Renowned French artist Mr Poes paints two murals in Delhi symbolizing Indo-French friendship

The French Institute in India recently invited the renowned French artist Fabien François Thomas aka Mr. Poes to paint murals in the iconic cultural hub of Delhi - Mandi House. The space for two murals at Mandi House Metro station has been provided by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. The murals, inspired by the idea of a vibrant French garden cohabited by myriad creatures, honor the enduring friendship between India and France. The French garden, also called ‘jardin à la française,’ is based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order on nature. Mr. Poes’ murals can be seen on the walls next to exit gate numbers 3 and 4 of the Mandi House Metro station.

The artwork created by Mr. Poes is the first among the many cultural events throughout India from March to May for celebrating Indo-French friendship in the year marking the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence and the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and India. France has a rich history of street art that dates back by several decades. Nowadays, street art is a common sight in France which has become the home to some fantastic street art and graffiti works

Works of art in public places can serve as magnets to draw people towards the world of art without the need to visit the museums and galleries. “We are bringing the art to the streets so that more and more people can have access to it. Not everybody can visit an art gallery but if we can bring a creation to the street each and everyone can be a part of it,” explains Ms Dana Purcarescu, Chargée d'Affaires ad interim, Embassy of France in India.

Fabian, who was born in Paris, currently lives in Lyon. Pursuing his passion for graffiti art, the 39 year old artist has been travelling all across Europe. It all started in the year 1998 when he was still in high school. Brought up in hip-hop culture, his childhood was filled by comics and manga heroes. “I am very excited to be here in India. What makes public art so important in my opinion is that it is not only for the elites and everyone can easily access it. By painting these murals on the walls outside the metro station we are bringing artwork to the streets. I see this as a democratization of the art of painting,” asserts Fabian who seeks to develop a world where dreams are predominant, using humour, satire, and irony to turn his paintings into poetic odes and fantastic stories.

The Embassy of France/French Institute in India has envisioned the unique cultural project in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs. Fabian started painting at Mandi House Metro Station on 15th February and it took him about a week to finish the work. The artwork was officially inaugurated on 26th February. Along with the unveiling

of the murals, the inauguration was accompanied by the presentation of an Opera Aria by the artists of the Neemrana Music Foundation.