ECO FEATURES AN OPTICAL ILLUSION
ECO FEATURES AN OPTICAL ILLUSION [BY MARC DIDOU]
These photographs are from my May 2025 visit to Belfast but I did not publish them until December and it was only then that I noticed the reflection or optical illusion which I discuss in another post.
Based on a search of public art registers and collections in the UK and Ireland, "ECO" at Queen's University Belfast appears to be the only permanent public sculpture by Marc Didou currently on display in the UK or Ireland.
Here are the details regarding his presence in the region:
Unique Status: The "ECO" sculpture is a rare example of his work in this part of the world. Its installation followed his first-ever solo exhibition in the UK and Ireland, titled "Magnetic Attractions", which was held at the Naughton Gallery (also at Queen's University) in 2007.
The Connection: It was likely this successful 2007 exhibition—curated by Silvia Casini, who was researching the aesthetics of MRI technology—that established the relationship between Didou and the university, leading to the permanent acquisition of "ECO" for the centenary in 2008.
Where else can you see his work? If you are interested in seeing more of his large-scale public works, you would typically need to travel to mainland Europe, specifically:
Turin, Italy: A similar version of the "ECO" sculpture (sometimes referred to as "The Reflex Howl" or simply "Eco") is installed on Via Giuseppe Verdi, near the University of Turin.
Fougères, France: There are works such as "Echo contre ciel" (Echo against the sky) and "Here a thousand kisses" (an anamorphic piece) in the public gardens and historic sites of his native Brittany region.
These photographs are from my May 2025 visit to Belfast but I did not publish them until December and it was only then that I noticed the reflection or optical illusion which I discuss in another post.
Based on a search of public art registers and collections in the UK and Ireland, "ECO" at Queen's University Belfast appears to be the only permanent public sculpture by Marc Didou currently on display in the UK or Ireland.
Here are the details regarding his presence in the region:
Unique Status: The "ECO" sculpture is a rare example of his work in this part of the world. Its installation followed his first-ever solo exhibition in the UK and Ireland, titled "Magnetic Attractions", which was held at the Naughton Gallery (also at Queen's University) in 2007.
The Connection: It was likely this successful 2007 exhibition—curated by Silvia Casini, who was researching the aesthetics of MRI technology—that established the relationship between Didou and the university, leading to the permanent acquisition of "ECO" for the centenary in 2008.
Where else can you see his work? If you are interested in seeing more of his large-scale public works, you would typically need to travel to mainland Europe, specifically:
Turin, Italy: A similar version of the "ECO" sculpture (sometimes referred to as "The Reflex Howl" or simply "Eco") is installed on Via Giuseppe Verdi, near the University of Turin.
Fougères, France: There are works such as "Echo contre ciel" (Echo against the sky) and "Here a thousand kisses" (an anamorphic piece) in the public gardens and historic sites of his native Brittany region.
THE ART AND THE ARTIST