When walking the streets of Lyon, France, make sure to always look twice at the city’s buildings and sidewalks. If you are lucky, you might spot the artworks of Lyon’s legendary artist Em Emem.
Em Emem is an anonymous artist who has been fixing the city’s potholes and wall cracks for years with his unique technique called “flacking.” Flacking is derived from the French word “flaque,” which means puddle. It involves covering the potholes and wall cracks with all sorts of intricate mosaics.
“His sidewalk’s plasters illuminate the wounds of the urban fabric,” Em Emem’s official website explains. “They are part of daring street art and contemporary art while recalling the traditional Japanese kintsugi, the art of repairing while enhancing.”
Over the years, Em Emem became famous outside his hometown and prompted heightened interest in his work. This encouraged the artist to start creating similar art pieces in other cities in France and outside the country as well. Em Emem also started making replicas of his flacking interventions, and they found their way to galleries and art festivals across the world.
If you don’t have a chance to see Em Emem’s work in person, you can check his website and social media or scroll below.
