Massive Sculpture of a Geometric Woman Pops Up in a Train Yard

Pressure 1.2 Sculpture Installation by David Mesguich

When we think of unexpected installations or graffiti art in general, we don't often imagine something life-size. However, artist David Mesguich uses his background in graffiti and years of creative experience to push the boundaries of his experimental projects. His piece, Pressure 1.2, features a massive geometric sculpture of a female figure gesturing with one raised arm, which Mesguich constructed in his studio before abandoning it near a train yard in Nantes, France.

“I wanted to confront my past practice of being a vandal to my work as a contemporary artist while questioning the concept of control of beings and spaces,” Mesguich tells My Modern Met about the work. Positioned by a fence with one arm hanging over the side, Pressure 1.2 stands at about 4 meters high, or 13 feet. The impressive size of this polygonal sculpture, coupled with the striking angular style, of its execution, makes it a very noticeable fixture of the otherwise industrial area. “It speaks of the balance I have to face between my work as a graffiti writer and as a contemporary artist,” he adds.

Interestingly, Pressure 1.2 involves more than just the sculpture of a woman. After installing the statue, Mesguich also painted the word “user” on a freight car parked close to the piece. This aspect lasted only for a day until the train ultimately left its position. But the sculpture remained where it was, stuck between the fence, until a storm damaged it, sometime later.

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