[PITTI UOMO] Marc Leschelier Ancient/New Site curated by PHILEO

Conceived as a large-scale spatial gesture, the project unfolds across the 1,700 m2 of the main square with 18 monoliths measuring 5 meters high, 3 meters wide, and 9 meters deep. The sculptures are built from scaffolding structures clad in concrete canvas, a material that has become emblematic of Marc Leschelier’s work. Arranged on site like a contemporary Stonehenge, these volumes trace a perimeter—an almost archaeological geometry—evoking the imagery of an ancient, quasi-mystical place while asserting a decisively futuristic gesture in its visual language.

The installation is thus constructed around a deliberate tension between ancestral typologies and contemporary treatment: a union of opposites at the core of the artist’s practice. The concrete canvas used—originally developed for infrastructure applications (slope stabilization, roadside reinforcement, ground fixing)—stands out for its process: once installed and then moistened, the material hardens within 24 hours thanks to its cement-based composition, forming a mineral mass capable of functioning as a fully-fledged architectural element.

Marc Leschelier employs this material, resonating with the world of Pitti Uomo, to create walls and even roofs for his constructions. Conceived as a site to be traversed, the installation is intended to host the public: visitors must enter the installation to access the underground spaces.

Here, scale becomes the central element of its vocabulary—the pivotal point that makes the work first and foremost something to be experienced at a human scale.