François Tihy aka Double B – Labyrinth, contemporary collage on linen canvas

Labyrinth, a contemporary collage in the vein of the torn poster

Labyrinth is a contemporary collage created in 2023 by François Tihy, a self-taught artist who signs his work as Double B. He finds his raw material in the street: fragments of concert, exhibition, circus, and advertising posters, torn from walls and billboards. These papers, worn by the sun, rain, and anonymous hands, are collected and given a second life on canvas.

This approach follows in the tradition of the torn poster and the décollage, gestures that emerged at the dawn of Nouveau Réalisme with Raymond Hains, Jacques Villeglé, and François Dufrêne, and were later continued in Italy by Mimmo Rotella. But Double B doesn't limit himself to mere sampling: like a "visual DJ," he recomposes, layers, and enhances the fragments until the whole finds its balance. Warm colors, patterns, and rhythms inherited from Africa, where the artist grew up and later lived, intersect with bursts of Pop Art and popular iconography.

In Labyrinth, this accumulation takes on its full meaning: the eye is lost in a maze of typographic fragments, recurring feline motifs, and a face emerging from the composition, all framed by the yellow border that has become the artist's signature. This contemporary collage illustrates Double B's conviction: the contrast between torn fragments and intact pieces gives relief, volume, and a soul to the work.

Technical characteristics of the work

Technical and support

The artwork is a collage of torn posters and mixed media on linen canvas stretched over a frame. 2 cm thick, it is presented unframed, ready to hang. This entirely handmade, upcycled work makes each collage a unique piece, impossible to reproduce exactly.

Format and palette

Labyrinth measures 116 cm in height by 89 cm in width (H 45.7 × W 35.0 in), and weighs 3,3 kg. Its polychrome palette is dominated by yellow and black, enhanced by bursts of red, blue and green that collide across the entire surface, a chromatic intensity characteristic of the artist's work.

Conservation state

This recent work is in excellent condition. The cracks, tears, and areas of wear visible on the surface are not a defect: they are part of the artist's aesthetic choice, for whom beauty arises precisely from what is worn, damaged, and then reborn. The collage is signed "Double B" in the lower right corner, within an oval cartouche. A unique piece, Labyrinth is a beautiful entry point into the world of a contemporary collage artist waiting to be discovered.

At The AuctionlabWe enjoy following the collage artists who are keeping the tradition of the torn poster alive today. Labyrinth captivated us with its density: behind the apparent chaos of fragments ripped from the street lies a true mastery of rhythm and color. François Tihy, aka Double B, belongs to that generation of self-taught artists whose approach—hunting, tearing, recomposing—restores a presence to images that the city had condemned to oblivion. Discovering an emerging artist through their earliest works is precious: it's entering a unique universe before anyone else. A one-of-a-kind piece for lovers of contemporary art and curious collectors.
— The team The Auctionlab