Ronds dans l'eau

Born in Paris in 1972, Seth, whose real name is Julien Malland, is an urban artist renowned for his murals featuring mainly children. After graduating from the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in 2000, he turned to urban art, exploring new artistic horizons far removed from the traditions he had previously studied. Seth refers to himself as the "globe painter", a moniker he's made his own since 2003, when he set out to travel the world in search of new inspirations and diverse artistic encounters, and to spread his art across the planet.

Seth is also a familiar face to the general public, notably as a TV show host, where he has produced reports on urban art for channels such as Canal +. In addition to his media activities, he is co-founder of the "L'oeil d'Horus" publishing house and has written several books describing urban culture. In particular, he launched the "Wasted Talent" collection dedicated to graffiti and contributed to the creation of the comic strip Lascars.

The beginnings of his artistic career took place in the streets of the 20th arrondissement of Paris, where he produced his first compositions. Seth draws his inspiration from sources as varied as Japanese director Miyazaki, famous for cult animated films such as The Voyage of Chihiro and Princess Mononoke, and the comic-book universe of Hugo Pratt. The influence of the artist Egon Schiele, whom he admires, and his master Gustav Klimt can also be seen.

His compositions are imbued with childhood, depicting a world filled with innocence and carefreeness. Seth explains his approach as follows: "Childhood is something that touches everyone. Children have that hope and innocence in their eyes that adults have lost. But if I started painting children, it's because when you travel, you see them everywhere in the street!". Through his works, he seeks to convey messages by choosing to paint in high-traffic areas, with the aim of shocking and surprising passers-by, or at least "raising their awareness". He sees himself as part of a wider artistic movement, as he himself puts it: "In street art, there's the dimension of protest, of illegality, à la Banksy. When I travel, I also go and see artists who paint in the street, craftsmen who make lettering for concerts...".

Seth's work can now be found in every corner of the globe, from China to France and India. He has also been exhibited in a number of art galleries, testifying to the international scope of his art.