Interview & Studio Visit FALCO in Paris

In einer Kleinstadt nahe den französischen Alpen aufgewachsen, lebt und arbeitet der Künstler Falco heute in der Großstadt Paris, wo er sein Atelier hat und regelmäßig ins Museum geht. Museum? Genau darum geht es in seiner Kunst. Genauer gesagt, um die Protagonisten, die auf den Leinwänden der historischen Werke zu sehen sind. Ob Leonardo da Vinci oder Caravaggio, Falco versieht die historischen Bilder mit einem zeitgenössischen Update und fragt durch seine Kunst, wie die Bilder wohl aussehen würden, wenn sie nicht vor mehreren hundert Jahren, sondern heute gemalt worden wären.

Wir haben den Shooting Star der französischen Street Art in seinem Pariser Atelier getroffen und mit ihm über seine Kunst und vieles mehr gesprochen.

Hi Falco. Great to meet you! To begin, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

Bonjour! I’m Falco, I’m 25 and I paint stuff on walls since 2018.

We are sitting in your studio in Paris right now. Has Paris always been the place where you are living and working?

Fortunately not ! I lived in Annecy until I was 22, a small town at the foot of the French Alps. Much more peaceful than Paris.

If you would choose again. Would you again choose Paris or decide for another city?

To provide some context, I’ve decided to leave Annecy due to the lack of artistic culture and the unwelcoming attitude towards urban art there (+ I’ve been caught many times by the local police 🤣). I live now far away from my friends and family, but in a city where I can push my art, enjoy the cultural scene, meet people who do the same thing as me and express myself in a nice playground. I wouldn’t choose another city in France, but I must admit that I’m growing fonder of Italy. It would be easier to paint, all while having a rich artistic culture and the dolce vita as a bonus. Paris is a very stressful city where everything moves very quickly. It’s also not so easy to paint vandal pieces in the streets, walls are very clean and usually classified as heritage.

What’s the story behind the name Falco? Can you tell us? Or a mystic secret we are encouraged to think for ourselves?

Falco is a nickname that was given to me since I was a kid and that has follow me until today. It’s linked to my last name.😉

Your artworks have a strong relationship to historical art figures and artworks from back in the days. How did this come about?

Simple and easy: I studied history of art during my three years of art degree. Although it wasn’t a voluntary choice… I believed I would have graphic design classes. But I enjoyed it, so I stayed and never became a graphic designer.

Through this great concept you have developed your very own style that makes every artwork an unmistakable Falco creation. How would you describe your style in own words?

Stencils have a very distinctive style, often in two colors, playing with shadows and lights. I put a lot of thought into creating recognizable stencils even if my signature isn’t present. That’s why I focus on re updating art history or playing with the past/present. Aesthetically, I extensively touch up my works with spray paint without stencils to create more pronounced shading and ‘break’ away from the very graphic and clean style inherent to stencils. If the result is too clean, I don’t hesitate to dirty it.

Your home-town Paris is world-famous for the most important historical paintings. Do you go to the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay for inspiration for new motifs?

I visit these museums every month to take pictures and get inspired. For me it’s like Pinterest but in real life. I have a photo album on my hard drive with over 300 paintings. If I want to work on a sculpture, I can simply go there and take a photo of it from the angle I want.

Image you could time travel. Which artist of the past would you most like to meet and why?

I admire the uniqueness and dedication that Caravaggio had during Renaissance. For me, he’s a true pioneer of statement art. Caravaggio’s works often depicted the gritty reality of his time, including the lives of ordinary people and the struggles of the poor. His artistic choices often clashed with the established norms and authority figures.
Marcel Duchamp had also a profound impact on me and completely deconstructed and redefined what art was for me. He allowed me to realise that you didn’t necessarily have to study fine arts or paint like Caravaggio to be an artist. In the end, what is art?

Talk us through your creative process, from initial idea to final drawing. How do you usually start? Do you always draw your sketches on paper first or do you start somewhere else?

Everything begins in my mind. I think deeply at any moment, in any place, incessantly. Once I’ve got a concept or an idea, I construct, assemble, deconstruct an image on Photoshop. I frequently take photographs of myself instead of spending hours searching for precise hand positions or other details online. Subsequently, I utilize these images as a foundation for the drawing step on my iPad. I don’t use photoshop effects, allowing me to focus on details and maintain a distinctive sketching style that cannot be replicated.

What are your favorite materials to work with?

Mtn 94 can with original cap for high grain details.

Studio or public space? What do you prefer personally to work in?

Studio on rainy days, public space on sunny days.

Your paintings in public space and on canvas are very well crafted and precisely worked. You know your artwork is finished when…?

When the spray can is empty.

Your motifs always seem to have a well thought-out message. How important is the political message for you personally in your artworks?

The message or concept is the very essence of my works. I don’t paint to beautify the street or fill a space. However, I try my best not to impose my vision too heavily to allow the viewer to reflect and interpret it in their own way. I tackle subjects that can sometimes be sensitive, aiming to be as non-violent as possible, often adopting an ironic tone instead. We already see enough horrible things when turning on the TV, on social media… Art cures!

You are traveling a lot and it seems you have a lot nice projects going on all the time. What’s coming up next for you?

Now I have a nice support from a cool gallery in Hamburg, I’ll be able to spend less time on marketing and dedicate more time to the creation. 🙂 You will find very soon new artworks in the streets of Berlin, Lisbon, London and some festivals throughout this summer.

Thank you!

Discover all artworks by Falco