Diego Movilla –Artiste

Diego is another interesting artist from Tours, working in many mediums: http://diegomovilla.net/index.php?page=actus&hl=en_US. Like many French artists, once they have been invited to do a residency the French government will offer a little assistance to make it possible. He has expressed interest in doing a month in Minneapolis, depending on accommodations and studio space. Perhaps you have a spare room?

Radio Béton/Concrete Radio

This is an interview I did on Radio Béton in 2011, wherein we compare and contrast it with KFAI and talk about Little House on the Prairie and Hüsker Dü. Enjoy! Béton sparked the magazine Les Inrockuptibles which is basically like a French version of Rolling Stone, politics and culture abound within it. KFAI programmers, will you please make a show for Tours, showcasing Mpls locals? I'll translate!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZP6sjvIN2I&feature=youtu.be

Sammy Engramer: Artiste, Chanteur

In this love song for America, Sammy exposes his/the raw French soul for all Pilgrims to see. Please let us not be too harsh. It can only be a matter of time until he wins the hearts, minds and wall spaces of Minneapolitans. His art may be found at: http://sammy.engramer.free.fr/Page1.html

Joris Drylewicz: Galeriste et le Marché d'Art

The future of artist exchanges between Mpls/Tours it's more than all here! Joris is my gallerist, here is his gallery, the art market, his hair dresser, my friend in Brussels, serendipity and bureaucracy...enjoy your surplus while you still can!

Article in La Nouvelle République:http://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/Toute-zone/Loisirs/Expos-musees/n/Contenus/Articles/2012/06/24/Sean-Smuda-l-oeil-de-Minneapolis
On French TV with Bon Iver in the background. Maybe I should call myself Bon Été?

L'artiste Yveline Bouquard

I met Yveline when she came to my talk last year at the École Supérieur des Beaux Arts de Tours/The Tours Superior School of Fine Arts. She immediately welcomed me to stay with her and Jean-Louis, her husband, who teaches Computer Science at the University. They have a wonderfully busy, active and open life, also welcoming transcontinental cyclists to their roost in a converted metal workshop near the train station. Minneapolis/Tours Sister Cities are working to find a studio and lodging for Yveline in Minneapolis for a few month in the summer of 2013. She would like to do some still-lifes of our native tornadoes.

Pneu à Tours/Pneu in Tours

This is the band Pneu whom I hype too much (including on the radio station the Current on July 15th). My girlfriend says that Don Caballero is better, but I say listen to Pneu's harnessing of noise/math/quadrille ferocity and know that no other French band comes close. Because it's not just about playing with force, composure and pleasure, it's also about rising out of one's environment and channeling what is good about it: in this case the Middle-Ages influence of Tours. btw I am sincere about what I say about the Marseillaise at the end of the clip and hope that it won't impact my visa.