Artist fills a derelict apartment with portraits that pay homage to its former residents

Instead of seeing an abandoned, soon-to-be demolished, apartment as something that has lost all hope – French street artist Matthieu Laine, also known as Graffmat, has paid a moving tribute to its history by filling the empty space with a beautiful series of portraits of its former residents.

The artworks – known as Capharnaum – are painted on anything that has been found discarded in the apartment's rooms, including disused pallets, cardboard and old pieces of furniture. Although the portraits are a painful reminder for the people who once lived there, they actually piece together the happy life that existed in the apartment building during its heyday.

Originally from Chambéry, Savoy – art graduate Laine has developed a painting style that is diverse and enjoys the use of different mediums such as collage, wood, cardboard and canvas. Discover more of his beautiful work at www.graffmatt.com. Make sure you watch the video below to see the project in progress.

Via direct submission

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