Paris and Los Angeles celebrate the Games with a giant mural!

The grey city skyline in the North of Paris is suddenly broken by a colorful and unusual sight on the side of a high rise building. On May 29th, at Porte de Clignancourt (18th arrondissement), all eyes were on the immense fresco was finally unveiled on the wall of a 27-metre-high apartment block. After spending two weeks perched on scaffolding, the two artists behind the work - Katbing and Kekli - put away their brushes and stood back to admire their art piece.

This inauguration marks the final phase of a cooperation project between Paris and Los Angeles. The project began in October 2023 and has given rise to numerous exchanges with local residents and students from Maurice-Utrillo secondary school (18th arrondissement).

The two Olympic and Paralympic Games host cities have constantly strengthened their cultural cooperation, as illustrated here by the FAMA project (French American Mural Art). Led by the Hypermur association and the U.S. Embassy, this project enables French and American street artists to design joint murals. It has already resulted in a creation in the 19th arrondissement and a few in the rest of France (Angers, Besançon and Marseille).

For this project at Porte de Clignancourt, artists Kekli and Katbing were chosen in consultation with local residents, after being shortlisted by a panel. "I loved the colors of Katbing's work. The result is very stylish, and I'm not just saying that to please! I always tell the truth", smiles a schoolgirl from the Maurice-Utrillo school who took part in the vote.

In front of a crowd gathered for the unveiling, Katbing, who is from California, stated: "Sport has always been essential in my life; it allows me to express myself, connect with others and make new friends. This mural is a reminder that sport and art are for everyone!"

Katbing's cheerful, colorful characters mingle with Kekli's bouncy, animated objects on this vast mural. Para-sport is at the heart of the piece, with an athlete racing in a wheelchair, American sport is celebrated through baseball and urban sport through a skateboard. At the top, two hands hold each other: "They represent mutual aid and sharing in the neighborhood, just like in sport. But it's also the connection between Paris and Los Angeles, and between Katbing and me," explains Kekli. There was a real sense of emulation throughout this project, in which I'm proud to have participated."

A point also emphasized by Denise Campbell Bauer, the U.S. Ambassador to France, who was present for the occasion: "This project wasn't just about art and creation. It was also about discussions and exchanges between different people. The goal, which was a success, was to create links between communities."

Once the speeches were over, and before the rains fell, the crowd was gifted a surprise: two hip-hop dancers from the Highlights collective (which includes members of the LGBTQIA+ community) made their way out. The pair performed just inches away from schoolchildren and locals. Then, a third dancer appeared on the roof of the restaurant overlooking the crowd before joining her partners..

A taste of the Games to come, but also part of their legacy. The fresco will remain on the building for many, many years to come.