SBU One was born in France but moved to Montreal in 2004. For many years his street work walked the line between figurative and abstract, never quite one or the other. In the past few years he appears to have been doing a bit more figurative work, as least as far as his street work is concerned. It often features animals and zoomorphic characters and mashups, although it tends to remain closer to abstract when he works with frequent collaborator MSHL. In recent years his notorierity has increased rapidly, leading him to participate to festivals such as Under Pressure and Amalgam and then Mural Festival in 2017.

To see much more than what is featured in the photo gallery below (including studio/gallery work, animation, comics, and a lot of amazing street work outside Montreal), check out sbuone.com as well as his Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr pages.

SBU One est né en France mais habite Montréal depuis 2004. Pendant plusieurs années son art de rue balançait entre le figuratif et l’abstrait, jamais tout à fait l’un ou l’autre. Depuis quelques années l’artiste penche un peu plus vers le figuratif, du moins en ce qui concerne son art urbain. Animaux et personnages zoomorphiques y font des apparitions fréquentes. Ceci étant dit, celui-ci redevient plutôt abstrait lorsqu’effectué conjointement avec son fréquent collaborateur MSHL. SBU One a gagné beaucoup en notoriété ces dernières années, menant à des participations remarquées à des festivals tels que Under Pressure et Amalgam, et à l’édition 2017 du Festival Mural.

Pour en voir bien plus que ce qui est présenté dans la gallerie-photo ci-dessous (incluant des oeuvres en studio/gallerie, de l’animation, de la bande dessinée et beaucoup d’oeuvres urbaines géniales hors-Montréal), jetez up coup d’oeil à sbuone.com ainsi qu’à ses pages Facebook, Instagram et Tumblr.

murals and other painted pieces

Pieces in this section are shown in approximate reverse chronological order, so the most recent are at the top.

Les pièces de cette section de la galerie sont présentées en ordre chronologique inverse approximatif, de la plus récente à la plus vieille que j’ai eu la chance de photographier.

Monk.e (left letters and background) and SBU One (figurative material) at the PSC legal graffiti wall

Collaboration with Monk.e at the PSC legal graffiti wall. See below for 2 close-ups on SBU One’s parts.

close-up detail of a SBU One piece over a Monk.e background, at the PSC legal graffiti wall

Close-up 1/2 on SBU One’s part in a collaboration with Monk.e at the PSC legal graffiti wall.

close-up detail of a SBU One piece over a Monk.e background, at the PSC legal graffiti wall

Close-up 2/2 on SBU One’s part in a collaboration with Monk.e at the PSC legal graffiti wall.

SBU One and MSHL in Pointe St-Charles

Collaboration with MSHL in Pointe St-Charles.

SBU One and MSHL in the Plateau

Floors 2 and 3 added to the back of this Plateau building. Scroll down for a close-up of Level 1 from a year earlier. Level 2 is a collaboration with MSHL.

SBU One’s contribution to the 2017 edition of Mural Festival

Contribution to the 2017 edition of Mural Festival.

SBU One in the Plateau

On a house awaiting demolition in the Plateau.

collaboration between SBU One and Scribe in a Rosemont alley

Collaboration with Scribe in a Rosemont back alley.

SBU One in Rosemont

In a Rosemont back alley.

SBU One in Petite-Patrie

In Petite-Patrie.

SBU One and MSHL in the Plateau

Collaboration with MSHL in the Plateau.

SBU One in the Plateau

SBU One in the Plateau. More was added to this piece the following year, scroll up to view.

SBU One’s contribution to Plaza Walls

SBU One’s contribution to Plaza Walls.

SBU One for the 2016 edition of Under Pressure

Contribution to the 2016 edition of the Under Pressure Festival.

SBU One’s contribution to the 2016 edition of Amalgam Festival

Contribution to the 2016 edition of Amalgam Festival.

SBU One at the Percussions Festival

Contribution to the 2016 International Percussion Festival.

collaboration between SBU One and MSHL in a Plateau alley

Collaboration with MSHL in a Plateau alley.

SBU One and Waxhead’ part in a multi-artist mural project for Sun Youth

Collaboration with Waxhead in a multi-artist mural project for Sun Youth. Visible bottom left is one of Starkey‘s wabbits.

SBU One on board for the 2016 edition of Mural Festival

A side piece done during the 2016 edition of Mural Festival.

SBU One on St-Laurent garage door

This garage door was done off-Mural Festival in 2016.

collaboration between SBU One and MSHL in Mile End

Collaboration with MSHL in Mile End.

SBU One in St-Henri

In St-Henri.

SBU One in Old Port

SBU One’s part in a multi-artist production in Old Montreal.

SBU One at the PSC legal graffiti wall

At the PSC legal graffiti wall.

SBU One at the PSC legal graffiti wall

At the PSC legal graffiti wall.

SBU One at the PSC legal graffiti wall

At the PSC legal graffiti wall.

SBU One behind a studio in St-Henri

Behind a studio in St-Henri.

SBU One under expressway

Underneath expressway.

SBU One under expressway

Underneath expressway.

SBU One piece beneath autoroute Ville-Marie

Underneath expressway.

SBU One piece on a concrete block found in an abandoned lot in Hochelaga

On a concrete block found in an abandoned lot in Hochelaga

Old SBU One piece in the Plateau

Very old piece dated 2006 in the Plateau.

Videshi babaji

SBU One has this recurring character which he calls “Videshi babaji” serving as some sort of logo and which he seems to use in the way graffiti writers would with a throw (quickly sprayed piece with outline and uniform fill). Most of the time the character is a bearded head with a hat, but in at least one instance (top of the gallery below), it was given a whole body. It also often comes with a speech bubble.

SBU One a un personnage récurrent appelé “Videshi babaji” lui servant en quelque sorte de logo, ou d’équivalent du throw (pièce rapidement exécutée ne consistant que d’un contour et un remplissage uniforme) chez les graffeurs. Dans la majorité des cas le perso est une tête d’homme barbu arborant une casquette, mais dans au moins un cas (première entrée dans la gallerie ci-dessous), SBU lui a donné un corps. Le personnage vient souvent avec une bulle de texte (façon bande dessinée).