French artist Mademoiselle Maurice (previously here and here) has two fun new pieces up this month as part of the 2013 ARTAQ Festival in Angers, France. Requiring over 30,000 folded components, the artist relied on help from school children and people living in nearby “leisure centers” to help complete all of the pieces in time for installation. Hundreds of additional volunteers were on-hand to help cover a stairwell leading to Montée St-Maurice which was completed on May 31st. See many more photos here.
Recently unveiled in Marseille, France this giant mirrored canopy called the Port Vieux Pavilion was designed by architecture firm Foster + Partners. The pavilion measures nearly 150 feet (46 meters) long and is made of highly polished stainless steel meant to reflect people and the surrounding environment of Marseille’s World Heritage-listed harbor. The project is somewhat analogous to Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate here in Chicago and based on these photos I have no doubt the canopy will be a huge draw for tourists and locals alike. (via designboom)
Internationally recognized graffiti artist Tilt has just completed this eye-popping interior design work for the Au Vieux Panier hotel in Marseille, France. The hotel has just five rooms that are annually reconceptualized by commissioned artists and designers, somewhat similar to NYC’s Carlton Arms. For this space entitled Panic Room (which might aptly describe your mental state after a few nights in this Willy Wonkaesque environment) Tilt divided the room perfectly down the middle, one half covered entirely in his trademark vibrant and bubbly graffiti and the other half left stark white. See a sneak peek of all five concepts at Au Vieux Panier, including a room by Philippe Baudelocque who draws fantastic illustrations of animals using chalk. All in all, if I were checking in, Panic Room would be the clear choice. Photography above by the Big Addict. (via my modern met)
Welome to the mothership. Actually, welcome to St. Joseph’s Church in Le Havre, France. Built from 1951-58 this Roman Catholic church built in a Neo-Gothic style acts as a memorial to the 5,000 civilians from the city who died during World War II. The sombre cement steeple rises over 350 feet and when photographed from the inside results in some pretty striking imagery that looks like it belongs on the set of Aliens or in Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. Many more photos here. (photos courtesy eole wind, olivier, pa_le, cyril, sebastien ferrand)
A spectacular mural on the streets of Strasbourg, France by artists Jana + JS at the Sans Conservateur festival. (via unurth)
