Well known to lovers of urban art in Lyon for a dozen years, with around 200 works presented, Big Ben particularly talked about him this week, in the Lyon peninsula as well as on social networks. And for good reason, the artist has dedicated his new painting, visible since Monday evening in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, to the war in Ukraine, and particularly to the figure of Vladimir Putin. The Russian president appears there with clenched fists, with a decapitated dove and blood flowing from its mouth.
Big Ben explains that he had the idea for this “ogre Poutine” last week, and it took him two days to complete the realization of this disturbing work, painted on paper, with his usual stencil technique. “It was a painful painting for me to do,” confides the artist to 20 minutes. It represents a lot of suffering and a lot of death. I suffered while painting it. I understand that it can disturb people and that it is not unanimous. »
“The work lives its life and its fate no longer belongs to me”
To stick this achievement in the street, five meters above the ground, Big Ben has found “the spot that resonates” in Lyon, namely the Place de la Paix with a name so symbolic in view of current events in Ukraine. If he has attracted the attention of many passers-by for four days, the Lyon artist does not know at all what awaits in the coming weeks his “ogre Poutine”, of which the town hall of Lyon had obviously had no echo of his appearance. .
“Urban art is practiced wildly and without authorisation, explains Big Ben. I have no certainty about this painting because it is ephemeral art. Once I pasted it on the street, the work lives its life and its fate is no longer mine. It’s the people who own it. It can disappear with a jet of water. »
“I know that such a work exposes me”
This is not the case for the moment and the artist, who also exhibits in the Artshow gallery (Lyon 9th), would rather like a boost from Only Lyon. “The tourist office organizes urban art walks in Lyon and I think that this work would have its place in a circuit, with the message it carries. “A strong message assumed, but which encourages Big Ben to sometimes fear the worst.
“I take risks with this kind of subversive act,” he says. Many artists tend to be careful with their creations since the attacks of Charlie Hebdo. I try not to censor myself and I know that such work exposes me. »