La Montagne Noire
with Valérie Fortin
limited edition (80c)
2018
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In the landscape of the flat country, strangely symmetrical black mounds stand out: the slag heaps. These artificial hills built by accumulation of mining residue offer the territory a little relief. Vestiges of mining activity, these “mountains” continue to punctuate the lives of the inhabitants of the mining basin by transforming themselves into a nature reserve, a sports field or even a place for wine-growing experimentation. Since the cessation of mining activity, vegetation has invaded the dark surface of these shale mountains which then take on a new face. The Black Mountain in Soliflore version is an allegory of this metamorphosis from an industrial wasteland to a bucolic landscape now listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
The visible part of the object, the heap, acts as a pot cover and holds the stem which plunges into a small glass container hidden inside. Visually, nature takes root in the shale and sits on the slag heap.
Au Charbon! exhibition, CID Grand-Hornu
©Caroline Dethier