The Torn Posters in the Paris Metro (December 2024)
When creative destruction arises out of short-term solutions
I love the expression “Sweep something under the rug”. The idea of hiding a problem rather than dealing with it like an adult is something we can probably all relate to.
As far as expressions go, it also seems like a pretty good description of the Paris metro — at least where advertising material is concerned.
The Paris metro is the only public transport system in the world (that I know of) where, instead of replacing old posters with new ones, the staff simply plaster new posters on top of the old ones. This band-aid solution must certainly save a lot of time and money, but it’s also a gold mine for vandals. Knowing there are probably several posters stacked on top of each other would probably make you extra keen to tear through the topmost one and carve some unique collages on the fly.
So while sweeping an issue under the rug usually comes back to bite you, it’s also the reason there’s a whole underground art gallery in Paris.
Looking back at the photos I’ve taken below street level this year, I’m amazed by the sheer variety of images that have undergone the rip treatment.
