Graffitiart issue 24

1863. Manet presents Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe at the Salon des Refusés. Scandal! Beyond the nudity of his characters, it’s the “slight” discrepancy in the work that triggers a reaction – whatever it may be – in the viewer. This would be one of the main ingredients of a successful work of art, and the good seed of modern art.

If it’s rare to laugh out loud at a work of art, it’s this little discrepancy, often linked to the notion of détournement, that invites a smile to creep onto our lips. In 2015, nudity is no longer a scandal… although… You’d have to read our pages on the scandals and controversies of 2014 to be sure….

It’s said that it’s better to laugh than to cry, and indeed, the dossier we present in this issue shows just how essential and life-saving laughter and art can be when combined. And the Charlie Hebdo shooting that is taking place as we write these lines makes us think so all the more. Mockery, satire, caricature, black humor…

Yes, we like to laugh at others, even if it might sometimes be better to laugh a little more at ourselves to gain the necessary perspective. In our destabilized societies, art – and freedom of expression – remains our mainstay. No kidding! The artists in this issue are our figureheads. Baptiste Debombourg, Sickboy, Dem189, Hell’O Monsters and Jan Kaláb. Thank you, artists!