murals in relation to the ephemeral nature of urban art?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We don't get stuck on finished works but try to evolve. In a public space, some things remain, others don't, so some murals disappear more or less naturally depending on the context. If someone can play with our work, adding an element to transform it into a kind of exquisite corpse, all the better. It's not up to us to judge whether our piece deserves to be preserved: if it is, so much the better, because it's an additional memory. But the goal is always to share images, regardless of the medium or its permanence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PARADE, RIDE AND DISTORTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are starting the project <\/strong>Parade, stroll and distortion<\/em><\/strong> during the Voyage \u00e0 Nantes 2016. Could you tell us about its origins?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After receiving support from the city of Nantes and the French Institute for a six-week trip to the United States, we decided we needed to do something in our own city. The idea was to do more than our usual scattered murals and create an event in Nantes itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our initial aim was to showcase our research, which is very time-consuming and forms the core of our work. It was then that we discovered the Alain Le Bras studio, a unique space due to its architecture, where we immediately envisioned an exhibition. We wanted to transpose our world into formats and spaces other than those of the street. The second part of this major project was a mural created in collaboration with local residents, so from the outset we considered how to involve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The residents are at the heart of your approach, and you encourage them to reclaim urban space, as with the mural. <\/strong>The researcher<\/em><\/strong>, painted with children in Orvault.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We envisioned this project as institutional and aimed at the general public, moving beyond the usual wild graffiti. Initially, we tried to time it around neighborhood festivals to talk about the project. Then, we held discussions with residents to talk about what the neighborhood represents, what concerns them, and what they like. We then tried to translate their ideas into images and build a model with them. Of course, there were also workshop sessions, because the kids are eager to get involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such a project creates social bonds between residents.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wanted to share our enthusiasm, hoping it would contribute to the life of the city, but we weren't sure it would work. When fifty or so people showed up to paint, it was amazing! It's interesting to create a piece large enough to truly become part of the landscape, not just a small gesture, but something deliberate, on a scale befitting a piece of architecture or a building. The residents will live with it, and they often prefer a wall with a splash of color to one that's dull or gray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What were their reactions?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Displaying images in a public space always sparks reactions and discussion. Indeed, as a free and accessible space, the street allows for instant and spontaneous feedback, especially since a work of art in a public space is designed to engage everyone, even on different levels of interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this encounter usually happens by chance. We paint, which sparks the curiosity of passersby and creates an exchange. Here, these positive and negative reactions also occurred beforehand. Very often, we are surprised by the interpretations of passersby. But it's a pleasant surprise because these are things we hadn't thought of, a part that had escaped our notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you choose the locations in which to install your murals? <\/strong>Traffic <\/em><\/strong>It measures one hundred and forty meters long by seven meters high.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We presented to the various partners the locations we most desired, such as the site for the mural. Traffic<\/em>, which we hadn't been able to obtain before, or the one from the Ch\u00e2teau de Rez\u00e9. We chose the others while walking around, adjusting our choices as the project progressed. Traffic <\/em>It has thus become the flagship project for a larger initiative in priority neighborhoods. The outskirts are less well served than the city center when it comes to urban art, and we were determined that our murals should not remain on the periphery but be truly at the heart of the neighborhoods.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ADOR & SEMOR – PLUS ON EST DE FOUS, PLUS ON RIT septembre 2017 – 2547 mots PARCOURS Comment \u00eates-vous devenus des artistes d\u2019Art urbain ? Vos \u00e9tudes aux Beaux-Arts ont-elles influenc\u00e9 votre parcours ? Semor\/ Travailler dehors nous a toujours plu: le plaisir d\u2019\u00eatre avec des potes, de passer des apr\u00e8s-midi \u00e0 peindre et […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":212,"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211\/revisions\/212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qgdesartistes.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}