Fabian Rey

Austin Artist Fabian Rey to Paint Mural in Austin’s Sister City Angers, France.

AUSTIN, TX — Fabian Rey, an acclaimed local Austin artist, has been chosen to represent Austin in a unique international showcase in Angers, France, our sister city. From September 25th to October 11th, 2023, Rey will be painting a mural as part of the Echappée d’Art project to spruce up the city in time for the Summer Olympics.

The Echappée d’Art program, led by the City of Angers, aims to breathe art into the streets by inviting artists from around the globe to contribute their creativity to the city’s landscape. This endeavor, under the Austin-Angers sister city initiative, celebrates the confluence of cultures, showcasing the diversity and unity of art in the public realm.

Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Rey has made a significant mark on the Austin art scene with his vivid and impactful murals. His notable works include the 2023 Tifo for Austin FC’s inaugural game at the Q2 Stadium, murals for the Save Zilker Park Campaign, the new Austin PBS building, Cap Metro’s first electric bus, and YMH studios.

About Echappée d’Art: Echappée d’Art, meaning "Art is in the Street," is an annual street art initiative by the City of Angers. It invites five global artists to contribute to the city’s vibrant artistic landscape with all-inclusive mural creations. The project underscores Angers' commitment to cultural exchange and the universality of art.

“Les Trobairitz Sisters” MURAL

The term trobairitz is taken from a medieval narrative text, the Roman de Flamenca, where it is used to describe women who sing or perform poetry. It’s the feminine form of a more familiar term from the Occitan language: “troubadour”. They were a group of performing poets and musicians who entertained nobility during the 11th through the 13th centuries. They originated in Occitania, a region that today encompasses Southern France.

Trobairitz composed, wrote verses, and performed for the Occitan noble courts. They were exceptional in musical history as the first known female composers of Western secular music; all earlier known female composers wrote sacred music. They could sing and often played a variety of instruments. Some may have even been skilled dancers as well, but composing was their main focus. Since they were female composers and musicians, history did not wanted to remember them.

My mural “Les Trobairitz Sisters” is a tribute to the street performing female artists playing music together. Two sister cities: one represents Angers and the other represents Austin. The relationship between Angers and Austin as a sisterhood and a true friendship. Two sister cities celebrating female musicians and their important place in history. The mural seeks to inspire the viewer to follow their own rhythm and creates a true bond between the culture of our two sister cities: Angers and Austin.

The woman on the left plays a guitar, the modern version of a lute and the woman on the right plays a bongo. The bongo is an Afro-Caribbean percussion instrument that is very popular in Puerto Rico, were I was born. The bats represent the city of Austin long journey to Angers, France. The bright colors of the mural represent the passion and the energy of the two cities together.

Words inside the mural:

ENTRE NOS – between us (Spanish abbreviation)

WEPA – That’s awesome!. Amazing!. Wow!
Wepa is a word used amongst Puerto Ricans to convey excitement and joy.

GROOVE – enjoyable rhythm of music.

RESTER INSPIRÉ – stay inspired.

SUIS TON RYTHME – Follow your rhythm.

#angers #austin #fabianrey #2023