Meet Dodo_urbain (aka Urban Naps)

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dodo_urbain (aka Urban Naps) a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dodo_Urbain , thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

Radical Optimism.

My optimism comes from living radically. Being radical means being concerned by the profound nature of things. The Dodo_Urbain (Urban Naps) project seeks to expose what society has conditioned us to ignore or brush a side. By pasting this sprawling figure on hostile architecture or where there is homeless activity, the Dodo_Urbain (Urban Naps) project highlights the ongoing struggles of marginalized populations and the increasing issue of homelessness in the urban landscape. Dodo_Urbain (Urban Naps) is a direct response to the social issue and seeks to disrupt normative processes by creating new narratives within public spaces that question social order.

On a personal level, the Dodo_Urbain (Urban Naps) project has become a way to not only use my artistic skills as a form of protest, but has also simultaneously defined action and purpose into my daily life. In our world “man must search for meaning” (Franki, Viktor (1946)) and have the courage to live by it. The Dodo_Urbain (Urban Naps) project is not only a way for me to politicize the non neutrality of spaces, but is also a way to personally add meaning to my everyday. It’s a way of using my power, bringing my vision forward, and actively working towards something on a larger scale that can be viewed by many. It is the combination of creative and practical knowledge that produces political knowledge. Moreover, the artist who creates politically is dedicated to radicalizing our reality knowing that truth is not characterized by legality, as “ revolution upsets normative processes.” (Davis, Angela.). For me, the Dodo_Urbain (Urban Naps) project has become a form of reconciliation of individual freedom with the values of unrepresented communities.

The root of my Radical Optimism lies not only in being able to discern alternative perspectives to the way things are, but relies also in my faith that there can be a better world – as what can be experienced is only limited by one’s imagination. I believe it is in the execution of will that can determine the course of our history instead of being determined by it as Edgar Morin says “Every dream is an unreal realization that aspires to be a practical one. This is why social utopias prefigure future societies, alchemies prefigure chemistries, the wings of Icarus prefigure the wings of the airplane.” As a retired realist, in my eyes, Radical Optimism stems from faith, execution of will and the belief that anything can be initiated by a thought, an idea, a vision or a dream.

(English translation ^ original language of citation below.)
“Tout rêve est une réalisation irréelle, mais qui aspire à la réalisation pratique. C’est pourquoi les utopies sociales préfigurent les sociétés futures, les alchimies préfigurent les chimies, les ailes d’Icare préfigurent les ailes de l’avion.”

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

This 2024, I have decided to devote my life entirely to art in all of its forms. “Jack of all trades, master of none”.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Consistency and discipline in order to build self trust.
2. Mutability, versatility and being able to adapt to whatever life throws at you.
3. Confidence. If you are lacking in self-confidence it is harder to work towards your goals and ambitions as you will unconsciously behave in ways that seek external validation rather than striving towards exemplifying and living by your own truth.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Meditating and stretching every day. Whether it’s for just a few minutes or half an hour, it’s important to consistently engage in practices that calm down the nervous system and help neuroplasticity. I also do lots of visualization exercises which cultivates my imagination. Since the brain acts as a muscle, the more you practice the easier it becomes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shoutoutla.com/meet-dodo_urbain-aka-urban-naps-artist/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dodo_urbain/
• Other: https://stickvancouver.substack.com/p/urban-naps-in-public-spaces?utm_source=publication-search

Image Credits

@vanessandry (Vanessa Landry)
@wall2wallmtl