Grace Helmer - Paris, Canal Saint-Martin

Over the years, we've come to realize that curiosity doesn't have to be a flaw. In fact, it's fine. You might even say, if you don't mind the voyeurism, that it's one hell of a quality. All the more so when you have Grace Helmer's eyes and brush skills. The Londoner, an adept oil painter and wanderer, knows how to capture the spirit of a place and sublimate its qualities. Japan, New York and the Muralla Roja have all benefited from her passage and the quality of her vision. But if his travel renderings are popular, we can't limit the subjects that have benefited from his lively brushstrokes, brilliant colors and work with light. Her fanzine Bum book recounts her passion for statues' pretty butts, while Speck, another self-published work, follows the adventures and questions of a blob. Grace Helmer's curiosity seems to know no bounds. Neither does her talent.