Marseille X Culture
2018!!! A very special year for us, but also for a second institution of Marseille origin, which is also celebrating its 20th anniversary, namely, our partner and musical alter-ego: MARSATAC.
One of the biggest festivals in France which this year will bring together the cream of the French-speaking Hip-Hop scene, from IAM to Moha La Squale via Lomepal, Nekfeu, Romeo Elvis and so on.
Incredible you might say, but that was without counting on the electro programming headlined by a certain Paul Kalkbrenner who no longer needs to be introduced, but also rising stars from the French scene, like the promising Petit Biscuit.
YES ! we could have written an article dedicated to this monumental program as it is so rich, but it is from a more retrospective angle that we are going to tell you about this 100% Phocaean event collaboration. Because indeed, Kulte and Marsatac, it’s a love story that doesn’t date from yesterday…
It was on the occasion of the 2010 edition that Marsatac and Kulte pooled their creative forces in order to offer a real graphic universe for the 3 following editions, a fundamental work, accompanied by a capsule collection around a burning theme, revolt and insubordination, riot: “RIOT”.
Obviously, a riot cannot be done alone! The idea was to give carte blanche to 5 artists and thus discover talented creatives, such as Seb JARNOT, Genevieve Gaukler, Mothi LIMBU, Kimi KIMOKI, all supervised by the Marseillais artist TABAS.
A theme arising above all from the reputation of the festival. Marsatac in 2010 was already an explosive atmosphere, the meeting place for partygoers and other music lovers, in which you can discover the artists of tomorrow as well as the most listened to of the moment.
All in a truly extraordinary setting, the Friche de la Belle de Mai, which is undoubtedly the most atypical and exceptional place you can find in France if you are a fan of urban culture, and thus reinforcing this anarchic aesthetic. .
An explosive cocktail which truly made the festival enter into a sort of urban legend, “Marsatac is the riot”, if you are from the south of France, there is no doubt that you see what it is…
So we met the Marseille artist TABAS, who is at the origin of the slogan reissued for the 20th anniversary of the festival: “May your will be celebrated” and a true link between Kulte and its musical soul mate Marsatac.
Hello Cedric, know that the Kultorama is delighted to be able to discuss with you about the Marseille festival par excellence, first of all, could you explain to us what the job of TABAS is?
After beginnings in traditional graffiti at the beginning of the 90's, TABAS was born on April 1, 1999 and will soon also celebrate its 20th anniversary, like Kulte and Marsatac elsewhere... It is with this nickname that I sign my work 'artist.
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Art direction, graphics, illustration, painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, this can vary depending on what the project needs. I divide my time between commissioned projects and personal projects.
You have certainly drunk Pastis in one of the 51 Piscine glasses that I dressed, danced there where I made the poster for Marsatac, the Pointu festival on the island of Gaou, live at the bridge, or Paloma in Nîmes, or ate a small dish with those for whom I worked at Spok, Mix en bouche, hors les vignes or some well-known chefs from the city of Marseille.
TABAS' job is above all simple and sensible visuals that stand out...
You were an illustrator and artistic director for Marsatac between 2004 and 2014, if you had to keep the work of only one edition, which would it be?
So, as I can't make up my mind I will hold back for several years ahaha!
2007 "the year of the apple". It made me laugh to make a crumpled flyer. We had collaborated with an apple producer in the region so that they would deliver apples, we had packaged them in a flyer and distributed them to all festivals nearby...
2008, "the year of the white poster". I always dreamed of not making a visual for a poster. The artists of this edition were asked to wear a white poster, the programming was hidden in their homes around every poster they carried People could draw whatever they wanted in the street on this white space.
2011, "the year of the bandana" where the flyer was made of fabric. People could wear it and hide their faces with it.... They brought it back for several editions that followed. It was the beginning of the collaboration with Kulte for textile manufacturing.
The slogan “May your will be celebrated” is to you in particular, we can talk about a Kulte phrase from now on, which will be reissued for the 20th anniversary of the festival, you can tell us more about the history of the latter?
For the 2013 edition, we had in mind to bring together a series of 9 visual “slogans” Among others, I can cite “sound on the walls”, “Dense music”, “Think less dance more”. All made at the hand as in a demonstration to close the 3 parts 2010-2013 of the festival's communication which dealt with a theme around the riot under the name "RIOT".
We called on editor friends, among others Jeremy Morjane Alias Anticlimax, and Théo Pillault to support us in this task. The WAAW took care of painting them in stencils in the city with a few accomplices...
You cut your teeth in graffiti before moving on to other media, and being from Marseille, what does the relationship between Marseille and graffiti mean to you?
Historically, the city has always gone against the tide and in rebellion with the established order; long ago, the cannons were turned towards the interior of the city from the ramparts.
Unlike in Paris, the wave of repression and clean-up was not carried out here, at the end of the 90's. It's fertile ground. The new generation has now conquered the roofs with rollers, to be sure not to be erased and to find spaces that are still virgin.
Last year, I participated in a short documentary on Arte creative directed by Thomas Sipp, where I was a sort of "typographic guide" in the city, to talk about graffiti in Marseille, and in the Cours Julien district. where I live...
Do you have artists who inspire you or who have inspired you that you would like to share with our readers?
I can cite the work of Mothi Limbu from Marseille who worked at Kulte in Marseille for a few years, whom I invited with Seb Jarnot, Kimi kimoki and Genevieve Gauckler on a riotous Marsatac/Kulte mini collection in 2011.
I really like the work of chefs Emmanuel Perrodin, Christian Ernst and Lionel Levy with whom I had the chance to work on gastronomy this year.
Some Marseille tattoo artists RemiB Dalas, like Lola la sioux and Baze.
Speaking of that, we understand that at the moment you are working on a project that is truly close to your heart, but on a human basis so this time, can you tell us more?
Tabas, like the established expression “it beats up” people remember it, it stays in the head. For some time now, I've started tattooing my own illustrations, so that people can feel like me ahhaha!
To conclude…
Your Kulte Object?
I always use a matte black paper marker pen.
Your Kulte Film?
Adventure is adventure, I'm a fan of their concept "clarity in confusion"
Your Kulte Piece?
My first slap when I entered discreetly before the opening in a club run by friends of my parents in 1983, I was 9 years old, it was “Rock it” by Herbie Hancock .
A Good Kulte Deal?
I don't really like A4 plans
A Kulte Council?
Start with dessert, life is shorter than you think
As you will have understood, for 2018 Marsatac and Kulte have done it again! The result of collective reflection, the Marsatac 2018 merchandising will therefore be signed Kulte.
In the spotlight, a vintage T-shirt for 20 years together as well as a Kulte creation which returns to the founding reference of the Festival, the Film MARS ATTACK, always more Kulte…
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