As Seen on the Streets of Paris Through the Eyes of Giulia 'BLocal' Riva
Written by Sage Helene
In an era where travel and art are more intertwined than ever, Giulia “BLocal” Riva’s latest book, As Seen on the Streets of Paris, offers a unique perspective on urban exploration. Merging the raw energy and creativity of Parisian street art with the practicality of a travel guide, Giulia’s book bridges the gap between casual travelers—who want to discover the city’s artistic undercurrents—and street art enthusiasts seeking deeper connections to the art that shapes urban spaces. Her approach offers a fresh way to experience Paris, revealing the often-overlooked street art that infuses the city with additional layers of cultural richness.
Giulia, an experienced writer and lifelong street art enthusiast, (and a writer on the UP Magazine team!) presents Paris not only as a tourist destination but as a living, breathing canvas, where the walls tell stories of cultural identity, political rebellion, and artistic evolution. Through her exploration of the street art scene, Giulia uncovers the deep layers of a city that has long been a hotspot for revolutionary ideas and artistic expressions. The book, the first in a planned series, provides readers with a dual experience: an elegant hardcover edition for art lovers and collectors, offering a curated, polished look at Parisian street art; and a practical paperback for travelers, making it easy for them to take the city’s artistic landscape on the go. This dual format ensures the book can appeal to a wide range of audiences, from the armchair traveler to those eager to immerse themselves in the urban culture of Paris.
“This book is part of a larger project,” Giulia explained, reflecting on the evolution of her work from her blog, BLocal, which she started in 2011. After years of documenting street art online, she wanted to create something more tangible, something readers could physically hold.
“This book is part of a larger project,” Giulia explained, reflecting on the evolution of her work from her blog, BLocal, which she started in 2011. After years of documenting street art online, she wanted to create something more tangible, something readers could physically hold. Paris, with its rich history in graffiti and street art, was the perfect starting point for her series. “Paris has long been a focal point for street art, even before the global spread of graffiti,” she said. Giulia’s fascination with the city’s role in urban art goes beyond its contemporary scene. She is well aware of Paris’s longstanding relationship with street art, dating back to the 1930s when photographer Brassai began documenting early graffiti. Giulia also highlights Paris’s pioneering street artists, such as Blek le Rat and Jef Aérosol, who helped shape the global street art movement.
After As Seen on the Streets of Paris, Giulia plans to continue the series with other cities that have significantly contributed to the evolution of urban art. London, another key city in the graffiti movement, will be the next destination, followed by Athens, Madrid, and Rome—each chosen for their distinctive contributions to the global street art conversation. “Athens, for example, has a raw, gritty aesthetic shaped by its economic struggles,” Giula explained, noting how socio-political contexts influence each city’s artistic expression. Meanwhile, Madrid’s contemporary street art scene is defined by fresh, innovative artists whose work Giulia admires. Each city in the series will offer a unique narrative, blending personal, political, and artistic elements into a cohesive visual and literary experience.
The book features over 250 photographs captured by Paolo Giannotti, Giulia’s partner and a professional photographer. These images are not just illustrations of the text, but an integral part of the storytelling experience. Giannotti documented murals, tags, and other urban textures during guided tours for Giulia’s blog readers, capturing the transient nature of street art in Paris. “I didn’t direct Paolo much,” Giulia explained. “I wanted his perspective to be organic and spontaneous.” Rather than curating every shot, Giulia allowed Giannotti’s eye to guide the visual narrative, capturing moments that reflected the essence of the city. The collaboration between Giulia and Giannotti ensured that the photos and text worked in harmony, creating a seamless experience for the reader. The resulting images bring Paris’s street art to life, offering a vivid portrayal of the city’s vibrant, gritty atmosphere.
The book is more than just a visual feast; it is a carefully curated collection that connects contemporary street art with the historical context of Paris. It invites readers to explore how today’s street art builds on, responds to, and sometimes challenges the city’s rich artistic history.
The book is more than just a visual feast; it is a carefully curated collection that connects contemporary street art with the historical context of Paris. It invites readers to explore how today’s street art builds on, responds to, and sometimes challenges the city’s rich artistic history. By highlighting both traditional and modern works, As Seen on the Streets of Paris creates a layered narrative that reflects the evolution of urban art. The book also includes recommendations from local artists, offering readers a glimpse into their personal worlds. These suggestions extend beyond street art and include their favorite spots in Paris, such as hidden restaurants, cozy cafes, and culturally rich museums. For instance, Parisian artist Kashink shared her love for a particular Chinese restaurant she visits with friends. As Giulia explained, “These personal touches add depth to the narrative,” helping readers connect with the city and its artistic community on a more intimate level.
