The Torn Posters in the Paris Metro (February 2024)
Highlights from last month’s wanderings below the French capital
There’s an old saying that you should never work for free.
But based on my observations from the Paris Metro, some people seem to enjoy giving their labour for nothing in return.
Okay, perhaps the idea of ripping up advertising posters might stretch the definition of work — especially in light of the fact that their work is, well, not exactly sought after.
But regardless of their intentions, the fact remains that someone is voluntarily performing services that no one asked for, and which few, presumably, appreciate.
Among those who admire their work, however, is me — who over the course of four years has documented and collected over 400 such torn posters. While not every photo I’ve taken has been necessarily beautiful or visually engaging, there’s nonetheless something inherently interesting — at least for me — about these rips.
Which is why, whenever I come across them, my natural instinct is to snap them and preserve the humblest of cultural ephemera.
In January 2024, after returning from the Christmas break, I must admit I hadn’t stumbled across many posters. Most days were spent going to and…
