down town
I dream of working for the public space.
The monuments of Paris are both poetic and reassuring landmarks. And practical, too, for those who, like me on my arrival, are strangers to the city.
My lighting scores are programs. They are independent of the size of the sculpture that plays them. So why limit myself to exhibition pieces? For a monument, the result is very different, but the work of composition remains the same.
For health reasons, I’ve only done three urban Luchrones. Each one earned me a stay in hospital. Because public space is formidable, “Urban Time” has little to do with personal time. For artists and elected representatives alike, it’s a trying time.
Whether in metal or stone, public art requires a great deal of work. Tech is going to add a leap into the unknown. I’m leaving the solitude of the studio to work in a team, in full view of everyone. I’m supported by elected representatives and enthusiastic teachers who join me in this adventure. It’s wilder than the shows: outdoors, there’s bad weather and, above all, vandalism.
Un projet d’art technologique qui se trouvera à la fin sur la place publique est une rareté. Forcément, certaines parties techniques sont des “premières” qui impliquent de sortir des méthodes connues. Les techniciens s’adaptent et inventent à la façon des artistes.
Par exemple en 2020 il n’existe pas de LEDs industrielles qui rayonnent dans toutes les directions. La conception même de ma Coquille à Reims se heurte à la fabrication des LEDs - toujours directionnelles. Alors, les professeurs et élèves du lycée Saint Jean Baptiste de la Salle fabriquent à la main les 324 sources et leurs rechanges. Ces pièces sont si bien réalisées qu’elles fonctionnent depuis.
