Hotsava Alaiksandra (inst:@sitt.art)

A little hero of big games, created with inspiration from the spirit of the city and its history. Because rats are a fact of everyday life in Paris and people are so accustomed to their presence that local media joke that they are part of the "questionable Parisian decor". The project aims to change the image of rats in the public eye.

According to pest control experts for 2021, an article on a French website called "Deratting.com" states that the number of rats in Paris is around 5 million, or approximately 1.5 to 2 rats per person. And on the vastness of social networks (in particular Instagram), I found jokes posted by Parisians on their personal pages that the symbol of the games in 2024 will be a rat.

The Christmas menu for the 99th day of the siege, taken from a Christmas meal in an elegant restaurant, was preserved and included many unusual dishes. One of them was called Le Chat flanqué de Rats (le: chaf flanqué de ra) (Cat surrounded by rats).

Rat with the Eiffel Tower
It is difficult to imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower - the symbol of Paris and one of the most recognizable architectural landmarks in the world. Although our rat is not a tourist, he also loves this building

The rat is a little ballerina. 

Another variety of the Parisian rat, which became famous in the 19th century. The Paris Opera featured petits rats de l'Opéra - little rats of the opera - young girls who trained as ballerinas at the Paris Opera. The "little rats" are an integral part of France's rich ballet tradition. My Rat is a reference to a sculpture of a small rat named Marie van Goethem. Dancers-students of the Paris Opera Ballet.

Raised during the opening ceremony, the flame symbolizes the light of the future, the unity of nations and support for participants in their quest for greatness.
My rat is holding the Olympic flame, which shows that the fire has reached its final destination this year - Paris.

Rat with baguette. 

The rat dances with a baguette. When we talk about France, baguettes immediately pop up as a direct association. They represent a cultural symbol and the traditional craftsmanship of bakers.

The rat put on a chef's hat like in the cartoon Ratatouille. A snail crawls along it, as a reference to French cuisine. In French cuisine, snails are a sophisticated and delicious dish. They gained popularity due to their delicate taste and unique texture, becoming an integral part of French gastronomy.

Paris is full of libraries and bookstores - according to some estimates, there are more than five hundred of them. Thus, it is easy to become another type of rat, the rat de bibliothèque (library rat), a French term meaning "bookworm."

zoom: My rat is reading a book by the French writer Alexandre Dumas - The Three Musketeers. For the cover of the book, I drew three musketeer rats, whose tails symbolize three sabers crossed in the sky. The title of the book is in French and written in a font that also has a historical context. In the Latin Quarter you can see a small, centuries-old street that was once called rue des Rats. Although the name of the street has been changed, its original name remains, carved on the wall of one of the buildings.

Paris without croissants is like a painting without colors. So the last rat really loves croissants. Initially, the rat was just sitting in a croissant, but like a true Frenchman, she knitted herself a glass of wine for dinner or lunch.

The capital of France is a center of haute couture. This rat is a reference to the fashion houses of Paris, in particular to Coco Chanel and her little black dress, which was a revolutionary contribution to the world of fashion and became a global symbol of style and discreet luxury.

Another very significant structure for Paris, and the history of France in general, is the Arc de Triomphe.
It seems to be a symbol of patriotism and glory, so a rat with a sign of national unity or simply flags in its paw increases this symbolism.

This project was developed in two months as part of the Visual Design program. Paris" The project was assessed by a commission from the teaching staff at the university and received a score of 7 points out of 10. The project was developed in Poland and Belarus. You can contact the author via email: aguleba2001@gmail.com