Jacques Villeglé

Jacques Villeglé (born 1926, Brittany, France) is a pioneering artist whose work redefined the concept of art through the streets of Paris. Known for his unique method of collecting torn advertising posters from city walls, Villeglé transformed them into artworks, reflecting the urban landscape and the passage of time. His collaboration with Raymond Hains in the late 1940s led to the creation of the Affichiste movement, a precursor to the Nouveaux Réalistes. Villeglé's works are seen as archives of the city, capturing the spontaneous and often chaotic essence of public life. With over 4,500 works created between 1949 and 2003, Villeglé’s art has been exhibited worldwide in major institutions like the Centre Georges Pompidou, Tate Gallery, and Museum of Modern Art in New York.