In A Funeral ‘Factory,’ Paris Finds A Workspace For Artists

“Throughout the 20th century, the SMPF (‘Service Municipal des Pompes Funebres’) was a one-stop shop for posthumous ceremonies. This is where coffins, wreaths and draperies were made, hearses were parked, and the funerals of Victor Hugo and Jean-Paul Sartre were arranged. Today, ‘Le 104’ (located at No. 104, Rue d’Aubervilliers in northern Paris) is a base for more than a dozen artists — including landscape designers, a cartoonist and a rapper — who are guests of Paris City Hall.”