In Arcueil, at the gates of Paris, Spanish artist Mapecoo and Hypermur have created, for Valdevy, a 36-meter-high portrait - an allegory of solidarity displayed on the tallest building in the neighborhood.

“A work that invites solidarity and openness to others, with colors that feel good and make you want to smile at one another.” This was the artistic brief expressed by the 250 tenants and residents who took part in the consultation phase led by Hypermur.

To respond to this, the artist imagined a portrait of a woman with mixed features. Around her emerge several arms with varied skin tones, intertwining in gestures of support and solidarity. Hidden among them are small imaginary creatures representing scenes and stories from the neighborhood.
Some of these chimeras play the accordion and dance like in the popular street dances of Arcueil in the past; another holds a watermelon and an olive branch - an evocation of the tree planted at the foot of the wall as a sign of peace and support for the Palestinian people; other creatures gather and support one another around a fire, a symbol of empathy, mutual aid, and hospitality.

By combining these small magical scenes with this realistic portrait, Mapecoo offers a work that is both monumental and delicate, open to multiple interpretations. It responds to the wishes expressed by the tenants and residents and draws a link between the past and the aspirations of the neighborhood.

Artistic direction: Hypermur and the residents of the Cité des Irlandais