The « Sphère maritime »

Philippe Ardy (design) & Jean-Marc Blanchard (project management)
Beached wood, seaweed and ropes; Ø: 3.60 m

This work was created and exhibited on Gatseau beach opposite the dreaded Maumusson channel during the summer of 2016 as part of the first International Biennial ‘Amers – Art and Nature on the island of Oléron’ on the theme of Refuge. It was then acquired by the Château d’Oléron town council thanks to innovative ‘Public-Private-Participatory’ funding, and installed in its current location in the Citadelle, from where it overlooks the coureau d’Oléron, arriving on a barge during a high tide on 14 November 2016.

A perfect, soothing geometric figure, the sphere is the most widespread form in the universe, from the infinitely small to the infinitely large, and a creative object for many artists throughout the ages. Like the vision of our planet seen from space, it is a comforting cocoon for the island of Oléron, which is suffering from erosion. An opening at mid-height allows you to look inside. The driftwood and maritime pines torn up by storms that make up its interwoven skeleton came from the forest next door or from another continent. The driftwood that has become the ‘Maritime Sphere’ intrinsically contains a multitude of possible elsewhere, offering the hope of reaching other shores, other worlds.

Find out more about participative financing for this project