spiral land art by mathieu nouhen conjures mystical undertones in rural france

spiral land art by mathieu nouhen conjures mystical undertones in rural france

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fossile land art by mathieu nouhen

 

Artist and architect Mathieu Nouhen transforms an agricultural plot in France into an archaic-inspired land art with mystical undertones. The temporary artwork, dubbed Fossile, reveals a spiral arrangement of stakes, reminiscent of a fossil and symbolizing the only vestige remaining of man’s imprint on this landscape. ‘It is the passage of man that creates strength, abnormality, absurdity. We symbolize a present or past presence. It is a form turned towards humans, but also towards the other inhabitants of this agricultural land, those who will witness the change,’ shares Nouhen. 

fossile landscape art 1
all images courtesy Mathieu Nouhen

 

 

a spiral stake arrangement using Shou Sugi Ban technique

 

The spiral arrangement by Mathieu Nouhen (see more here) follows the Shou Sugi Ban technique that resonates with the volcanic territory and imparts a dense and earthy character to the land art. It creates a chromatic density and contrast within the site: the green of late spring, the yellow of summer pastures. The stakes are all beveled towards the center, shimmering in the landscape, accentuating the form. Moreover, this spiral with four centers, a symbolic form of the fossil, represents the passage of time — the temporal flow of the relationship between the landscape and the raw elements that shape it.

spiral land art by mathieu nouhen conjures mystical undertones in rural france
spiral arrangement of stakes

 

 

Through this particular and mystical arrangement of stakes, a form appears, a message appears, guiding and inducing a path towards the center. Space, symbols, boundaries, and directions are created. Gradually, a trace is created, lines of desire form. ‘When the work was dismantled, we were able to see the passage of 13,122 visitors, like a fossil. A trace, yet another mark of our passage, which will also fade away,’ concludes Mathieu Nouhen. 

spiral land art by mathieu nouhen conjures mystical undertones in rural france
the design follows the Shou Sugi Ban technique

fossile landscape art 3
the stakes recalls an archair-inspired art

fossile landscape art 5
close up shot of Fossil by Mathieu Nouhen

fossile landscape art 4
recalling mystical undertones

fossile-landscape-art-1-66126428423eb

 

project info:

 

name: Fossil

location: France
artist: Mathieu Nouhen | @mathieu_nouhen

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom

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