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All France Milly-la-Forêt Le Cyclop

Le Cyclop

Jean Tinguely's bizarre monster sculpture is hidden deep in a forest.

Milly-la-Forêt, France

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treeswithknees
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  http://nikidesaintphalle.org/public/france...
Niki de Saint Phalle, Luginbuhl, Seppi Imhof and Jean Tinguely at the site of the head in 1971.   http://www.artikmedia.com/
  http://www.artikmedia.com/
Le Cyclop front view   fflewddur 0dde022d / Atlas Obscura User
Le Cyclop signage   fflewddur 0dde022d / Atlas Obscura User
Le Cyclop profile view   fflewddur 0dde022d / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In the sleepy village of Milly-la-Forêt, France, lies a monstrous, whimsical monument called Le Cyclop. Measuring almost 75 feet high, the unusual sculpture took over 20 years years to complete by Swiss artist Jean Tinguely. With the help of his wife Niki de Saint Phalle and various friends Arman, César, Daniel Spoerri and JR Soto, the husband and wife team resurrected the piece out of a chaos of 300 tons of industrial debris—metal, concrete, ceramic mosaic, stones—mirrors and a waterfall.

Started in 1969, and completed in 1991, three years after the sculptor's death, the work is the property, since 1987, of the French government, which has been responsible for its protection.

Le Cyclop is at once an account of a one-off group adventure and a place that has no equivalent, where all the arts intermingle, a grandiose résumé of what Niki de Saint Phalle called "Jean's dream".

Visitors are invited to explore the complexity of the piece via a network of staircases and catwalks.

 

Related Tags

Statues Inventions Amazing Automata Monsters Sculptures Outsider Art Jean Tinguely

Know Before You Go

To find the sculpture, drive or cycle to the northwest of town on the Avenue de Ganay (D948) and turn left at the roundabout onto the D837. A sign marks the turnoff to the right into the forest. You’ll need to leave your car at the parking lot and walk along a wide cycle path for about three minutes. A sign on the left leads to the sculpture, barely visible through the trees, and surrounded by a tall security gate.

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treeswithknees

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KatieBush, administration, fflewddur 0dde022d

  • KatieBush
  • administration
  • fflewddur 0dde022d

Published

December 19, 2010

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  • Niki Charitable Art Foundation: Le Cyclop, 1969-1994: http://nikidesaintphalle.org/public/france/milly-la-foret/cyclop
  • Le Cyclop de Jean Tinguely: http://www.artikmedia.com/
Le Cyclop
Milly-la-Forêt, 91490
France
48.40318, 2.4704
Visit Website

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