Transient art conjured on harbor wall
Together with Kärcher, artist Klaus Dauven created a transient work of art on the fishing port's harbor wall of Southern French town of Sète.
Transient work of art on harbor wall
On the fishing port’s harbor wall of Southern French town of Sète, artist Klaus Dauven created a transient work of art together with Kärcher. The artwork depicts the faces of local characters, created in the so called reverse graffiti method.
“Reverse graffiti” forms subjects by the precise removal of organic soiling like algae, lichens and mosses.
Local characters perpetuated
The port town’s and pier’s long history inspired the artist’s subjects: he chose different local personalities with ties to the shipping or fishing industry, who have especially expressive faces.
Saint Louis, the 650 meter long pier built in 1666, was the first structure in the town of Sète.
Multiplex panels, which Klaus Dauven prepared in advance, served as stencils.
With the help of a Kärcher HD 9/23 G gas-powered cold water high pressure washer, the harbor wall was cleaned all around the stencils.
The subjects emerge as a result of the light/dark contrast between the cleaned and the untreated surfaces.
Large yachts visiting Sète
One of the town’s largest maritime festivals simultaneously took place during the cleaning work at the pier. More than 100 boats and yachts were docked in the harbor for the “Escale”, including France’s most beautiful windjammers – a fitting backdrop for the new works of art along the pier.
Port city Sète
The French town Sète lies at the Eastern end of the approximately 16 kilometer long headland “Le Toc”. The most important French fishing harbor in the Mediterranean lies here right next to the town center.
Facts at a glance
Country: France
City: Sète
Material: Concrete
Soiling: Algae, lichens, mosses
Cleaning technique: Cold-water, high-pressure cleaning
Execution: March 2018
