Marie-Antoinette or Louis XIV revisited in Lego, monumental frescoes, customized glass containers: street art is making its revolution in Versailles, the royal city with a world-famous heritage.
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"The idea was to embellish the city by all means"
, argues the instigator of this cultural policy, François de Mazières, mayor of Versailles for twelve years and passionate about art.
The former president of the City of Architecture and Heritage pleads for urban art,
"the most democratic there is (...) which is given free to everyone to see"
.
The elected official hopes in particular to demonstrate to some 10 million annual visitors to the Palace of Versailles that the city is not limited to the imposing building of the 17th century.
The beauty of this city also comes from the fact that for centuries there have been rules that apply.
François de Mazières, mayor of Versailles.
Thus, near the church where Louis XIV was baptized, black streaks outline silhouettes on the zebra crossings, a nod from the artist Emmanuel Braudeau to Jackson Pollock.
Further on, illustrations from Fables de la Fontaine brighten up electrical cabinets, trompe-l'oeil from period stores adorn the bare walls of the city center, a dozen immense frescoes painted by international artists announce the unique HLM district of the city.
And around the corner of certain buildings, ironic castles, crowned heads and even ... guillotined, works with the aesthetic of a retro video game by the famous artist Invader have flourished.
Representation of a guillotined king made with the aesthetics of the famous artist Invader.
STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP.
At first
"astonished"
then
"reluctant"
, François de Mazières finally salutes the facetious work of the mosaicist, even if he warns:
"The beauty of this city also comes from the fact that for centuries there have been rules that have been applied. 'apply'
.
"A poor city of rich people"
A drastic regulation of which the mayor himself bears the cost and which makes any intervention in this
"protected universe (...) derogatory"
.
"From time to time, the Architects of France tell me no," he
laughs.
“At first, I was told that my works were a little too colorful for the rue du Vieux Versailles,”
adds Cyklop, who painted 25 posts representing historical figures revisited in Lego, from Louise Michel to Madame de Maintenon by the way. by Louis XV.
But the mayor having adhered to their pop aesthetic, the posts have carved out a place of choice for themselves in the city, to the delight of the inhabitants, who find them
"nice"
,
"funny"
and
"fun for an old city like Versailles"
.
"Every time we do something, we take a risk"
, estimates the one who has already drawn the wrath of the opposition, in particular because of the order of a work of 200,000 euros, a long bench of 90 meters in the garden of the Gobert ponds.
But from a budgetary point of view, the mayor defends himself against any excess.
At first, I was told that my works were a little too colorful for the rue du Vieux Versailles.
Cyklop, street artist.
Versailles is
"a poor city of rich people"
, he believes.
On 2,600 hectares, 800 are occupied by the castle which brings nothing to the City, 450 by the Ministry of the Armed Forces with 2,500 military housing and 350 to the National Forestry Office.
The area dedicated to economic activities
"is historically low"
in the royal city.
This is why the trompe-l'oeil are made by the students of the two art schools of Versailles, often as part of their schooling.
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Likewise, the cost of frescoes in the HLM district is included in the budget for thermal renovation of buildings.
"The idea is that the fact of investing artistically does not have more economic impact"
, explains Mimouna Khaldi of Quai 36, who represents the muralist artists who intervened in the Bernard de Jussieu district.
From the low-rent housing estate to the historic city center, François de Mazières praises the diversity of districts of Versailles, which remains
“an incubator city for artistic creation, including in the 21st century”
.