50-foot nude "Loire Woman" statue controversy

50-Foot Nude "Loire Woman" Statue Is Chased Away From Medieval French Abbey

Courtesy AFP

 

A model of Michel Audiard's "Femme Loire," which had been originally slated to be installed above the fourth-century Marmoutier Abbey

By Kate Deimling - ARTINFO

Published: February 23

Courtesy AFP

Artist Michel Audiard with his model for "Femme Loire"

An ambitious project to build a massive statue of a naked woman over a medieval abbey in the French city of Tours has caused a stir in the region — especially since the fourth-century abbey today functions as a Catholic school. After a petition opposing the work's improbable planned location gathered almost 7,000 signatures, Tours mayor Jean Germain announced today that Michel Audiard's "Femme Loire" will occupy another part of the hillside. 

A faceless representation of a reclining woman measuring 56 feet high by 131 feet long and covering an area of 3,230 square feet, the statue will also house a planned exhibition and event space between her legs, Artclair reports. In the newly-designated location, the sculpture — slated for completion in 2013 — will not be visible from the abbey, but will still be seen from a large highway nearby. Audiard has accepted the change in plans, but says it could delay initial construction by six months. However, he sends his gratitude to the protesters for generating "huge publicity" for his project.

The privately-funded undertaking is estimated to cost $3.8 million, and Audiard has raised $500,000 from donors, according to the Washington Post. In 2008, the mayor granted the artist a 50-year lease to the land, with the stipulation that whatever was built there would revert to the city after that period.

The original site was situated directly uphill from the ruins of the Marmoutier Abbey, which is said to have been founded by Saint Martin. Listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, it was an important pilgrimage location and today houses a Catholic school run by the sisters of the Sacred Heart. When they learned of the project, parents and others connected with the school not only found the naked woman inappropriate but also worried that roads and parking lots would be built for the event space, leading to harmful effects on the landscape around the abbey.

Audiard, who is best known for his sculptural fountain pens, says on the project's Web site that he first conceived of the statue 25 years ago. According to a press release, the eco-friendly work will be made of recycled cardboard, plaster, and lime, and is meant to "symboliz[e] the future of Man." Local students will contribute to its creation. According to the press release, the sculpture, even though it has not yet been produced, has a recognizable personality. "The Loire Woman likes being recognized for what she is," it states. "She will maintain a creative atmosphere every day and will welcome visitors and events. Particularly those that we will organize together... sharing her life as a woman will be an exciting adventure."