Monumental Peruvian sculptures on display in public spaces in France

Within the framework of the Lille 3000 / El Dorado international art exhibition, important public spaces in Lille – a city in the north of France – are showcasing monumental sculptures created by Peruvian art collective Detonador (‘Detonator’).

'Paititi' is the name of this Peruvian art project that will be exhibited in France until December 2019. There are a total of four sculptures, made with recycled wood furniture, which give shape to mythological beings of the Peruvian Amazon.

Detonador is made up of Jose Urteaga, Jose Luis Casanova and Miguel Ponce, with the support of Jean Marcel Grivet, Steff Casanova and Julie Echavidre. For this collective, the construction of the sculptures meant an exercise in collecting, accumulating and assembling furniture.

Message from 'Paititi'

Paititi, a magical name forgotten among the myths and legends of treasure hunters, Incas and conquerors, refers to the home of the spirits, the source of life on the planet that today is attacked by man who, blinded by the ambition of gold, contaminates and destroys the jungle, the refuge of life.

It is against this backdrop that the fallen trees are transformed into large animals, spirits of the forest which are present in the city of Lille to give a warning message about the danger that is threatening life. The magical sculptures seek to transport people to an ancient world, lost in memory, where man lives in harmony with nature.

With 'Paititi' we seek to stop the culture of excessive consumption by modifying it through a culture of recovery, of materials, of conscience and of environmental balance, teaching newer generations that wealth is in natural diversity and that the true treasure of the future will not be golden, but green.

About Lille 3000

In 2004, the French city of Lille was chosen as the European Capital of Culture, and since that year it regularly celebrates Lille 3000 (every two or three years), a cultural event that attracts large numbers of visitors from France and various other parts of the world.

Lille 3000 seeks to explore other cultures, including those that are challenging, through a series of artistic events, with innovation and proposals for the future. The theme of this fifth edition is "El Dorado", in reference to the myth of the Golden Cities that the conquistadors were looking for. Through art, it seeks to explore and experience popular arts and traditions of countries such as Peru and Mexico, the latter being guest of honor this year.