Naima wrote a great article about Bad Hair Day Leaders and Salon de Peinture Grand-Popo for the BBC. We had been talking about it since I launched the two projects almost a year ago and this was a good moment to make it happen when the leaders are exhibited at Himmelblau, Tampere, Finland.

Maybe I was once again dreaming too much, thinking that this would skyrocket the portrait business of Salon de Peinture - and bring a little bit wealth to the tiny village of Heve - but though we have had hundreds of thousands readers, only a few people have inquired pictures. Today Artnet, the prominent artmarket website, wrote about us in their news section.

Why a Street Painter From Benin Is Big in Helsinki – Benin-based artist Louis Houenoude used to paint signs for barber shops. Now, his series of satirical portraits, “Bad Hair Day Leaders,” which includes depictions of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Pope Francis I, is making waves in Finland. The artist’s solo show in Helsinki came about after the Finnish artist Riiko Sakkinen encountered his work on a trip to Benin last year. Now, new commissions are flooding in, and Houenoude is expanding his studio. 

Very nice visibility but, unfortunately, most of the things go wrong. The show is not in Helsinki but in Tampere. Making Waves? Actually, the show hasn't got really media coverage in Finland. Louis painted the portraits but the satirical attitude is basically mine. It's Riiko Sakkinen feat. Louis Houenoude. I hope that the commissions will flood in soon and Louis can expand his studio!