C215 is a very prolific Parisian stencil artist who has been perfecting his art for many years now. His subjects tend to lean toward those that are hidden from society: Homeless people, street kids, the elderly, etc. By doing this, he aims to bring attention to people that society has forgotten about. He doesn’t stick to just those subjects though. He’ll just as easily put stencils of cats and even his daughter (who is becoming a stencil artist in her own right) on the streets. All of his stencils are extremely detailed, down to every whisker or wrinkle on someone’s face.
As usual, in my walks around New York City and Brooklyn, I stumbled on multiple pieces of his. They always made me stop and look closely. I’ve since seen his work in Opera Gallery in SoHo and on my honeymoon a couple of years ago, I visited Opera Gallery Paris where a very kind gallery employee pulled some of his pieces out of storage and let me photograph them.
He shows no signs of quitting any time soon. This guy will be around for a while.
Based on my interaction with him, music is DEFINITELY a big part of his creative process. When I asked for music, he sent a playlist containing over 50 songs, which would have made a roughly 5-hour podcast, so he gave me permission to whittle it down to fit my format. It’s a beautiful collection of songs that I’ve already listened to a few times, and I’m excited to share it with you.
Last concert/show?
A sound system in Kingston last week
First album, tape, or cd you bought?
David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” in 1984?
Last album you bought?
Tabouley Rochereau
Was there any album that made a significant impression on you?
Dillinger – Cocaine
Who is your musical hero?
David Bowie
How important do you think music is to your creative process?
It’s part of my life, so its part of my art
Desmond Dekker – “The Israelites”
Max Romeo – “I Chase the Devil”
Emilie Simon – “I Wanna Be Your Dog”
Caetano Veloso – “Cry Me a River”
Serge Gainsbourg – “L’hotel Particulier”
10cc – “I’m Not In Love”
Dion and the Belmonts – “The Wanderer”
Musical Youth – “Pass The Dutchie”
Brenda Lee – “I’m Sorry”
Lou Reed – “Walk On The Wild Side”
The Buggles – “Video Killed The Radio Star”
Pato Banton – “Gwarn”
Tommy James and the Shondells – “Crimson and Clover”
Beirut – “Nantes”
M – “Le Temps Mue”
Lena Horne – “Stormy Weather”
Check out C215’s playlist below on Spotify. Be sure to like Background Noise on Facebook for updates on future episodes. You can browse ALL the Background Noise episodes right here.
