The “Portable Monoxyle” is a minimal sculpture resulting from two distinct gestures: erecting a rough wooden bastaing in a vertical position in the ground and burning it superficially to give it a coal-black color. The sculpture measures 1.50 metres in height. Equipped with sturdy straps, it is designed to be carried on the back, even if this can prove difficult. This difficulty is an integral part of the experience of the work, inviting us to a kind of artistic pilgrimage in the middle of nature. The work is designed to be placed in the heart of nature, where it enters into a dialogue with its environment. The Portable Monoxyl summons up a variety of sources, subtly evoking the cinematic atmosphere of Stanley Kubrick, Obelix’s menhir or a Christ-like Way of the Cross.

In a post-Duchampian paradigm, the work extends the notion that “the viewer makes the painting”, an idea originally put forward by Marcel Duchamp. In the case of Portable Monoxyl, it’s not just the viewer who is involved in the creation of the work, but the entire environment. The sculpture acts as a catalyst, allowing the surrounding nature to express itself, to reveal itself and to resonate with the work itself. The Monoxyle is no longer the work itself, but the inverted frame that designates its surroundings. The Monoxyle turns the notion of the sacred on its head: it is no longer the sculpture itself that becomes sacred, but rather what surrounds it.

Video “All road gone to the river”: This video documents a nature walk, with the portable Monoxyle carried on the back. The walk, carried out near Ponte-Leccia in Corsica, takes in a steep river until it reaches a clearing where the Monoxyle is deposited in the river. This action reinforces the idea that the entire environment resonates with the work. The images were filmed by Verana Costa and the video is enhanced by two pieces of music, “Ignis IV” by John Ospad and “To the Star” by Max Richter.

Monoxyle portatif is a smaller version of an earlier work, simply called “Monoxyle”, which you can discover here.

Thanks to Verana Costa and Sébastien Bruno who helped make this project a reality.