Lek & Sowat’s Mausolée film launch

Mausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian Smith

In August 2010 Sowat & Lek, from France’s DMV crew organised forty French artists to paint out the inside of an abandoned 430,000 square foot supermarket in North Paris. For a year, an illegal artistic residency took place, documented by photo and film and by collecting detritus from the huge squatted complex which has been brought together in this new exhibition in Paris’ 13th arrondissement.

Lek & Sowat tell us that what remains of the site close to Parc de Villette is “a temple dedicated to a disappearing underground culture, slowly being replaced by street art and its global pop aesthetics”.

The project includes work by the following artists:

Apotre, Bims, Blo, Bom.k, Boyane, Brusk, Butterfly, Clickclacker, Dem189, Domone, Fleo, Gilbert1, Gris1, Hobz, Honda, Jayone, Jaw, J.P, Kan, Katre, Keboy, Lek, Manyak, Monsieur Qui, O’Clock, Omick, Onde, Outside, Paum/Sarin, Rems, Res, Romi, R. Skyronka, Sambre, Seth, Shook, Siao, Skio, Smo, Sowat, Spei, Swiz, Tcheko, Thias, and Wxyz

An installation inspired by and made using materials from the site of the “Mausoleum” is now open to view by the public, and the accompanying book, can be bought online, here.

The project is essentially the brainchild of artist Sowat. He was assisted by Lek, and the video was edited by Kan.

Other similar projects include the Underbelly Project and Ghostvillage Project.

Picture found at the North Paris site and framed as part of the exhibition

Mausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian Smith

Mausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian SmithMausolee Paris exhibition presented by Sowat and Lek of the Da Mental Vaporz crew Paris Street Art Photo: copyright 2012 Demian Smith

The show finishes on 14 April and is from 3.00 pm to 8pm, at the following address:

11 rue Marie-Andrée Lagroua-Weil-Halle (enter by the front gate of a residential apartment complex, and enter through the first door on your left),

Paris 75013

Métro/Rer: Bibliothèque François Mitterrand

Info: mausolee@hotmail.com