Antipodos - Œuvre d'Iván Argote

As part of the pedestrianization of Rue Maréchal-Joffre, Iván Argote presents a reinterpretation of his work Antípodos, which is inspired by archaic notions of people from the ends of the Earth who were often depicted as semi-monstrous beings. In times when the Earth was believed to be flat, the Greek term “antipode” referred to an “opposite land.” In the Middle Ages, it evolved to mean “with backwards feet.”

In Nantes, at each end of the pedestrian zone, two anonymous figures appear to be storming the facade of a building and the Louis XVI column, defying all gravitational logic.

This defiance is enhanced by the disappearance of a Louis XVI sculpture using mirrors to create an optical illusion that reflects the sky. Through this gesture, the Colombian artist invites us to reconsider the presence of monarchical symbols in public space. He also reconnects us with the history of this column, which had no statue between 1790 and 1823 due to political instability. By associating the monument with an anonymous and disconcerting effigy, he echoes the offbeat spirit of Rue Maréchal-Joffre. This mirrored confrontation ultimately reminds us that history is never static and that our perspective can always be turned upside down.