Street art · Artist profile · Market guide
André Saraiva
Born 1971 · Paris. Graffiti pioneer and creator of Mr. A – the top-hatted figure that has smiled from Paris walls since 1989. «Tout va bien.»
Mr. A, and everything is fine
André Saraiva was born on 2 July 1971 in Uppsala, Sweden, to Portuguese parents who had fled the Salazar dictatorship. When he was ten, the family moved to Paris. In the mid-1980s he began writing graffiti and became part of the first generation of French taggers – with one difference: instead of an American-style pseudonym, he simply signed his first name, André.
In 1989 he invented Mr. A, a dapper stick figure with a top hat and a winking grin. By his own estimates he has painted him hundreds of thousands of times – on shop shutters, letterboxes and road signs in Paris and on water towers in New York. With the Paris gallery Air de Paris he ran Love Graffiti, painting the names of people's loved ones on walls and handing over the photograph as the work.
André moves easily between street, gallery and nightlife. He created the clubs Le Baron in Paris and Le Bain in New York, works in graphic design, photography and fashion, and appeared in Exit Through the Gift Shop. His slogan Tout va bien – everything is fine – runs through his work, for example on TOUT VA BIEN (2008), marker on a reproduction of the Mona Lisa mounted on wood.
Timeline
- 1971Born on 2 July in Uppsala, Sweden.
- 1981Moves to Paris with his family.
- mid-1980sStarts writing graffiti in Paris.
- 1989Creates Mr. A.
- 2008TOUT VA BIEN – marker on a Mona Lisa reproduction.
- 2010Appears in Exit Through the Gift Shop.
- 2022Auction record: Ménage à Trois ou Quatre 3, $42,311.
Techniques and media
André's market ranges from paintings and unique works to editioned prints, objects and stickers.
Paintings
Mr. A and text works in acrylic and spray paint on canvas – the top of his market.
Works on found images
Reproductions and objects painted over by hand, such as TOUT VA BIEN on the Mona Lisa.
Prints
Screenprints and other editions, usually signed and numbered.
Objects and sculpture
Mr. A figures and collectible objects, often in editions.
Stickers and ephemera
Produced in large numbers – part of the culture, rarely of high value.
Walls
Street pieces stay where they are; they are not part of a legitimate art market.
What André Saraiva works sell for
Prices below are public auction results. They show the range – not what a specific piece is worth.
Record: Ménage à Trois ou Quatre 3, TGP Auction, 2022.
Average auction price for paintings over twelve months, as reported by MutualArt.
Average auction price for prints and multiples, as reported by MutualArt.
Highest auction results
| Work | Price | Auction |
|---|---|---|
| Ménage à Trois ou Quatre 3, – | $42,311 | TGP Auction, 2022 |
Averages as published by MutualArt; they change as new results come in.
Real or not? What to check
For a living artist, the best evidence is documentation from the artist, his studio or the gallery that sold the work. Keep invoices and certificates together.
- Signature: André usually signs with his first name; compare with verified examples.
- Edition: Prints and objects should show an edition number that matches the certificate.
- Source: Works bought from galleries, the artist's projects or major auction houses are easiest to trust.
- Unique or multiple?: Hand-painted works are worth far more than printed editions and stickers.
How much is a work by André Saraiva worth?
His auction record is $42,311 (2022). Paintings have recently averaged around $4,200 at auction, prints around $670, according to MutualArt.
What does «Tout va bien» mean?
«Everything is fine» – a slogan that appears again and again in André's work, for example on TOUT VA BIEN (2008).
Do you own a work attributed to André Saraiva?
Start with a free estimate from photos. For a sale, insurance or an estate, order a written appraisal by an independent expert with a notarized signature.
Sources (auction figures as published there):
- Blind Magazine – André Saraiva, graffiti icon, from street art to fashion
- Paris Art – André (art urbain)
- Wikipedia – André (artist)
- MutualArt – André Saraiva auction results
- artnet – TOUT VA BIEN by André
ArtworkValue is not affiliated with André Saraiva, his studio or his galleries. This page does not offer works by André Saraiva for sale.