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Rebel France IV
Written by Zhu on April 27, 2009 – 11:11 pm15 Comments | 8 Read this
Walls are talking in France!
And here is the last part of this year’s “hunting graffitis in France”. As usual, the translation is below.
- “Passons à l’offensive sans attendre” (“let’s take the offensive now”): a sticker found on the University of Nantes campus. They were on strike for a long time, I assume this is related.
- “BDDP Unlimited — Producteur d’idées et de médias”: I found this graffiti in Paris, near Barbès. The company, BDDP Unlimited (probably an advertising company) advertised they were “producing ideas and medias”. Somebody ironically wrote below: “in a word, a continuous flow of ideas… tell me I’m dreaming!”. And someone else added: “canned intelligence, probably…”.
- Signs nearby the Paris City Hall: universities teachers, researchers, staffs and students have been on strike for a while, against a umpteen university reform. Can’t explain the details, it’s very technical… anyway, as a sign a protest, they covered the City Hall with various banners, including some in Chinese and English to explain why they protest. They also walk in circle night and day (see their blog, La Ronde Infinie Des Obstinés).
- “Moi, c’est le geste qui m’intéresse” (“I’m only interested in the gesture”): I found this sign on the top of a very high wall. I had to squint to read… and I found it funny. The artist didn’t wanted to share his wisdom or his opinions like many of the graffitis writer, he just stuck a big sheet of paper on top of the wall.
That’s it!
We are back in Ottawa, it’s almost spring and… and I should sleep now.
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Tagged with: France Wake Up Comrade (Left-Wing Rant)
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“Moi, c’est le geste qui m’intéresse” — straight and to the point — love it!
I guess “canned intelligence” is something like figuring out where the corner in a circular room is.:P
Nice, I’m sorry I’ve been lost even from your blog, and now you have to practice spanish in mine, because I find it very refreshing to just write in spanish now
Welcome to spring! And hope you can rest a lot now so you have the energies to keep taking your beautiful photos
@Seraphine — French are over-intellectual soemtimes. You can’t have a proper dumb conversation anymore!
@barbara — J’ai trouvé ça drôle que les manifestants prennent la peine de traduire leur doléances dans plusieurs langues! This is sooo French
@Khengsiong — I doubt it too! Not sure why it was translated into Mandarin… two explanations: either it’s from my former University in Paris which teaches Chinese and is in strike (and found it fun to write in Chinese). Or it could be to appeal to Chinese tourists… who prob. don’t care!
@shionge — Thank you!
@kyh — Oh, you have no idea
@Max Coutinho — Yes, back in Ottawa — the snow has melted!
@Tulsa Gentleman — Thanks “Neo”
Yes, we are back… it has been a crazy busy week, but it’s good to be home. Traveling is only good if you have a home to come back to. Wandering forever is just not as fun…
@Scarlet — That was my favorite one as well!
@Tanya — Yuk! Some signs stink… don’t like these.
@Feng — Of course I do, I’m still French!
@Caroline — I love it too!
@Celine —
Well said. Next time I’ll be back in Paris, I will add your comment below the existing graffiti 
@Aiglee — No problem! There are always busy times… I don’t mind reading in Spanish anyway.
And add Celine says so..lol