From eyesore to art: how mosaic man Ememem beautifies Europe's potholes
Photo Ememem
French street artist Ememem is on a quest to beautify the battered roads of Europe.
Armed with mosaic tiles and cement he repairs potholes and cracks in the streets and pavements in a process he calls “flacking”.
Zipping about on his scooter after dark (the sound of its two-stroke engine provides his name) Ememem is brightening up cities with his whimsical tiled creations. Pedestrians no longer fear tripping over and drivers are being spared damage to wheels and suspension thanks to Ememem’s artistic endeavours.
Having begun in Lyon, France in 2016 Ememem has travelled with his trowel and tiles to Italy, Spain and Norway. Although his guerrilla technique isn’t exactly legal, most towns leave Ememem’s flacking place and he says some cities have even invited him to “flack” damaged streets.
“Each hole has its own story and I am there to take note, suspend space and time and transform the city into an intimate diary,” he says.