Mr. Chat: The Yellow Swiss Cat

« Cat perched on the roofs of Paris, Orange cat that smiles all the time, Cat much more than just graffiti ». This is the motto of « Mr. Chat », a street-art artist who paint a yellow    cartoon-like cat on the streets of european cities. Paris, Madrid, Geneva, Roma, and many more.

From his real name Thomas Vuille, Mr. Chat starts to study painting in a art school, in the city of Orleans. This is a little girl’s draw who inspired the cat as we know him today. Big smile, big eyes, and a cartoon inspiration who comes from a child’s imagination. And this is everywere in the streets of Europe.

By being refined, simple, with shaped lines, this design has risen to the rank of symbol. An icon with an identity so pronounced that variations are allowed. « Mr. Chat » can change colors and positions, he always stays faithful to who he is. One of the particularities of this beast of cities is to be represented in places which seem inaccessible, thus explaining the usefulness for a cat to be able to fly.

This cat remembers us the Cat of Cheschire, in the artwork of Lexis Caroll, Alice in Wonderland.

A very communicative, social-media-shaped type of artworks that Thomas Vuille paints for us. This cat, because finding him is a game, is very famous on social medias. People look after him and once they see it, they took a photo and publish it, like a trophy or a treasure. This is a very innovative and modern way to spread the art, by a very simple and cartoon-like drawing. « Mr. Chat » still has many years ahead.