''My paintings, my images, are only attempting to illustrate situations I confront, provoke or “perform” on a more public, usually urban – and ephemeral level. I’m trying to make a very clear distinction in between what will be addressing the street and what will be directed to the gallery wall. The photo residue of an act acquires a very different status (other than the act itself) once hanged on a gallery wall. It can become the finality of the piece. I tried to create painted images that could become equivalents to the action, souvenirs without literally representing the act itself.''

Francis Alÿs, artista belga