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    Lek and Sowat Sandcastle for the LaBel Valette Festival

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    Marking the fifth anniversary of the LaBel Valette Festival in France, artists Lek and Sowat have given a new identity to this 19th century castle, by painting all its surfaces and transforming it into a monumental sandcastle.Located in Pressigny-les-Pins, around one hour from Paris by train, Château de la Valette sits on just under 100 acres of wooded land and is comprised of the castle, a chapel, and two three-storey dormitory buildings. After the colourful works of Okuda (2018), 3ttman (2019), the giant calligraphy of L’Atlas (2020) and the optical illusions of Astro (2021), this mythical duo open the LaBel Valette festival that will take place on August 26 and 27, 2022.The LaBel Valette Festival, organised by UAC (Urban Art Crew) and U2A (Urban Art Agency), will take place on August 26 and 27, 2022 at La Valette estate in Pressigny-les-Pins.The two days programme includes graffiti battles, a musical production competition, live painting, workshops as well as a series of music concerts. Full programme hereCheck pictures of the work in progress below:Lek and Sowat were struck by the intense history of the ‘Domaine de La Valette’. Firstly belonging to the estate of a Count and a Countess, it then became property of Franco, followed by the Spanish republicans. It was later transformed into a college, then fell into abandonment. And was bought by an individual. The castle holds eventually a strong position of Street Art in France thanks to the LaBel Valette Festival project.The artistic duo decided to work around the image of the sandcastle, which refers to the ephemeral nature of Street Art, and pixels, which evoke the aesthetics of the 80s.Using bright blue and neon colours, they painted 10 000 square meters to transform the castle entirely.Lek and Sowat ’s Sandcastle illustrates this year’s theme of the festival “Believe in your dreams”: A sandcastle can be erased by the rising tide but is rebuilt thanks to the venue of a new artist.  A sandcastle is fragile, requires attention and commitment. It is imagined, hoped for, then built. More

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      in Street Art

      ‘Subway Art Breakthrough’ by Lek & Sowat

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      French graffiti artists Lek & Sowat have unveiled the second phase of their artistic intervention called ‘ Subway Art Breakthrough’ on the tunnel boring machine ‘Koumba’, building an extension to the underground tube line 14 in Paris.

      For the artistic duo the ephemeral element has always played a part in their many years of practice working in the public space. Rust, erosion, erasure, destruction mingle, complete, sublimate their paintings in situ or in their artist’s studio.
      In collaboration with NGE and Xpo Fmr their latest ‘Subway Art’ their latest ‘Subway Art’ production reflects their work.  None of the works made during production have been permanent. They carried with them the signs of their inevitable destruction. During their brief existence, they proudly displayed the traces left by men, cuts, welds, shocks, drippings… The tunnel cutting wheel was cut, damaged, re-welded; the crushed piercing wall, destroyed by the teams of NGE and Webuild.
      The new work produced for the breakthrough is no exception to the rule. Carried out during the last week, it was altered, transformed and improved by the men who worked on the preparation of the exit wall of the tunnel boring machine.The new work announces the tunnel boring machine by referencing some notable elements of the cutting wheel. The use of yellow colour and fluorescent blue are a tribute to industrial construction site colours , and alert us of the imminent exit of the machine.
      For Lek & Sowat, it is this idea of an exquisite industrial corpse that represents the quintessence of their collaboration with the construction world. By including on their works the traces of the work from men who built the extension of the tube line 14, they wish to pay tribute to all the builders involved and to the raw beauty of their places of intervention. .
      View more pictures of their work in progress.

      Pics by NGE / Stephane Bouquet
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