Life in paint on the walls

Everything began in the United States in 1988. Not the one across the Atlantic Ocean, but in the 8th district of Lyon so baptized because its streets and squares have the names of North American sites.

The inhabitants of this ensemble, created by the famous Lyon architect, Tony Garnier, called on artists of the Cité de la Création to realize twenty five monumental paintings on their walls.

Since then, the Musée Urbain, is dedicated to the architect to whom Edouard Herriot, Mayor of Lyon between 1905 and 1942 and from 1945 till 1957 entrusted the main part of the great works of the city, and has received numerous rewards.

Beginning first of all, in 1991, with the World Decade label, for the cultural development of Unesco and the "20^th Century Heritage label" by the French Government, in 2004.

Each two hundred and thirty square meter painted wall, centres around four subjects: the visionary character of the architect; twelve walls representing the Industrial City; four walls dedicated to the great works realized by Tony Garnier, among which Gerland Stadium and Grange Blanche Hospital.

And finally the contemporary visions of the Cité Idéale, i.e. Egypt, India, Côte d'Ivoire, Russia, USA, Mexico ... One can also discover the apartment museum of the 30s, for a jump of more than seventy years back.

The artists of the Cité de la Création realize works of this kind all over the world, so, one can discover a fresco representing a "bouchon Lyonnais" (typical Lyon restaurant), in the new shopping centre of Tressa of Toyota, in Yokohama.