Paris, France — As Paris Art Week was playing out in the French capital, largely kicking off on October 19, we took a turn off the beaten path which led us to Off the Books, the colorful, iconic and original exhibition currently underway at the Galerie Vellutini in the gallery district on the Left Bank. French street artists Stesi and Dize (also known as Dizer) are exhibiting their pioneering works in this corner, light-filled gallery until November 17th. Both artists are self taught and hit the streets with their art work back in the 1990s.

Stesi began creating street art and graffiti in 1997 and oriented his works towards throws, a graffiti term used to describe the drawings of large letters — quickly — of graffiti words. He then oriented his works towards the canvas given the legal difficulties in producing street art in Paris. His highly colorful and serene works draw their inspiration from New York graffiti artists and 20th century artists like Jackson Pollock. They are largely commissions from private individuals and galleries . His street art in the streets of Paris has been largely preserved through photographs.

Dize began his street art career in 1990 and like Stesi painted the streets of Paris. For 20 years he worked in the pure form of New York city graffiti artists, pushing further and further afield focusing on the letters. One of his techniques consists in spraying various colors, usually bright, onto the canvas and then covering it in black latex which he « cuts » through, generally using his fingers. In the exhibition one finds his Mondrian-inspired works as well. In some of his works a small bear is visible.

The Galerie Vellutini presents exhibitions of contemporary artists and photographers throughout the year. This show offers a fine opportunity to see and purchase the works of Stesi and Dize, works that are difficult to come by and clearly collectible.
©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette
35 Rue Guénégaud, 75006 Paris
https://www.galerievellutini.com/