Rezé has a strong architectural heritage (Le Corbusier, Dominique Perrault or Massimiliano Fuksas). One of its quarter, a former fisherman village, overlooks the river: Trentemoult. This is where Roman Signer made the decision to start off his project using an old concrete factory, built at the end of the sixties, and which is now derelict. Born in 1938 in Appenzell, Roman Signer is famous all over the world for his “explosive” performances. Fascinated by the power of nature (storms, wind, volcanoes, geysers, glaciers, torrents), he keeps on pitting its strength against objects. Often putting himself at risk, his work is endowed with a unique and unprecedented poetic force.
Roman Signer is also known for particularly enjoying derelict buildings. This concrete factory proves to be an especially inspiring building due to: its proximity to the river, the complexity of its mechanic structure, the red colour contrasting with the surrounding landscape, and its primary function (turning materials into concrete). Using a minimalist approach, Roman Signer wishes to highlight all these characteristics. A 7m long pendulum will hang from the building, steadily beating time, relentlessly. A sharp and powerful sound will punctuate its course, like an excessively gigantic metronome.
