Kan / Da Mental Vaporz Crew's Bio
Kan / Da Mental Vaporz Crew’s Bio
Kan
b.1977
Born and raised in the south of France, Kan’s initiation to Graffiti came through boredom. Trapped in high school, the young artist was busier sketching in his school books and carving his name on his classroom tables than listening to his teachers.
Painting anonymously at night in search of his hometown’s best spots, Kan fell further down the Graffiti hole after a first trip to Paris, followed by another one to Los Angeles, both exposing him to the best of what our culture has to offer.
Hanging out for a long time with Bom.k, he joined the Da Mental Vaporz ( BOM.K BLO BRUSK GRIS1 ISO JAW KAN LEK SOWAT ) in 2000 after moving to Paris to pursue a successful career as motion designer. Together, they embarked in the production of high scale murals throughout Paris southern suburbs. Since then Kan has participated to many graffiti jams and steadily exhibited his work in galleries across the world, from Paris to London and New York.
Combining his passion for computers, video and design to traditional Graffiti techniques, Kan has distorted his name a thousand ways, from throw ups to digitalised block letters to pixel art,
halftone graffiti and dripping QR codes. At first glance, a series of dots hypnotise the viewers, suddenly connecting in their mind to form a portrait, a familiar figure that stares back them. Who’s watching who?
Notable exhibitions / Graffiti Jams
- 2024 «Ulysse 31», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Tours (FR)
- 2024 «Totoro», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Tours (FR)
- 2023 «Luffy», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Nantes (FR)
- 2023 «Mario&Luigi», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Nantes (FR)
- 2023 «Jeux Olympiques / Paralympiques», 3 Murals at the stade du Coudray, Argenteuil (FR)
- 2023 «707 Day – L.O.L. Surprise!» Event, Brainwash Agency, Paris (FR)
- 2022 «Stevie Wonder», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Aix-En-Provence (FR)
- 2022 «St-Tropez Couleur Bleu», Hommage à Paul Signac, Phare de St-Tropez (FR)
- 2022 «La Joconde de Marseille», MauMA, Marseille (FR)
- 2022 «Paris NFT Day», Evénement NFT/Wallburners, Paris (FR)
- 2022 «Daft Punk», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Toulouse (FR)
- 2022 «Liberty was born in the street», Evénement NFT/Wallburners, Paris (FR)
- 2022 «Aloy dans le métro», Evenement Playstation / Horizon 2, Métro Paris (FR)
- 2021 «Albator», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Bordeaux (FR)
- 2021 «Hip Hop 360» de Francois Gautret, Philarmonie de Paris, Paris (FR)
- 2021 «Jungle Book», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2021 «Marvel», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2021 «Wonder Woman», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Lyon (FR)
- 2021 «Akira», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Grenoble (FR)
- 2021 «Goldorak», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Lyon (FR)
- 2021 «Art Up!» Art Fair, Saltiel Gallery, Lille (FR)
- 2020 «Street art, Galerie de Valois», métro Palais-Royal, Paris (FR)
- 2019 «St.Art 19» Art Fair, Saltiel Gallery, Strasbourg (FR)
- 2019 «Ray & Aretha», Groupe EDH, Prazowski Gallery, Lille (FR)
- 2019 «Bain au Splendid», Institut du Thermalisme, Dax (FR)
- 2019 «Kids4Life», Saltiel Gallery, Aix-En-Provence (FR)
- 2019 «Urban Art Fair», Under the radar Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2019 «Art Up!» Art Fair, Saltiel Gallery, Lille (FR)
- 2018 «Scope Art Miami», Under the radar Gallery, Miami (USA)
- 2018 «Aqua Art Miami», Art in the game Gallery, Miami (USA)
- 2018 «St.Art 18» Art Fair, Saltiel Gallery, Strasbourg (FR)
- 2018 «Alone in the Dark» Da Mental Vaporz residency, Beit Hair Museum, Tel Aviv (ISRAEL)
- 2018 «Art Élysées» art fair, Saltiel Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2018 «Moniker Art Fair» London, Under the radar Gallery, London (UK)
- 2018 «Parcours d’art urbain harcourt 2018», l’été du canal, Paris (FR)
- 2018 «Sommet du Grand Paris» for latribune.fr, Quai 36, Paris (FR)
- 2018 «Ourcq living colors» Festival, Paris (FR)
- 2018 Hotel «Saint Marc» opening, Art in the game Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2018 «Ride for Mongolia» auction, City Of Talents, New York (USA)
- 2018 «Le M.U.R. Oberkampf», Le M.U.R. Association, Paris (FR)
- 2018 «Urban Art Fair», Art in the game Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2018 «We are back», Art Can Gallery, Marseille (FR)
- 2018 «Urvanity 2018» Art Fair, Art in the game Gallery, Madrid (SPAIN)
