In Paris, France, beyond the museums and galleries, there are beautiful pieces of art hiding in plain sight out on the streets and deep within various metro stations.

These are the posters of Paris, specifically The Torn Posters of Paris.

For the last decade, Byron has taken hundreds of photos of these torn posters, accidental artworks that pop up all over Paris and then, just as quickly, disappear. Beck has found similar “work” in London, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and even in Portland.

Author Susan Sontag once said, “A poster claims attention-from a distance.” Byron Beck believes “torn posters” can be inspected and appreciated more closely.

Torn Posters can be seen as a "palimpsest"—something altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form. As a changing, vibrant city, Paris itself is a kind of palimpsest—a living text to be read and understood and enjoyed on its face, but also through the layers of its history visible underneath. Torn or lacerated posters are also an example of décollage—collage in reverse, ripping away parts to create a new appearance and in a sense a new artwork.

Beck reflects on his photos: “They have been tearing down posters in Paris for as long as they have been putting them up. These above and underground “affiches déchirées” speak to and  pull me towards them due to a seemingly unintentional collision between art and commerce," he continues, "a poster is a form of advertisement, but what does a torn poster say to a viewer: is there some hidden message? Is it a work of vandalism? Or something else? Originally I would take a photo and then tear off a corner of the poster and put it in my pocket. I wanted to bring a “souvenir” back home with me. More than anything, I needed to bring a “piece of Paris” back with me. I eventually realized, after a decade of tracking down and taking photos of these torn posters, that a photograph is just as worthy as a souvenir too." 

Byron Beck is a journalist, commentator and an O.G. social influencer.  He is deeply connected to multiple communities across Oregon and beyond, including entertainers, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, political leaders, media executives, and civil rights groups. He is currently based in Portland, Oregon, but his heart is in Paris, France.