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One good way to learn about the lifestyle and culture of the people of a country you are visiting for the first time is to recommend non-fiction books. I recommend “パリでメシを食う。” written by Ario Kawauchi, an author whose work I still follow as much as possible. wrote by Ario Kawauchi, a writer I still follow as much as I can. Among the works, “squats and the artists who work there,” which is especially impressive, aroused my interest even before my visit, and has remained with me even after my actual visit. In this article, I would like to introduce the “squat” and consider the French culture as revealed by its existence.

Artists Illegally Occupying Buildings

A “squat” is a term used to refer to an illegally occupied building. According to a conversation with a French friend living in Paris, squats are mainly occupied by squatters, who are homeless and seek shelter in squats as their own residence. Many people in France have vacation homes in remote areas for their vacations, but these unoccupied homes are always at risk of being squatted by them. In some cases, when squatters are squatted, the electricity and water bills used by the squatters are suddenly charged to the owners one day. A friend of mine also expressed his concern about the Normandy villas, but complained about the French police situation, saying that it is not being dealt with in earnest.

Although squats have become such a social problem, one squat has become a place where artists live in and conduct art activities. The squat, called 59 revoli, has become a popular tourist spot, with many creative artists working in the seven-story building. The squat, called 59 revoli, is now a popular tourist attraction, where many creative artists can be seen creating in the seven-story building.

59 Revoli Today

The vacant 59 revoli building was illegally occupied in 1999, and art activities took place there for several years. In 2006, it was legalized by the city of Paris and has been in use ever since.

Although it has been more than 20 years since the activities started, the exterior of the building is still artistically decorated as shown in the photo, and many artists were actually working on their creative activities when I visited.

Exterior view of 59 revoli in April 2023. Photographed by the author.

Artists were playing their favorite music, standing and painting on large canvases, and working on their artwork as they pleased.

A spiral staircase like the one in the photo goes all the way from the first floor to the seventh floor, and there is no elevator.

In this artist's creative space, a white bench on the side and several more chairs in front of the artist's space are created for the artist and viewers to relax and enjoy each other's company.

French Culture from the Squat

The French Revolution and the Contemporary French People

It is difficult to imagine that such a trend would occur in Japan, where people illegally occupy an empty house, take up residence there and act with the intention of engaging in creative activities there for several years, and then grow in size as other artists sympathize with their activities. One of my friend's conversations with me about the background behind the growth of such activities in France made one thing clear to me.

One day during my stay in Paris, I was struck by the fact that I saw many people crossing the pedestrian crossing without hesitation even when the light was red, and the topic came up with a French friend of mine. My friend jokingly told me that the French have a national character of freedom-seeking behavior, so much so that they even had the king executed in the French Revolution, and that the disregard for traffic lights might be a result of this national character. Looking at the example of 59 revoli, where many squats still exist today and have become highly regarded to the point of attracting tourists, one could sense that this national character also resides in the French people of today.

The City of Paris' Attitude Toward the Arts

In response to the way 59 revoli, which began as an illegal occupation, began to attract a large number of visitors, the mayor of Paris at the time adopted a policy of purchasing the building, legalizing it, and managing it in the city, rather than regulating it.

As a result, up-and-coming Parisian artists are still able to create their works at 59 revoli, and audiences are able to talk directly with them and see them up close.

One Japanese artist I spoke with during my stay in Paris told me that he was able to start his artistic activities in Paris with the support of Paris, which provided him with housing and a studio.

The city of Paris' policy toward artists' activities seems to me to be a generous support based on a strong recognition of art as its own strength.

Art Education in France

When 59 revoli was not yet legalized, visitors were required to sign a document at the entrance to indicate that they were entering the building knowing that it was illegally occupied. The reason why people still visit 59 revoli and why it has become so popular may be due to the high level of interest in art among people living in Paris, France.

A French friend of mine also told me enthusiastically that he loves paintings, especially classical paintings. I was also impressed by the large and powerful classical paintings and the exquisite workmanship of the paintings when I saw them up close at some museums in Europe. However, I thought as I listened to him that I could not talk about the paintings as passionately as he did. After asking him many questions, I found out that he has an education that is the base of his love for paintings. Religious paintings have a biblical story behind them, and if you know this story, you can see how the paintings skillfully express it here and there on the canvas, and you can love the paintings even more.

In France, children are educated to learn how to see and learn about the background of paintings. I felt that this kind of education has enabled French people to enjoy painting more, and this high level of interest in art is the foundation of Paris, where various ways of art, such as 59 revoli, are still alive and well today.

A Look Back at the Arts in Japan

While Japan has a diverse and world-class art culture, it does not have a culture where people casually visit galleries or hang paintings and other works in their homes, and I felt during my stay in Paris that there is still room for improvement to create an environment where artists can thrive.

In my future activities in Japan, I would like to look into such a better environment and eco-system for the arts in Japan and seek ways to contribute to it.