MTO – Douce France

MTO – Douce France

By Arden de Raaij

Berlin based, French bred graffiti artist MTO has published an old series in the lights of the French elections of 2012. These paintings that should’ve been part of a larger series never saw the light of day due to a collaboration halt. The topics are as relevant as ever though. Police brutality against Roma’s is not unheard of in France, and actually has been an active target point of Amnesty international.

MTO - Douce France, Graffiti
MTO – Douce France, Graffiti

The stigmatisation of the Roma and travellers (Gens du Voyage) has only gotten stronger under Sarkzoy, who has cracked down on Roma camps in an almost xenophobic manner. Besides cracking down on Roma’s, Sarkozy’s also seen as a destoyer of French culture; in this case depicted as burning the Eiffel tower and counting his own money. I’m not sure how the French look to the oncoming election but I think it’s safe to say that Sarkzoy isn’t the social choice.

MTO - Douce France, Graffiti
MTO – Douce France, Graffiti

MTO: “Two of them are unfinished but I publish them now cause French elections are coming in two weeks and I really hope the subject will soon not be actual anymore. I’d be glad they become obsolete !!”

MTO - Douce France, Graffiti
MTO – Douce France, Graffiti