Christophe Aguirre Schwarz, better known by his artist name Zevs, is a pioneer of the French street art scene who has radically expanded the boundaries between graffiti and conceptual art. His artistic career began at the age of 12 in the underground shafts and on the trains of Paris. He chose his name after a dangerous encounter with a regional train called „Zeus“ during a night-time spray painting campaign. As an integral part of the early Parisian graffiti movement of the 1990s, he worked closely with artists such as André Saraiva and Invader and drew much of his inspiration from the expressive power of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Zevs’ work is characterised by subversive interventions that critically question the visual omnipresence of brands and advertising in public space. He achieved international fame in particular through his series of „Liquidated Logos“. Using a technique in which he allows colour to flow over iconic trademarks such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton or the Olympic rings in a controlled manner, he creates an effect of dissolution. These „liquidations“ serve as a powerful commentary on the power of global corporations and their influence on society.

In addition to his graphic works, Zevs made headlines with spectacular actions such as the „Visual Kidnapping“. In 2002, he „kidnapped“ the model of a huge Lavazza advertising poster at Alexanderplatz in Berlin and symbolically demanded a ransom, which was ultimately donated to the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. His „Electric Shadows“, in which he traces the shadows cast by street lamps or park benches during the day, also demonstrate his talent for subtly changing the perception of urban space. Zevs remains an „urban guerrilla“ who uses the language of advertising to turn it against itself and thus reclaim public space as a place of free reflection.