The first URBAN PIXEL artistic event sparked unprecedented encounters between art and the street at the Current and Visual Art Space Museum (MUSEAAV), a former industrial building discreetly located at Garibaldi Square in Nice, which has taken on the underground vibe of its early days.
Against a backdrop of electro-rock music, urban arts took over the 1,000 m² dedicated to artistic experiments such as URBAN PIXEL. More than 700 people entered the street, graphic, and alternative universe that is the signature of the event.
An exhibition mixed genres: graffiti on canvas, photographic prints, recycle art, and even typographical inspirations.
The short films of the Cinéma Brut collective and the impressive architectural mapping by VJ Dead Pixel highlighted animated images. The relaxed atmosphere was conducive to meetings: for once, many artists were present to interact with the public, who could watch live the performance of graffiti artist Jahwan.
Two creative workshops particularly fostered creative emulation: bicycle customization with Guillaume Pauty and JRMAX, as well as miniature images created on slides and projected on screen. URBAN PIXEL also offered three acoustic live shows to awaken the depths of MUSEAAV: the promising Kitchies set a pop-rock atmosphere as a prelude to the electro-folk notes of the duo Benjamin Fincher.
The Diamantaires’ DJ set, a Nice-based collective that has become a staple of Côte d’Azur nights, electrified an enthralled audience before continuing with an after-party at Pandabar, the new music hotspot in the heart of Old Nice.
Encounters between artists from different horizons laid the groundwork for future collaborations, like the one between Benjamin Fincher and artist Amélie Masciotta: the slides created during the workshop led by the latter illustrated Benjamin Fincher’s concert.
Sporting freestyle was supposed to complete the trio of visual arts, music, and street sports: filmed, graffitied, customized, the skates and BMXs were still present, despite the sun’s no-show, which led to the cancellation of outdoor sports demonstrations at Garibaldi Square.
Favoring bridges between disciplines, focusing on originality and movement, the URBAN PIXEL event took the gamble of offering a non-conventional artistic view on urbanity: a perspective appreciated by the large audience that attended and that will also characterize the second edition already in preparation.
