BELHOPSESSIONS 2013 VILLIERS-le-BEL | Intense Street Art & Hip-Hop Event

BelHopSessions 2013 / Celebrating Hip-Hop Culture Through Graphic Design

BelHopSessions was one of the major cultural events organized by the City of Villiers-le-Bel to celebrate hip-hop culture, urban creativity, music and artistic expression. After previous editions in 2011 and 2012, I was once again invited to create the official visual identity for the 2013 edition, continuing a collaboration that would also extend to the 2014 event.

For this new edition, I wanted to create a visual composition capable of capturing the diversity and energy of hip-hop culture while maintaining a strong and coherent graphic identity connected to the previous years.

At the center of the artwork stands Meghan, a model and friend who became the focal point of the composition. Her presence gives a human dimension to the visual while creating a strong connection between the audience and the different cultural elements surrounding her.

Around this central figure, I assembled a collection of symbols inspired by the various disciplines that define hip-hop culture. Music, dance, artistic expression and urban life all coexist within the same visual universe.

A microphone occupies an important place within the composition, representing the voice, expression and musical heritage of hip-hop culture. It serves as a reminder that rap and spoken word remain fundamental pillars of the movement and continue to influence generations of artists and audiences.

Architectural elements were also integrated into the design. These references evoke the urban environment where hip-hop culture emerged and evolved. The city is not merely a backdrop but an active participant in the creation of cultural identities, artistic practices and collective memories.

Graphic forms and abstract shapes flow throughout the composition, creating movement and rhythm. These visual elements were designed to echo the energy found in dance, music and graffiti, connecting the different components of the image into a unified whole.

The choice of a deep blue background was intentional. Rather than using bright daylight tones, I wanted to recreate the atmosphere of concert halls and live performances. The dark blue environment evokes the semi-darkness of music venues, where lights, sound and movement merge into a unique experience shared by artists and audiences.

BelHopSessions was more than a simple cultural event. It represented a platform where different artistic disciplines could meet and interact. Music, dance, graffiti, performance and visual arts were brought together under a common identity, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of hip-hop culture itself.

Designing communication for such an event requires finding a balance between institutional communication and artistic authenticity. The visual identity needed to be accessible to a broad audience while remaining faithful to the codes and aesthetics of urban culture.

This project forms part of a larger series of collaborations developed with the City of Villiers-le-Bel over several years. Working across multiple editions allowed the visual identity of the event to evolve while maintaining continuity and recognition from one year to the next.

BelHopSessions 2013 occupies a special place within this series because it pushed further the idea of combining portraiture, architecture and cultural symbolism into a single composition. Rather than illustrating one specific discipline, the artwork sought to represent the broader ecosystem of hip-hop culture and its many influences.

The project also reflects an important aspect of my graphic design practice: creating images that function on several levels simultaneously. At first glance, the composition appears vibrant and dynamic. Upon closer inspection, viewers discover multiple references connected to music, urban culture, architecture and community life.

Looking back, Bel’Hop Sessions remains a meaningful example of how graphic design can support cultural initiatives and help communicate the values of creativity, diversity and artistic expression.

I would like to sincerely thank Delphine and the entire team of the City of Villiers-le-Bel for their trust and support throughout this collaboration and for giving me the opportunity to contribute once again to this important cultural event.