- 2017 «Context Miami» Art Fair, Art in the game Gallery, Miami (USA)
- 2017 «Heist» Groupshow, Juddy Roller Gallery, Melbourne (AUSTRALIA)
- 2017 «Gala solidaire 60 ans de l’AMREF», Paris (FR)
- 2017 «Souvenir de plage» Groupshow, 42b gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2017 «Connecting Lines» Groupshow, City of talents, London (UK)
- 2017 «Urban Art Fair NY 2017», Art in the game Gallery, New York (USA)
- 2017 «Ourcq living colors» Festival, Paris (FR)
- 2017 «Grand Opening» Groupshow, Avenue des Arts gallery, Los Angeles (USA)
- 2017 «Nymphas» duo show : Blo x Kan, 912 Arty Gallery, Lourmarin (FR)
- 2017 «Urban Art Fair», Galerie 42b / Art in the game Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2017 «Paradise lost» Groupshow, Art can Gallery, Montpellier (FR)
- 2016 «Impressionistes», Quai 36, Gare Saint-Lazare, Paris (FR)
- 2016 Dubai Street Museum, Dubai (UAE)
- 2016 Mr Freeze – Toulouse (FR)
- 2016 « Link » Group Show – Art Thema Gallery, Brussels (BE)
- 2016 Mystique ? – 912 Arty Gallery, Lourmarin (FR)
- 2016 New Wave Groupshow – Galerie Brugier-Rigail, Paris (FR)
- 2016 Masters: Urban & Street Art – Galerie Laurent Strouk, Paris (FR)
- 2016 «Residence» Exhibition (Blo, Jaw, Kan), Villa Alliv, Marseille (FR)
- 2016 «Urban Art Fair», Galerie 42b, Paris (FR)
- 2016 «Art Up!» International Art Fair, Galerie Adrien Serien, Lille (FR)
- 2016 «Attention ! Peinture Fraiche» Groupshow , 42b gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2016 «Urban Art» Artcurial Auction (FR)
- 2015 «SCOPE Miami Beach» Art Fair, MYA Gallery, Miami (USA)
- 2015 «LA Kingz» , 42b gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2015 «Art Urbain» Tajan Auction (Sale #1542), Paris (FR)
- 2015 «Underground Effect» Projet Saato Festival, La Défense, Paris (FR)
- 2015 «Kill Art Factory Festival», St-Gervais (FR)
- 2015 «Amerouge» Da Mental Vaporz Show, 42b gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2015 «Humanity» Da Mental Vaporz Show, Atelier des Bains gallery, Geneva (SWITZERLAND)
- 2015 «Urban Art au profit d’Emmaüs» Artcurial Auction (FR)
- 2015 «Main Street» International Group Show ,Mohammed VI Museum (MMVI) of modern and contemporary art, Rabat (MOROCCO)
- 2015 «Graffuturism, 5 Year Anniversary» International Group Show, 886 Geary Gallery, San Fransisco (USA)
- 2015 «Urban Art» Artcurial Auction (FR)
- 2015 «PEACE, LOVE & UNITY» Group Show, Artistik Rezo Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2014 L’échange urbain group exhibition, Juddy Roller, Melbourne (AUSTRALIA)
- 2014 Honey I shrunk the streets group exhibition, 1AM Gallery, San Fransisco (USA)
- 2014 Under the wave Group Exhibition, Molitor hotel, Paris (FRANCE)
- 2014 « Trait d’union » Art fair, Montreuil (FRANCE)
- 2014 «Lasco Project» Exhibition, Palais de Tokyo, Paris (FRANCE)
- 2014 Rue-Stick #4, Puteaux (FRANCE)
- 2014 Heist Group Show, New Hunting Ground, Melbourne (AUSTRALIA)
- 2014 Djerbahood, Galerie Itinerrance, Djerba (TUNISIA)
- 2014 « In Situ Art Festival », Fort d’Aubervilliers (FRANCE)
- 2014 « The Wall » Da Mental Vaporz exhibition, BC Gallery, Berlin (GERMANY)
- 2014 The Great American Icons, Opera Gallery, Seoul (SOUTH KOREA)
- 2014 A Major Minority Group Exhibition by Poésia, 1AM Gallery, San Fransisco (USA)
- 2014 Solutions En Lumiere Auction, Philippe Starck / Reporters d’espoirs, ArtCurial, Paris (FR)
- 2014 Hip Opsession 10th Anniversary, Poln, Nantes (FR)
- 2013 Tour Paris 13, Galerie Itinerrance, Paris (FR)
- 2013 The many faces of David Bowie, Opera Gallery, London (UK)
- 2013 Paris Match une histoire de couvertures, Opera Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2012 Urban Masters Group Exhibition, Opera Gallery, London (UK)
- 2012 a-part, Saint-Remy-De-Provence (FR)
- 2012 Le venin, Melbourne (AUS)
- 2011 Crimes of Minds, Brest (FR)
- 2011 Galore Festival, Copenhagen (DK)
- 2011 DMV Show – GHP Galerie, Toulouse (FR)
- 2010 Big Brother, Galerie L’Art de Rien, Paris (FR)
- 2010 Dans Mes Veines, Galerie L’Art de Rien, Paris (FR)
- 2010 Meeting of Styles , London (UK)
- 2010 DMV show – GX Gallery, London (UK)
- 2009 Go Get Your Shinebox, Brooklynite Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (USA)
- 2009 La Nuit du Street Art, Galerie David Guiraud, Paris (FR)
- 2009 Graffiti Loves You, Galerie Grafik89, Marseille (FR)
- 2008 – 10 Supremassy Festival, Massy (FR)
- 2008 En attendant JC, VNBC, Paris (FR)
- 2005 Vapeurs Urbaines, VizualUpdate, Lyon (FR)
- 2005 Explosition, Taxie Gallery, Paris (FR)
- 2005 Meeting of Styles, Lyon (FR)
- 2004 Explosition, Taxie Gallery (La Roche /Yon)
- 2004 Urban Dream Festival, Charleroi (BE)
Selected Filmography
Books