ELLEthuglife: a new series which I started because one morning I woke up to find a story in the paper of yet another woman which had been stoned to death. Anger andincomprehension came over me and once again wanted to voice my anger… in the way I know best… through my pictures. The more I thought about this senseless act I couldn't help but think how our history has been plagued with countless, countless, countless atrocities in the name of God. The wars, the ongoing wars and the wars to come because of these religious ideologies which all have the same teaching: Be good to one another. Yet some have warped an bastardised these beautiful ideas and spiritual connections into a sort of indoctrinating oppressive regime.
As a spiritual person, I love that there is something bigger and far more encompassing than us. Not because we are insignificant but because we are amazing. Yet some have taken religion far past the boundaries of the absurd and lost touch with the true meaning of the monumental things we are capable of, moving mountains is a a walk in the park compared to what woman/mankind has achieved. I voice my anger, point my finger and give the finger to all those who use religion as a vehicle to lead the minds of people into the masochistic and destructive side of religion and it's interpretation.I chose a woman to carry the message in my images because I feel that they have suffered so much through history and continue to. Being silenced, raped, stoned, burnt at the stake, and downtrodden should never be the outcome of religion but rather an inspiration to achieve great things and be good to one another. From saving lives to giving birth no achievement is small or insignificant. We are all born from from women, yet some manage to suppress the very being that gave birth to us. ---> next page
So many men woman and children have payed dearly because of the the horrific tangents some people have taken religion to.
My message may come across as confused and erratic but I can assure you my anger and frustration is real.
These images were put up in the form of big posters on the international day of peace in Bruxelles, Paris and Marseilles in 24 hours as a street art project… and then later in New York. As much as the reaction was positive I feel the message was lost or overlooked because of my incomprehension in the world of street art. ELLEthuglife caused more of a stir because I mistakenly used what sounded like the name of another artist which I ignored the existence of by the name of ELLE and sometimes encroached on other artists work without realising ,toying as it is known in the street on other artists such as COST. I had no idea I was gonna be jousting with other street artists over correct use of the projects name or positioning. There are far more important things to me than street art etiquette even though I love the work I see in the streets. To be very clear, I am tourist in the world of street art and have no intention on making it my life or staying anonymous, I stand by what I think, whether or not it rubs people the wrong way. I used #ELLEthuglife because being french I preferred using ELLE meaning her… thuglife because of the constant finger pointing especially to woman about the bad, the evil, the sin they commit just because a few have taken religion, books, beliefs and teachings turned and twisted them into one of the leading causes of upheaval and death instead of being a reminder of how great we are, the great things we can accomplish and that we should take care of each other and our home… Earth.
My message may come across as confused and erratic but I can assure you my anger and frustration is real.
These images were put up in the form of big posters on the international day of peace in Bruxelles, Paris and Marseilles in 24 hours as a street art project… and then later in New York. As much as the reaction was positive I feel the message was lost or overlooked because of my incomprehension in the world of street art. ELLEthuglife caused more of a stir because I mistakenly used what sounded like the name of another artist which I ignored the existence of by the name of ELLE and sometimes encroached on other artists work without realising ,toying as it is known in the street on other artists such as COST. I had no idea I was gonna be jousting with other street artists over correct use of the projects name or positioning. There are far more important things to me than street art etiquette even though I love the work I see in the streets. To be very clear, I am tourist in the world of street art and have no intention on making it my life or staying anonymous, I stand by what I think, whether or not it rubs people the wrong way. I used #ELLEthuglife because being french I preferred using ELLE meaning her… thuglife because of the constant finger pointing especially to woman about the bad, the evil, the sin they commit just because a few have taken religion, books, beliefs and teachings turned and twisted them into one of the leading causes of upheaval and death instead of being a reminder of how great we are, the great things we can accomplish and that we should take care of each other and our home… Earth.
