Hope-bearing walls
For 40 years, the BNP Paribas Foundation has been supporting those tirelessly working on the ground to create a better, more caring, and more sustainable society. How do we do this? By giving power to those who take action. And giving them power includes putting them in the spotlight.
Showcasing those who take action
On the occasion of our 40th anniversary, the BNP Paribas Foundation has chosen a concrete illustration of what “giving power to those who take action” means: supporting the people who are making a difference. This of course involves material support and funding, but it also involves sharing the power of media visibility that a corporate foundation such as ours – arising from a major bank – can offer them.
By supporting our partners and their actions, we strive to give visibility to the invisible, and a voice to those who struggle to be heard. In line with our convictions –
- Give confidence in the future by supporting equal opportunities programmes
- Understand and protect the planet by supporting research on climate and biodiversity
- Create wonder by supporting artistic creation and access to culture for all
– we were inspired to find a new way to showcase everyday heroes who are shifting the needle and making a positive impact in their local area.
For 40 years, the BNP Paribas Foundation has been giving power to those who take action to provide concrete solutions that promote equal opportunities, protect the environment or advance culture. Our mission is to identify, bring together and, above all, raise awareness of the talented people working on innovative, high-impact projects. As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we want to celebrate the committed people that we support. Our partners are inspiring and impactful and are offering hope on the ground, where they are in close contact with the needs of vulnerable populations. Showcasing their portraits is our way of giving them the power of media impact.
Isabelle Giordano, Head of Group Philanthropy and General Delegate of the BNP Paribas Foundation.
An open-air exhibition
The BNP Paribas Foundation wants to shine a light on the individuals making a difference in the places where they are taking action and that are close to their hearts.
We’ve chosen to do this by honouring them through a major public art project: a series of street art murals that celebrate the impact of those behind the initiatives supported by the Foundation.
To reflect our inspiring partners, we decided to collaborate with equally colourful street artists to create larger-than-life portraits that will be unveiled in the coming months in public spaces all over France, from the façades of BNP Paribas buildings to train stations.
The aim: to give these changemakers the attention they deserve!
A lasting tribute
Each artwork will be displayed for at least six months, with the first unveiled on 26 September in Pantin (in greater Paris):
Keep up with our latest news and follow us on social media!
Following this launch, new murals will be progressively pop up to celebrate the citizens we support and to make manifest their unwavering commitment, as well as demonstrating our commitment to them.
Discover the murals
Les Grands Moulins de Pantin (greater Paris)
The first mural in the series is a portrait of Zahia Ziouani, a conductor whose career has been driven by perseverance and passion.
She grew up in Pantin and was first introduced to classical music by her music-loving parents. In 1998, at the age of just 20, after studying with the Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache, she decided to create the Orchestre Symphonique Divertimento in Stains, an urban area north of Paris. Through this orchestra, she is bringing classical music to working-class suburbs, where access to culture can be difficult – particularly ‘high’ culture such as classical music.
Zahia has succeeded in creating a bridge between these two seemingly contrasting worlds: low-income neighbourhoods and classical music. Motivated by a desire to pass on her knowledge, she teaches music, which she believes has the power to inspire and to break down both spatial and psychological barriers.
“I’m so proud to see this work of art in the centre of the area where I grew up. It’s a powerful message for everyone: excellence is accessible whatever your background. Beyond that, it’s a strong message of hope for the people of Pantin and the area of Seine-Saint-Denis, which is home to so much talent. The support provided by the BNP Paribas Foundation over the long term is helping to raise the profile of those working to promote equal opportunities and culture on the ground where they live.” – Zahia Ziouani, Conductor
The Foundation has supported Zahia since 2015 (through Projet Banlieues and then in the framework of our actions to promote access to culture for all), and we have chosen to pay tribute to her where she grew up – Pantin. Through the brush of street artist Sébastien Bouchard, Zahia is portrayed in a monumental mural that embodies her bold and inspiring journey. Her face, illuminated by vivid colours, reflects the energy and determination that have driven her throughout her career. A specialist of large formats, Sébastien uses colour and volume to capture the essence of the fire that fuels the vision of this one-of-a-kind conductor.
The work of Sébastien Bouchard highlights not only the conductor’s commitment, but also the link between urban and high culture, connecting the two worlds that Zahia strives to unite. The mural displayed by the Foundation on the façade of the BNP Paribas ‘Asia’ building at the Grands Moulins de Pantin is a living and vibrant tribute to her heritage, a bridge between generations, and an invitation to believe in the power of art to change lives.
“By commissioning this portrait, the BNP Paribas Foundation gave me the opportunity to meet Zahia Ziouani, a woman of conviction, commitment and inspiration. I wanted to represent her radiance and evoke her first name, which means ‘luminous’. As a muralist with a fascination for representing the human figure and facial and physical expression, Zahia is a model whose poetic potential I saw straight away.” – Sébastien Bouchard, street artist
Almost six months were needed to complete the mural, from the concept sketch to the execution and installation (which required a week in itself). It will be on display from 26 September 2024 to March 2025.