Street art plays a crucial role in shaping and reflecting Paris’s evolving cultural identity. “Urban art reflects a city’s many layers,” Giulia observed. This art form serves as a mirror, offering a visual representation of Paris’s shifting societal and cultural landscapes. As a city known for its influence on global artistic movements, Paris has always been a backdrop for political, social, and cultural expression. From the politically charged graffiti of the 1968 student protests to today’s diverse and vibrant street art, these works have become essential in the city’s ongoing cultural dialogue. Each mural, stencil, and piece of graffiti carries the weight of history, reflecting both political struggles and the multicultural makeup of modern Paris.
Giulia also explores the paradoxical relationship between street art and gentrification, a dynamic that plays out in urban areas worldwide. While street art can be a powerful form of resistance, critiquing gentrification and displacement, it can also serve as a marker of change in neighborhoods. “Murals can resist or even critique gentrification, but they can also mark changes in a neighborhood,” Giulia noted. Large-scale murals often appear in neighborhoods undergoing transformation, and while these works may challenge the forces of gentrification, they can also highlight the very changes taking place in those areas. Giulia’s reflection on this dual role underscores the complex interplay between art and urban development in a city like Paris, where history, culture, and gentrification are constantly in flux.
As a city known for its influence on global artistic movements, Paris has always been a backdrop for political, social, and cultural expression. From the politically charged graffiti of the 1968 student protests to today’s diverse and vibrant street art, these works have become essential in the city’s ongoing cultural dialogue.
Giulia’s fascination with street art began long before she became a writer and cultural advocate. Growing up in Rome, a city rich in artistic tradition, she was captivated by the spontaneous graffiti that appeared on walls and trains. “I started taking pictures of graffiti during family trips,” she recalled, remembering how the colorful images sparked her imagination. The contrast between Rome’s ancient architecture and the rebellious, modern art on its walls ignited her lifelong interest in street art. As she grew older, this fascination evolved into a deeper understanding of the cultural and social narratives embedded in graffiti. “As I grew older, this fascination evolved into documenting and analyzing urban art,” she said. What began as a hobby became a lifelong pursuit, as Giulia began to see street art as a powerful form of storytelling with layers of meaning waiting to be uncovered.
Giulia’s blog, BLocal, became the natural extension of this journey. Initially focused on alternative travel stories, the blog quickly found its niche as a platform dedicated to street art and graffiti. “The blog’s mission has always been to transform how people perceive public spaces,” Giulia explained. Her goal was not only to showcase street art but to help readers understand the deeper meanings behind it, as well as the communities that create it. “If you understand the stories and styles behind the art, you’ll experience the city in a more active and engaging way,” she said. Through her blog, Giulia encouraged people to explore the cultural and social fabric of cities by engaging with their street art scenes. For her, urban art is not just about aesthetics; it offers a new lens through which to view the world, one that highlights voices and histories often overlooked in mainstream tourism.
As Seen on the Streets of Paris represents a tangible extension of the vision Giulia has been cultivating on BLocal for years. “It’s essentially a printed extension of what I’ve been doing online,” she said, noting how the book encapsulates her evolving journey in documenting street art. While the blog offers dynamic, ongoing insights into cities, the book consolidates Giulia’s years of research, observations, and experiences into a cohesive narrative. By capturing the ephemeral nature of street art in a more permanent format, the book offers readers a comprehensive view of Paris’s urban art scene, combining historical context, personal stories, and cultural shifts.
Looking ahead, Giulia hopes her series will inspire readers to approach cities with curiosity and respect, especially when it comes to urban art. “Graffiti isn’t just visual noise,” she emphasized, challenging the misconception that street art is merely vandalism or chaotic decoration. Instead, Giulia sees street art as a form of storytelling that captures the soul of a city, reflecting its tensions, dreams, and desires. By exploring these works, Giulia encourages readers to connect more deeply with the spaces they inhabit, seeing public art not as something to be ignored, but as an integral part of a city’s identity—something that can transform how we see the world around us.
