2022, Le Mans, France. All images © Julien Malland, shared with permission
Known for filtering incisive social commentary through the lens of childhood innocence, French artist Julien Malland, a.k.a. Seth Globepainter, has spent the better part of his career capturing the hope and wonder of adolescence. His imaginative characters (previously) appear on walls from Miami to Shanghai and often emerge in places marred by difficulties, including Syrian refugee camps and the bombed streets of the Donbas region in Ukraine.
Titled Seth, On Walls, the artist’s first monograph was published in November and chronicles a decade of resilient, youthful subjects. Enveloped by color and playful optical illusions, the largely faceless figures are introspective and often turn away from the viewer to rest, play with a friend, or look toward a distant, unknown future. Many of the murals contain small, vibrant portals nestled among the gray, urban landscapes, and like the works themselves, the book takes this optimistic approach to offer “a delicate reading of the world in which imagination becomes the cure for all ills.”
Seth, On Walls will be released to U.S. readers in September. Pre-order your copy now, and follow the artist’s latest projects on Instagram.
“Maurice” (2016), Port Luis
2019, Little Haiti, Miami
“In the sky” (2015), Le Port Reunion Island
A 2013 collaboration with Ku2, Kharkiv
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Source: thisiscolossal.com