Springtime In Paris ~ Underground

We left off looking at beautiful Parisian themed displays from the Philadelphia Flower Show.  Now for something completely different.  A nitty gritty floral homage to the art work under the City of Lights.

Jim Dempsey

I was aware of the Paris Catacombs.  Due to fears of disease spreading during the 18th and early 19th centuries, bones from about 6 million bodies were taken from mass graves and overcrowded cemeteries.  The bones were relocated and entombed in the Roman era limestone quarries.

unknown

Beneath Paris is a labyrinth of tunnels snaking some 180 miles.   Artists have taken to sneaking into the catacombs any way they can to immortalize their art.  Cataphiles as they are called, gather underground looking for freedom to express themselves.

The art is as varied as the artists.  Some are fine painters, graffiti artists, sculptors, performers, or bone rearrangers.  Below are all pictures taken from the catacombs.

ph: Jerome Bon

The Wave, ph:Stephen Alverez

ph: offbeatearth

Depicted below are representations from the Flower Show speaking to the graffiti art that exists under the city.

Robert DeBellis

A tribute to an actual painting.  I wish I knew who the artist was and that my picture wasn't so blurry.

ph:Stephen Alverez

It's odd, but there is beauty to these bones.  A tribute perhaps to the lost souls.

I had no idea there was such beauty beneath the earth.  Paris really does have it all.  This requires another trip back!