It Ain't Just in Museums Anymore

In addition to the hundreds of collections of art, architecture and culture that help define Western civilization, Paris also has a strong tradition of what I call "wall art".  It's found on the sides of buildings and is meant to be seen by pedestrians on the sidewalks.  It's guerrilla i.e., not sanctioned, and it has a distinctly different flavor than graffiti.  It is clearly an effort at creative expression, and its purpose doesn't appear to be overtly political, though I may be missing something there.  Its quality is good enough to make you stop and notice.  And once you've noticed, it makes you wonder - Who put it there?  Why?  How long will it remain?  What are they trying to say with it?  Here are six examples, collected over the past weeks (for scale: each one of these is at least 2 feet tall, usually more):

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