“JE SUIS CHARLIE.” I am sad, I am angry. I am Charlie. These words have became a universal claim against obscurantism and violence, for the freedom of expression, whether written, spoken, or drawn. Cabu, Charb, Wolinski, and Tignous, 4 famous cartoonists, died in the terrorist attack against the office of Charlie Hebdo on January 7th, in Paris. 12 men and woman died in the attack. Since these terrible events occurred, artists and anonymous people spontaneously reacted by pasting, painting, tagging all kind of tributes to cartoonists but also more broadly to diffuse values of brotherhood and respect.
In my turn, I wanted to pay tribute to all of them with some collected pieces displayed by artists and anonymous who expressed their sadness and anger in the walls in Lille, where I am. Especially in moments such as this, anonymous street art is as important as the pieces by more famous artists. The streets are the most honest expression of how our nation is feeling today, a visible emotion which, I hope, will never be forgotten. It’s time to start our duty to remember.
Update from Jef Aerosol piece, finished on January 14th, 2015.
Photos by Aline Mairet.
