Monday, May 4, 2009

Post 4 - Kyande - Graffiti Legends

FAfIFrench girl Fafi’s extraordinary style is on the spot right here and right now. Her one of a kind images have brought worldwide recognition and also gave female graffiti a new twist.
Born and raised in Toulouse France, Fafi's strong presence in the graffiti and fine arts scene was first witnessed on her hometown walls in 1994.

Back then, as she was painting and hustling, her sexy, funny, and sometimes aggressive girl characters made the whole world look and help kick-start a whole new graphic language; by exploring feminity through stereotypes, and using it to her advantage, she drew enormous attention and thus started to travel the world with thousands of Fafinettes in her brushes and paint cans.


Europe, USA, Japan, Hong-Kong, the planet is a playground. And it's only started.Soon enough Sony would ask her to design a six-character toy set for the Time Capsules collection, an almost natural move for her three-dimensional measures.

Other successful figurines would follow, as well as numerous expositions and collaborations with Colette, Adidas, LeSportSac, Coca-Cola, M.A.C cosmetics and in the magazines (ie. Vogue, Elle, The Face, XLR8R, Yen etc...).The animation world started to eyeblink her vision in Mark Ronson video featuring a Fafi-ed Lily Allen.



Her multi-faceted work was all documented in her books GIRLS ROCK (2003) and LOVE AND FAFINESS (2006), both being also succesful prints in museum libraries and selected shops. As for 2007, Fafi entered a new phase.

Having become a mother and moving to Paris made her introduce a new depth to her creations. Now not only the Fafinettes are fly girls, they also run a whole universe of creatures, homes and vehicles. It's called The Carmine Vault. It's a dreamy and peculiar place.

Graffiti is definatly art over vandelisim. I suppose it just depends on what type of art.....Art with heart is ART......Art that looks like FART...well you get the point. It breaks the stereotype to have the art on the building - rather than in it.

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