Air France
in JonOne’s colours
In line with its tradition of defending contemporary art and modern
creation, Air France has decided to once again team up with New
York-born painter/graffiti artist JonOne of Dominican origin, famous
for his totally original fusion of street art and painting.
After completing the work Air France Forever celebrating the
Company’s 80th anniversary, the artist has completely reworked
the accent, symbolizing the Air France brand.
JonOne was approached with the mission of reinventing the
Air France logo – in the form of an accent taking off and the subject
of a sticker on a Boeing 777, which will serve the Company’s vast
long-haul network for one year. On board, passengers will enjoy the
Company’s brand new cabins, combining French-style art of travel
and absolute comfort.
The aircraft, sporting this exceptional livery, will be inaugurated on
a trip to New York, a legendary city for two reasons – for the artist,
who was born there, and for Air France, which has made it a historic
route - and it comes as no surprise to learn that this new accent,
destined to travel the world, symbolizes one of the values which are
held dear by France, and the artist alike – freedom.
Air France,
Franceis in theAir.
The person still known to many as John Andreas Perello was born in
New York, to two Dominican parents who had fled Trujillo’s regime
and met in New York to secure their chance at the American dream.
The young man evokes the pitiless status quo of his childhood – “No
Hope, No Future”, akin to the British punks’ nihilist movement.
This paved the way for a founding image – the dazzling trail of
dynamic colour and movement left by a spray-painted subway
train…
Likea revelation.
So it would be the subway. The street. Graffiti.
The budding artist behind JonOne rapidly signed flamboyant murals,
and “entered the world of art”. He visited museums and galleries,
built his own culture – like Jean-Michel Basquiat, who he resembles
in many aspects - and his graffiti took inspiration from his spiritual
fathers (Kandinsky, Miro) and the lyrical abstraction which was a
major influence in painting during this era – Pollock, of course, but
also De Kooning, Motherwell, Rothko, etc.
His life was punctuated by decisive encounters and trips, notably to
Paris, where the artist had two major experiences – at the Hôpital
Ephémère – a legal squatting place for artists at the end of the
90s – and his active collaboration for the Abbé Pierre Foundation
(2011).
In addition to reclaiming his Dominican roots, a perfect fusion
between street art and High Art – the noble art of painting – his
reputation was swiftly forged and fame followed – after multiple
international exhibitions, on 21 January 2015, a monumental work,
significantly titled “ Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité ” was inaugurated
at the National Assembly, in the Salon des Mariannes. This painting
even became the new French stamp in September 2015.
©Christophe Millant
For the past 80 years, the Company has had a special relationship
with the contemporary art world – from the spiritual artist Zao
Wou-Ki to the electrifying JonOne, via Jeff Koons, David Mach –
and many more.
A lovely surprise.
This exceptional artistic collaboration between Air France and
JonOne is not the first of its kind. In September 2012, during their
time spent in the La Première lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, La
Première customers were able to discover exclusive creations signed
by the artist. Guests could admire a blue Led sculpture and a 1.50m
glass fibre graffiti tag combining sculptural perfection and street
art. The French airline has constantly sought to defend a certain
idea of avant-garde art in this 1,000 sq. m haven of relaxation
designed by the architect Didier Lefort, regularly exhibiting works
by internationally renowned contemporary artists.
In the La Première cabin, on board long-haul flights, a multitude
of both subtle and hedonistic creations signed by the artist could
also be admired - new menu and wine list covers to stimulate the
appetite and turn the flight into a gastronomic interlude…
In each travel cabin, throughout the year, the “Arts & Culture”
TV programme provokes our visual reflection around masters such
as Le Corbusier, fun artists including Keith Haring, or sublime
architectures such as the Louis Vuitton / Frank Gehry Foundation.
And to make the most of this cultural showcase in the sky, the
gigantic Air France Airbus A380s are equipped with genuine art
galleries comprising wide video screens.
Log on to airfranceshopping.com to discover a selection of exclusive
items featuring the Air France accent redesigned by JonOne.