UNREADABLE BY BANDO X SHOE

BANDO & SHOE photographed by Hugo Vitrani

“Unreadable” in Paris: A Must-See Exhibition with Magda Danysz, Reuniting Graffiti Legends Bando and Niels ‘Shoe’ Meulman

Paris, the historic heart of European art and avant-garde culture, is once again setting the stage for something extraordinary. At the ever-influential Magda Danysz Gallery, a landmark exhibition titled “Unreadable” brings together two monumental figures in the history of graffiti — Philipp ‘Bando’ Lehman and Niels ‘Shoe’ Meulman — in a show that art collectors, graffiti enthusiasts, and cultural historians simply cannot afford to miss.

Bando Silver and black 2025 85×140cm

Magda Danysz & Jonone
Art work collaboration between Bando, Jonone & Shoe 2025

Conceived behind closed doors and revealed to the public for the very first time, Unreadable is more than a retrospective. It is a living testament to a friendship and artistic alliance that began in the early 1980s, when graffiti was still finding its voice in Europe. Now, forty years later, this exhibition captures the raw, poetic energy of the streets and translates it into a profound visual dialogue that transcends language, geography, and time.

Shoe Unidentical dyptich 2025 2x 90×100cm

A Reunion Four Decades in the Making

Back in 1985, Bando and Shoe crossed paths in Paris — two young artists from different cities (Paris and Amsterdam), united by their deep admiration for New York’s graffiti movement. Bando, who had immersed himself in the U.S. scene during trips to New York, returned home with a mission: to ignite the Parisian streets with the same rebellious spirit. Shoe, already a prodigious talent in Amsterdam’s early graffiti community, brought a refined sensibility and love for the art of lettering.

Their collaboration sparked a cultural revolution. Alongside British artist Mode 2, they founded the legendary graffiti crew CTK (Crime Time Kings), setting the stage for a truly international graffiti language rooted in authenticity, expression, and style.

Niels “Shoe” Meulman Justified scriptures/ Midnighted 2024 115×145cm

The Power of the Illegible

Bando Chrome sabotage 2025 80×140cm

Unreadable is not just an exhibition; it is a philosophical reflection on what graffiti has always been — a form of coded communication, a celebration of the illegible, and a rebellion against formalism. This show breaks down the boundaries between writing and abstraction, giving viewers a visceral look into the pulse of graffiti’s core: spontaneity, movement, and the raw intensity of the mark.

Niels “Shoe” Meulman Justified Scriptures/ Cosmotic 2025 119×89cm

At a time when graffiti has found its way into museums, auctions, and private collections, Bando and Shoe return to their roots with an evolved language — one that reflects not only their shared past but their forward-looking vision. The works on view are layered, textured, and conceptually rich, embracing both calligraphic abstraction and the iconography of the street.

Bando, The Three 2025 99×152cm

Magda Danysz: A Visionary Platform for Urban Art

This landmark reunion is made possible by the ever-respected Magda Danysz, whose gallery has long championed the convergence of urban culture and contemporary art. Known for her curatorial rigor and deep commitment to artists who shape visual culture beyond conventional boundaries, Danysz has once again created a space where history, rebellion, and artistic mastery collide.

For art collectors and curators, this exhibition is an opportunity to witness the evolution of two pioneering minds who helped birth the European graffiti movement. For the general public, it’s an invitation to step into a dynamic world where letters become landscapes and illegibility becomes a language of its own.

Bando the Void 2025 99×152cm

Don’t miss “Unreadable” — a milestone moment in the world of contemporary art and a powerful tribute to the enduring legacy of graffiti.

📍 Magda Danysz Gallery, 78 Rue Amelot, Paris

🗓️ Now showing – Limited time only

This is more than a show. It’s a statement. A journey. A celebration of the unreadable and everything it stands for.