Artist's street art 'carpets' bring ornamental beauty to urban spaces

Artist's street art 'carpets' bring ornamental beauty to urban spaces

Urban art -- especially that of informal pieces of street art -- tends to pop up in the most mundane of places, prompting us to perceive our cities in a new and refreshing way. These delightful street 'carpets' by artist Arthur-Louis Ignoré (or Ali) of Rennes, France, overlays beautiful, abstract representations over an existing urban context, making these otherwise impersonal spaces feel more like home.

© Arthur-Louis Ignoré
© Arthur-Louis Ignoré
© Arthur-Louis Ignoré
© Arthur-Louis Ignoré

Since his younger years, Ali has been interested in fine art in public spaces, especially the art of ornamentation. As he tells us:

Developed in diverse social and geographical contexts, ornamentation offers many sources of inspiration and paths of research. [I am] interested in the evolution of ornaments across the history of art and the role it occupies in our civilizations. [,,] The spaces on floors, walls and roofs are home to paintings with black and white patterns and of botanical inspiration. The ornaments created reveal the cultural mixing of our contemporary cities but also produce a contrast with the aesthetics of the modern city.

© Gwendal le Flem

Whether they are on walls or on city streets, Ali's interventions always fit into the urban landscape, whether adapting to or blending in with the street furniture, respecting the existing 'grids' of the city, as these lovely 'carpets' painted on the brickwork do.

© Arthur-Louis Ignoré
© Arthur-Louis Ignoré
© Arthur-Louis Ignoré

Ali's work has so far been seen in France and Finland, gracing various public places, transitional spaces in between buildings, or providing a focal point along paths. Thanks to Ali's thoughtful creations, what may have been an uneventful stroll for a pedestrian suddenly becomes something memorable and significant.

© Arthur-Louis Ignoré
© Arthur-Louis Ignoré

In a world that seems obsessed with modernism, ornamentation may seem superfluous. But the truth is, these flourishes of form, of a more fanciful representation of ideas, of an extra bit of beauty are very much needed in our drab and often indifferent cities. It ties us in with a long history where ornamentation has been the norm, and when inspired by nature, can bring us back in touch with nature as well. For more, visit Arthur-Louis Ignoré on Behance, Facebook and Instagram.

[Via: This Is Colossal]

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