It's never easy to look poverty in the eyes, which is why the French art group Artisme took the initiative of creating a series of large-than-life portraits of street beggars so that they wouldn't pass unnoticed. Homeless people belong to society like anybody else, and by capturing their sun-burned faces in this series, these street artists are making them unforgettable.
These black-and white portraits are so well-done that they record every wrinkle and crack caused by the hard reality of living in the streets. Artisme used real homeless people in the area to illustrate the level of deterioration of their faces and to highlight that they're not forgotten. In addition, every piece includes a small print to obligate viewers to get even closer to the portraits and visualize the struggle of these men.
The collection is exhibit in a museum called Musée Urbain, which is structured and decorated as a decayed urban landscape. Artsime created a way to make visible to pedestrians and city dwellers a daily reality impossible to evade.
Graphic Vagrant Graffiti
The Group Artisme is Not Afraid to Take a Closer Look at Poverty
Trend Themes
1. Humanizing Poverty - Capturing the reality of poverty through art and highlighting the struggles of marginalized communities.
2. Innovative Urban Art - Creating thought-provoking exhibits in urban settings to raise awareness for socially impactful issues.
3. Documenting the Unseen - Using art to shine a light on marginalized individuals and giving them a platform for their voices to be heard.
Industry Implications
1. Visual Art - Creating art that sparks conversations about poverty, discrimination and inequality.
2. Museums and Galleries - Building exhibits that examine pressing social issues and the impact they have on society.
3. Marketing and Advertising - Utilizing street art tactics to effectively and creatively raise awareness around social causes and encourage action.