CIEL, LA MER ! (SKY, THE SEA!)

By Solène Ortoli (France). The design by this artist is based on a perspective effect, visible through a large, partially reflecting mirror.

© Ortoli Solene

Ciel, la mer ! (Sky, the sea!)

By Solène Ortoli (France).

The design by this artist is based on a perspective effect, visible through a large, partially reflecting mirror.

The reflection that is displayed, that of a rather minimalist pool, appears in the mirror frame as a seaside landscape to the visitor.

The desire to play with the perception of space is a familiar one in the projects of this designer who regularly uses mirrors and/or break-throughs to suggest an ephemeral transformation of the place where she works.

In this project called "Ciel, la mer! "she presents a space based on the visual ambiguity that the scale of certain minerals and plants allows. The confusion of the latter is what allows the visitor to gain an unexpected perspective.

Thus - in the eyes of the visitor - rocks become islands, euphorbias and other succulents become palms or cacti, small bushes become trees, white gravel covered with a sheet of water becomes a sky.

And finally, the movement of the water is reminiscent of waves.

Eco-friendly features

The ironwork and carpentry elements are made locally.  

The gardeners working on the project come from Grasse. 

The water pump used to create movement in the water is solar powered. 

The materials used in the architectural parts have been selected in such a way that they can be reused for other projects (recycling centres that would be interested in recovering materials at the end of the project).

The team

Solène Ortoli trained in stage design at the Arts Décoratifs de Paris and graduated in 2008. Her work is multidisciplinary and leads her to create pieces in the form of reappropriations of objects or materials, but also to design site-specific designs, often outdoors.  

While exploring their shared borders, her work navigates between artistic installation, garden creation and environmental issues. Solène Ortoli designs her projects around the characteristics of a site, and by trying to combine them, she attempts to present the visitor with a poetic device that is in dialogue and/or out of sync with the space in which she works.  

Enzo Larue, Campus Vert d'Azur apprentice 

Partners

  • Arthéa Paysage 
  • Les fées contraires  
  • Canal Forge  
  • S.E.C (Gourdon Quarry)