Have you noticed the last few days this cloud of seagulls which has taken up residence on the Tower of the Hotel de Ville? Have you remarked that the Palais de Justice has welcomed a forest or that Square Saint Roch shoot for the moon?
Taking place throughout the city in the context of “Un Été au Havre” festival, most of these events are placed under the theme of illusion. With the success of the 500 years of Le Havre in 2017, the city of Le Havre is continuing the adventure this summer and Seafrigo become patron of the LH Club, the first private partner of “Un Été au Havre”, which coordinates and hosts the events. This summer, 20 new monumental works of art and installations will be visible throughout Le Havre. This program in the public space is complemented by 5 major exhibitions in Le Havre museums and cultural spaces.
The adventure of “Un Été au Havre” started in 2017 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the founding of the city of Le Havre and its port. Jean Blaise, artistic director, took this unique opportunity to imagine a grandiose anniversary over several months. Widely acclaimed by the inhabitants of the territory and visitors and supported by the public authorities and economic actors, “Un Été Au Havre” became a recurring and unavoidable event.
Among the works of art of this fifth edition, did you know that Pierre Delavie, a specialist in trompe l’œil, wanted to make a reference to international trade, sometimes weakened by uncontrollable events? It is by learning why boats were waiting offshore, motionless for hours that the artist came up with the idea of his work: a cargo ship that emerged from the hangar of the cruise terminal. Indeed, the boats wait until favourable stock exchange prices, to land the goods on the harbour. The artist has therefore imagined the Down Jones, the lost boat, blocked, a premonition of the Ever Given container ship across the Suez Canal, which disrupted the world economy last March.
So why not invite your closes from here and elsewhere, to discover, this summer, this open-air museum, where art has invested the city? Since the summer in Le Havre promises to be very scorching we encourage you in this dynamic, to marvel at the street art of Jace by doing a treasure hunt to find the gouzous hidden in the city with the children or ride a bike with the family to see the giant palm tree planted on the dyke by Chiki which turns into medina, at the slightest ray of sunshine.
If you want to enjoy a drink with friends at the beach you should go through the Villa Maritime, open for the occasion! Fabio Viale has invested the garden to present sculptures of antiquity tattooed with motifs inspired by Russian and Japanese criminals.
Visit the Un Eté au Havre website for more information: https://www.uneteauhavre.fr/fr
