A graffiti artist since 2012, Rebeb has been living exclusively from his art for the past four years, and there’s no shortage of projects. At the end of July 2021, in Poitiers, he painted the gaze of a Poitevin woman, Tiphaine Veron, who disappeared in Japan three years ago and has not been heard from since. The work is painted on a wall provided by the SNCF, to mark the anniversary of the young woman’s disappearance. A large-scale fresco is also planned for the motoball in Neuville-de-Poitou. Finally, that same summer, the artist travelled to Porto with his painter friend Isaure to embellish a few small sections of the city’s walls.
“What I like about street art is that everyone can enjoy it in the same way. It’s available to everyone. After that, everyone is free to like it or not.”
The eyes of Tiphaine Veron, a 36-year-old Frenchwoman who disappeared in Japan in 2018, Poitiers.
Rebeb is a self-taught spray-painting artist who works in both rural and urban environments, either spontaneously or on commission. Having grown up in a village, he is keen to bring art to the countryside, where there is often very little of it.
Saint-Joseph high school, Bressuire, France
Rebeb particularly enjoys interacting with passers-by when he paints, because regardless of age, social class or beliefs, everyone will have a different sensibility and interpretation of the work. What’s interesting is the fact that a wall that was once invisible in the mass can now come to life and provoke emotions by becoming visible to all.
Lisbon with Thibault Easioner and Gogol
Rebeb’s aim is to create power and intensity in his paintings. He often likes to work in black and white for portraits, underlining them with phases of color to create movement and dynamism. He also sometimes works with other artists, notably in partnership with Isaure, to bring a different, complementary artistic touch. He’s not looking for unanimity, but the idea that it might brighten up the daily lives of some inhabitants or passers-by is already a great success.
Today, Rebeb’s graffiti can be seen in cities such as Porto, Lisbon, Miami, Naples, Poitiers and Lyon, as well as in small villages like Vasles, Coutières, Lavausseau, Garcibuey and Fomperron.
Meeting Of Styles, Wiesbaden, Germany, 2022
Rebeb and Isaure in Miami, Wynwood
Henri Laborit hospital, Poitiers
Town of Fomperron, France.
Rebeb also works on canvas or salvaged materials, using aerosol and acrylic. He likes to work on the material beforehand, adding texture and an extra dimension to his work. He also decorates coaches (in Norway and at Emmaüs).
Bus graffitied by Rebeb for Emmaus Prahecq, France, 2021
The emotional face of Abbé Pierre graffitied by Rebeb on a wall of the Emmaus community in Prahecq (Deux-Sèvres) and on the back of the coach.
Rebeb’s last project in Niort, July 2023.