The Tall Trees of Paris*
In The Tall Trees Of Paris (Overcup Press, $49) art enthusiast Matt Wagner showcases 42 contemporary Parisian artists and their work. The 285-page hardcover color book in English and French, released May 2016, took him a year from idea to publication. There was no cost to the artists to be included.
Each artist profile includes a photo of the artist’s work space, a portrait of the artist or the self image of her or his choice, and photos of his or her work. Wagner selected the artists through his contacts in the art world. The handwritten answers to nine identical questions appear on one page and a typewritten translation in English appears on the opposite page. Among the questions are the artist’s favorite restaurant, bars, shops and museums.
“Paris is the foundation of contemporary art, the requirement for graduation,” said Wagner in a press release promoting his new title. “Accordingly, it’s also easily overlooked. Like arches that support an ancient aqueduct, nobody even notices them as long as the water is flowing. But without Paris, the flow of art would have stopped. Paris is good at art. Good enough that people have stopped noticing and just take it for granted. Ultimately, the Tall Trees books are about people. The questionnaires introduce the featured artists to readers, detailing their favorite things about the place they live and work. We become invested in the artist’s wellbeing like that of a friend.”
The artists featured are: 2Shy, Alëxone, Alexandra Arango, Céline Artigau, Nicolas Barrome Forgues, Martes Bathori, Blek Le Rat, Agnes Boulloche, Broll & Prascida, Thierry Bruet, Ludovic Debeurme, Veronique Dorey, Dugudus, Elobo, Christelle Enault, Agnès Ernoult, Sébastien Féraut (Niark1), Christian Guemy (c215), HONET, Kerascoët, Koleo, Koralie, Eric Lacan (Monsieur Qui), Hubert de Lartigue, Jean Leblanc, Jean Lecointre, Lek & Sowat, Levalet, Nicolas Martin, Jean-Michel Ouvry, Tristan Pernet, Aurore Petit, Bruno Pontiroli, Francesca Protopapa (il Pistrice), Sebastien Preschoux, RERO, Jérémy Schneider, Supakitch, Sébastien Touache, TYRSA, Amandine Urruty, and Frédérique Vernillet.
Matt Wagner, editor, The Tall Trees of Paris
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The Tall Trees of Paris
book is for the curious, the traveler and the art lover,” Wagner said, by email through his publisher, when asked who might like his book. “It’s a great travel guide for finding undiscovered spots in Paris and it’s great for learning more about discovered and undiscovered artists.” As to the criteria he used in selecting the artists for inclusion, he said,”
I am completely selfish in this aspect. I choose artists that I like their work. Lucky for me that my taste is pretty diverse. That diversity comes through in the curation of the book with the selection of painters, installation artists, sculptors, street artists, illustrators, etc.
With the Paris book I mostly found artists through networking. I would meet one artist or another curator and they would recommend an artist. That artist would then recommend another. I was able to build up quite a roster of artists in this manner.”
When asked what was the greatest surprise he had from the book project he said, “My biggest surprise is how hard I fell in love with Paris. I had only been a tourist previous to the book and didn’t really think I would become so enamored with people of Paris.”
Wagner is the founder, owner, and curator of Hellion Gallery in Portland, Oregon. Born, raised and educated in Indiana, after moving west, Wagner fell in love with Portland and learned the ropes at several galleries before opening Hellion in 2010. Prior to the Paris book, he published The Tall Trees of Tokyo (2012) and The Tall Trees of Portland (2014).
*Photos courtesy of Matt Wagner
Click to buy The Tall Trees of Paris
