Everyone finds potholes to be inconvenient since they make walking difficult and occasionally cause tragic accidents. But an artist has come up with a solution to this problem in an unorthodox, creative, yet very effective way. A creative European artist has discovered an innovative approach to dealing with potholes by covering them in mosaic tiles. Around 400 locations around Europe have seen him perform his remedial art.
This anonymous French street artist, Ememem, dubbed 'the pavement surgeon," has been turning something potentially hazardous (and unsightly) into a pretty photographic moment. The Lyon-based artist describes his work as "the art of healing the street', according to Metro News.
The news source stated that while Lyon and Paris house the majority of his artwork, there are also over 400 pieces in other European countries, including Norway, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Here are a few glimpses of his artwork:
Ememem began his work in 2016, but it has only recently begun to receive extensive attention. Ememem refers to his work as "flacking," which is the "art of repairing holes," and comes from the French term "flaque," which means "puddle."
According to an article published in The Guardian in September 2022, while Ememem's works may be very visible, he, in contrast, is exceedingly elusive. He, like fellow street artist Banksy, prefers to remain anonymous. He refuses to be photographed and doesn't give either phone or face-to-face interviews. Information about him is limited to a short biography and press kit on his official website (ememem-flacking.net).
"It's important for me to remain a little mysterious," he has written. "And it's also because I'm not very talented when it comes to social interactions."
