Alongside the monographic exhibition in the historic salons, La Monnaie de Paris aimed to showcase the resonance of Georges Mathieu’s work within urban art practices. This was achieved by inviting graffiti artists from various generations to create in situ works in the meridian galleries, inspired by selected drawings of Mathieu. These artists were drawn to the “sign-signature” practice, rapid execution, public performances, and large-scale formats characteristic of Mathieu’s work. Since the 1980s, while the contemporary art world shifted its focus away from Mathieu’s work, it continued to captivate different generations of American and European graffiti artists.

The exhibition is co-curated by Éric de Chassey, co-curator of the Georges Mathieu exhibition, and artists Lek & Sowat. They have chosen six artists to juxtapose their work with Mathieu’s paper pieces. Among them is JonOne, who began his artistic journey by tagging trains and walls in his neighborhood at the age of seventeen. In 1987, he moved to Paris, where he transitioned from street art to canvas painting. Since then, JonOne has undertaken numerous projects worldwide with prestigious institutions such as the National Assembly in Paris and the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar. Other featured artists include Lek & Sowat, Nassyo, Camille Gendron, and Matt Zerfa.