To most, billboards are something you glance at while driving down the freeway. But to French pop-street artist Jisbar they were a blank canvas. Beginning in April and running through mid-June, numbered works of Jisbar’s will be featured on both static and digital billboards across Detroit.
A City-wide Art Experience
Unlike a traditional gallery exhibit, this project aims to bring art to some of the city’s most visible spaces. The idea stems from Jisbar’s belief that art should be seen everywhere, not just in private collections and on museum walls. He intends for the project to be interactive, encouraging Detroiters to travel around the city to “collect” the numbered billboards.
The project is a collaboration between the French artist and Farmington Hills-based billboard company International Outdoor. The company’s COO, Mansour Oram, is an art collector and owner of Jisbar’s works. The family-owned company owns 134 billboards across four metro Detroit counties.
Jisbar feels that Detroit is a city built on culture and one that would embrace a project of this scale.
“I think this is a good environment, because people are receptive and curious,” Jisbar says. “I think it’s a good city to explore, and I’m bringing my heart to another city that I’ve never been before.”
In honor of his Detroit premiere, Jisbar will be visiting the city to sign select billboards, as well as see the Detroit Tigers face off against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park on May 5.
Jisbar’s Art Style
The core of Jisbar’s work centers around the reimagining of famous artworks and pop culture icons. Although he doesn’t practice graffiti, his style contains street art elements, like stenciled on designs, bubble letters, and overlayed text.
Jisbar points to art pioneers like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol as sources of inspiration, particularly their collaborative works.
“I love Basquiat and Warhol, and I think I have the same vision in terms of color,” Jisbar says. “They use very bold colors and mix visual and text elements. This is something I do in each of my pieces.”
For the pieces picked for display in Detroit, Jisbar wanted to make sure both local and national subject matter were included. Items like sports cars, American currency, and Pulp Fiction characters are featured prominently and paired with text.
Origins of Jisbar
Born Jean-Baptiste Launay, the French native adopted his nickname as an homage to legendary French songwriter and director, Serge Gainsbourg. Gainsbourg created the alias “Gainsbarre,” a fictional character featured in his songs.
Jisbar was exposed to art at an early age, which he credits to his mother.
“I always had the chance to paint. My mom loved art and would bring me to the museums,” Jisbar says.
Now living in Lisbon, Jisbar’s work has been featured around the world in places like Miami, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. He also has the distinction of having the first painting in space. In honor of the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death, Jisbar’s “Punk Mona Lisa” painting was launched into the stratosphere.
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