Strolling through the streets of Paris, it's not uncommon to come across outdoor artworks on a street corner. There are, of course, numerous statues erected in the four corners of the capital, but also symbolic works such as the " Václav Havel bench ", or iconic ones like Louise Bourgeois' " The Welcoming Hands " . And then there are the more unusual works, such as this uniquely shaped sculpture.
Located opposite Square Auguste Balagny, on the Place de la Porte de Champerret in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, this painted cement work resembles an Inca or Aztec face, or a sphinx, with its two giant legs stretched out on the sidewalk. Turning around, we discover its twin sister. But what exactly are they? A closer look reveals doors and a sign reading " Parking Champerret ". These two imposing hybrid sculptures facing each other were actually vegetated parking lot entrances. Today, these pedestrian entrances to the parking lot have been condemned and moved to the other side of the road.
Behind this unusual work is the artist Denis Mondineu. Denis Mondineau, who died on October 27, 2019 at the age of 76, trained at the École Boulle and the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-arts in Paris. Proof of his renown, the artist was awarded the first Grand Prix de Rome in 1966, then boarded at the Villa Médicis from 1967 to 1970.
Even today, his work stands out in the district, but is an integral part of the urban landscape of Porte de Champerret, unlike sculptor Pierre Sabatier's " Wall of Lava ", another well-known work in the arrondissement, but recently destroyed following a memorandum of understanding between his heirs and the City of Paris.
