About – Seth

Born in Paris, Seth began to express himself on the walls of his city in the mid-90s. His preferred terrain, however, was in the 20^th district where he became known in the graffiti scene for his specialization of painting characters.

Graduate of the Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs, he published alongside Gautier Bischoff in 2000 the book Kapital, which to this day remains one the best-selling books about French graffiti. Together, they founded Wasted Talent in 2004, a publishing house that specializes in monographs of urban artists.

Before becoming a full-tine artist, Seth worked in the creative industries: advertising, cartoons, comics. He painted in the street for his own pleasure.

Starting from 2003, he went on a trip around the world to exchange with artists from different cultures, and to open up to new ways of living and painting in urban areas. This experience culminated in the book Globe Painter published in 2007 following with the documentary series Les Nouveaux Explorateurs produced and broadcast by Canal+ where Seth proposed to discover a country through the prism of its urban arts. For 5 years, he took a part in travelling to 15 destinations full of meaning.

During the course of his artistic explorations, Seth developed his distinct painting style, working often with the theme of childhood. Using the wall as a blank page, Seth relies on one hand the individual or collective imagination – local gods, myths, or tales. The child becomes a spokesperson, a messenger of his investigations. He puts into play his image of innocence, and places his character in difficult social, political and geographical contexts.

An approach that often has a dual meaning yet is never cynical; an urban painting that is engaged in alerting on the state of the world as a means to advance it.

Exhibitions

Chinoiseries
Solo exhibition, Le VOG contemporary art center, Fontaine, France
May to July 2021

Upside down
Group exhibition, KIRK Gallery, Aalborg
April to May 2021

A Cappella
Solo exhibition, Chapelle Saint Sauveur, Saint-Malo, France
July to November 2020

Inside Out
Group exhibition, KIRK Gallery, Aalborg
May to June 2020

Playtime
Solo exhibition, Galerie Itinerrance, Paris
February to April 2020

1,2,3 Soleil
Solo exhibition, Institut Culturel Bernard Magrez, Bordeaux
July to October 2019

Made in Haiti
Exhibition with Martha Cooper, Fabien Castanier Gallery, Miami
April 2019

A l’école buissonnière
Solo exhibition, M 50 Art Center, Shanghai
March 2019

Chambrum Rangeum
Solo exhibition, Dorothy Circus Gallery, London, UK & Rome, Italy
November 2018

Mausa Vauban
Group exhibition, UNESCO Mausa Vauban, Neuf-Brisach, France
June 2018

Like Child’s Play
Solo exhibition, MOCA Shanghai
February 2018

Urban Nation Berlin
Group exhibition, Berlin, Germany
September 2017

Wall Drawings, Urban Icons
Group exhibition, MAC Lyon, France
September 2016

Range ta chambre
Intervention, Mira Lanza, Rome
July 2016

Icastica, Arezzo Art Festival 2015
Intervention, 999 gallery, Icastica
September 2015

Walking on a dream
Solo exhibtion, Galerie Itinerrance, Paris
March 2015

Looking through
Group show, Bund 18, Shanghai
November 2014

In & out
Group show, Mac de Créteil
September 2014

Urban Legends
with Philippe Beaudelocque, Group show, MACRO Roma
May 2014

Seth-Vilcollet
duo show, Galerie Geraldine Zberro, Paris
January 2014

Graffiti « Etats des Lieux »
with Philippe Beaudelocque, Galerie du Jour agnés.b
September 2013

Tour XIII
Group intervention, Galerie Itinerrance, Paris
September 2013

Les bains douches
Group exhibition, Galerie Magda Danysz
March 2013

Les Entrailles du Palais
Group intervention, Palais de Tokyo, Paris
November 2012

Intramuros
Solo exhibition, galerie Géraldine Zberro, Paris
November 2012

Graffiti « Etats des Lieux »
Group exhibition, Galerie du Jour agnés.b, Paris
September 2009

Selective bibliography

Extramuros Globe-painter Chronicles
Alternatives Editions, 2012

Tropical Spray Journey to the heart of Brazilian graffiti
Alternatives Editions, 2010

Globe-painter 7 months of voyage and graffiti
Alternatives Editions, 2007

Kapital One year of graffiti in Paris
with Gautier Bischoff
Alternatives Editions, 2000

Documentary Host

Globepainter in Argentina
Produced by Julien Malland et Timo Ebermann
52mn, 2014 © Bonne Pioche Productions

Globepainter in the Reunion and Madagascar
Produced by Julien Malland et Vincent Lefebvre
52mn, 2012 © Bonne Pioche Productions

Icône de rue
en Ukraine, réalisé par Olivier Lemaire
52mn, 2012 © Bonne Pioche Productions

Graffiti Chicha
au Pérou, réalisé par Olivier Lemaire
52mn, 2012 © Bonne Pioche Productions

Défaites le mur
en Israël-Palestine, réalisé par Vincent Lefebvre
52mn, 2012 © Bonne Pioche Productions

Graffiti Yassa
au Sénégal, réalisé par Vincent Lefebvre
52mn, 2011 © Bonne Pioche Productions