The Adventure of the Chauvet Cave Replica

The Chauvet Cave replica was painted with a mineral coat. The speed varied between 3 to 60 square feet per day, depending on requirements of the reconstruction ... HomeExploreNearbyProfileAchievementsCollectionsThemesExperimentsArtistsMediumsArtmovementsHistoricaleventsHistoricalfiguresPlacesAboutSettingsViewactivitySendfeedbackPrivacy&TermsHomeExplorePlayNearbyFavoritesSigninLoading…TheAdventureoftheChauvetCaveReplicaHowdoweprotect,conserve,andshareauniqueheritagewithoutvisitingit?Bymakingareplica!GrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteAfewphotographiesamongts10,000available(2013-11-03/2013-11-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteWhymakeareplicaoftheChauvetCave?Severalreasonsledtothisdecision.Firstofall,becausetheoriginalcaveisnotvisible,itisessentialtomakeacopysothatitcanbepreserved.Ontheotherhand,theChauvetCavehasbecomeanemblematicsiteofArdèche,inFrance.Producingareplicabroughttheareaintotheheritagetourismdomain,enrichingtheimageoftheArdèche,whichwasalreadyfamousforitspreservedenvironmentandnature.ConstructionsiteoftheReplica(2012-06-03/2012-06-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteSomewhereinthesouthofArdècheThisflatlandwithdensevegetationislocatedtwomilesfromtheactualcave.ThereplicaoftheChauvetCavewasbuiltthere.Apiecefromthe3DModeloftheReplica(2014-07-03/2014-07-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteWorkingintheChauvetCaveSincetherealcaveisalmostinaccessible,photographswereusedextensivelytoreproduceit.AfterseveraldigitizationcampaignsoftheChauvetCave,adigitalclonewasmadebasedontechnicalandscientificreplicationworkcarriedoutfrom2008to2013.ChauvetcaveReplicainconstruction(2012-10-01/2012-10-01)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteBackinArdècheintheVallon-Pont-d'Arccommune,lessthantwomilesfromtheChauvetCave.InOctober2012,thesitewasalreadywelladvancedintermsofpreparation.Intheforegroundtotheleft,the10footexcavatedcircularsitewillhousethebuildingwherethecavereplicawasinstalled.Inordertopreservethevegetation,uprootedtreeswillbetransplantedtwoyearslaterintheredfinesoilofthislimestoneplateau.ConstructionofthebuildinghidingtheReplica(2013-03-01/2013-03-01)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteThehomeofthereplicaInFebruary2013,thereplicabuildingemergedfromtheomnipresentscrubland.Despiteitsdimensions(230ftindiameterand53fthigh),itwillremaininvisible.Visitorswilldiscoverthelocationonlyinthelaststretchoftheirwalkthroughthegreeneryfromthereceptionarea,nearlyaquarterofamileaway.DetailedviewoftheHorsesFresco(2013-08-02/2013-08-02)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteAsanctuaryunderproductionOutsidethemainbuilding,therewerefourlocationsreservedfortheproductionofthereplica:adornedpanels(twoworkshops),calciteconcretions,andanimalbones.Inordertopromotetheaccuracyoftherendering,therockartpanelsweremadeofresinproducedbyamillingmachine,theprecursorof3Dprinters.Severalhundredsquareyardsofsurfacebrokendowninto30separatepanels(thesmallest3ft²,thelargest196ft²)werereproducedintheworkshopofAlainDalis(SociétéArc&Os,Montignac).Internationallyrenownedforthequalityofmanufactureofprehistoricobjectsanddecorations,AlainDalisoversawtheproductionofalltheadornedpanels.ThisassignmentwascarriedoutfromJuly2012toDecember2014.ThisimageshowsoneoftheartiststrainedbyAlainDalisattemptingtoreproducethetopographicmicroformsofthewall,onwhichtheFrescooftheHorsescanbecopied.DetailoftheDomino'sPanel(2013-11-06/2013-11-06)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOncethetopographyandtherocksurfacewerereproduced,thewallornamentationphasebegan.ThepaintingswerepositionedpreciselyusingHDvideoprojectorswhoseprojectedimageallowedthebuilderstoplacethedrawingsintherightlocationandtoapplyatechniqueinspiredbydecals.Thisworkwasentrustedtoartistswhocouldentertherealcaveseveraltimes.TheywereaccompaniedbymembersofthescientificteamstudyingtheChauvetCave.TheOwlPanel(2013-08-02/2013-08-02)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteBeforebeingintegratedintothegeologicalsettinginconcrete,thesereconstructedrockartpanelswerediscussedatvalidationmeetingsthatbroughttogethertheprojectowner(Syndicatmixtedel’EspacederestitutiondelagrotteChauvet,SMERGC),representativesoftheScientificCommitteesetupbySMERGC,andtheteamofAlainDalis.HereistheOwlPanel(intheforegroundonthetopright).TheHorsesFresco(2013-08-02/2013-08-02)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteThepaneloftheFrescooftheHorsesisfinished.ItwillbepreparedforshipmenttoToulousetotheworkshopofGillesTosello,aprehistorianandplasticartistwhowascommissionedtoworkontheornamentationoftwomoreiconicfrescoesoftheChauvetCave:theFrescooftheHorsesandFrescooftheBigCats.SteelFrameworkfortheReplica(2013-08-03/2013-08-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteInJuly2013,themainbuildingisbarricadedalittlemoreeverydaybehinditscontinuouswallsthatconcealthereplica.Amainmetalframe(foregroundatthetop)with25mlongspanswillsupporttheroofofthebuildingaswellasasecondaryframe.ItisonthelatterwheretheChauvetCavereplicawillbesuspended.GillesToselloinhisstudio(2013-03-03/2013-03-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteInthesilenceofhisstudio,GillesTosellodoeshismeticulousworkofreconstruction.Heknowseverysquareinchofthiswallthathehasbeenstudyingsince1998.Hisscientificknowledge,combinedwithhisartisticsensibility,allowshimtoimitatethePaleolithicact,symbolizingbeliefsandmythsconceivedandtransmittedbyourancestorsmorethan36,000yearsago.Naturalocresfortheresinepanels(2013-11-04/2013-11-04)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteTheenergyinjectedintotheact,thedepthoftheline,thespeedofexecutionofthedrawingareperceptibleinthisreconstructionofPaleolithicworks.Materialsmatterasmuchastherockwallthathoststhework.GillesTosellousesnaturalmaterialsverysimilartothosecollectedinnatureandpreparedbyourancestors36,000yearsago.TheexecutionoftheChauvetCavereplicatakesonanexperimentalarcheologicalperspective.Steelrodsinbeingpreciselyfolded(2013-11-05/2013-11-05)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteTheskeletonofthecaveBackinArdècheontheconstructionsite,sincetheendofsummer2013,thesitehasbeengatheringacommunityofskilledworkerswhowillturnintoagroupcementedtogetherbythisuniqueproject.Thesenewcomerswillmanufacturethemetalskeletonofthefuturereplica.Thisframeworkisshapelessanddoesnothavethesymmetryorthebiologicallogicofalivingorganism.HowdoesonemakeametalframewhosesizeexceedsthesurfaceareaofthenationalstadiumofFrance?Averymundanesolutionwasdevised:inventfoldingtables.Abovethetwotablesaresuspendedvideoprojectorsthatoutlinethetopographicprofilesofthecavewalls,soils,andvaultsbymeansofaprojectedgreenlaser.Morethan60milesofmetalrodswillbebentandassembledbyhand.Weldingofthesteelrods(2013-11-04/2013-11-04)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOncelabeled,theserodswerethenweldedtoformmetalcages.Eachcageoutlinedthemorphologiesofthecavemoreandmoreeveryday.Steelpiecesreshapingthecavelandforms(2013-11-04/2013-11-04)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnebyone,thecageswerebroughttotheirlocation.WhatwehadcreatedinourmindsbecamearealitythatwefrequentlyvisitedandobservedinthehumidcoolnessofthelimestonemountainsoftheGorgesoftheArdèche…Steelframeworkseenfromdown(2013-11-03/2013-11-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSite…wewerewitnessingtherebirthoftheChauvetCave.Calcitesamplesinresinmaterials(2013-09-01/2013-09-01)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteRecreatinggeologicallifeInSeptember2013,inthe13thboroughofParis,thePhénomènesworkshopwaslearninghowtoduplicatethegeologicallifeoftheChauvetCave.Thisartistworkshopwasexploringthematerialsandtechniquesthatwillmakeitpossibletocoatthewallsofthereplicawithcalcite.ManysampleswereproducedandevenbroughttotheChauvetCaveforcomparisonandvalidation.Agiantconcretioninduplication(2013-09-03/2013-09-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteThisworkofreconstructingthegeologicallifeofthecavewasmanagedbyDanièleAllemandandStéphaneGérard.Eachmicro-gourfounditsplace,eachstrawbecameunique,andeachdraperycovereditsthincalciteveilintheFrigosworkshops.Sprayedconcretesonthesteelframework(2013-11-03/2013-11-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteInNovember2013,theframeofthevaultedceilingsofthereplicawassprayedwithconcrete.ThecompanyAabwasresponsibleforthejob.Theywentintoactionwiththeirsculptorswhohadtoundergoacrashcourseingeologywhileinthefield.Thisknowledge,acquiredintensivelyandconductedintheChauvetCaveandothercaves,veryquicklyaffordedthemscientificandartisticenjoymentandassurancewithregardtothework.Sculptorsrecreatingthecavelandforms(2013-11-03/2013-11-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteTheChauvetCavereplicawaspaintedwithamineralcoat.Thespeedvariedbetween3to60squarefeetperday,dependingonrequirementsofthereconstructionwork.TheHorsesFrescoimbricatedintothesetting(2014-04-03/2014-04-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteThesiteoftheFrescooftheHorseswasreachedinMarch2014.Thisadornedobjectwasembeddedintheconcretedecorationsofthereplica.Thiswaspreciseanddelicatework.Inadditiontotheweight,theshapesofthiswallinvolvedaphysicalbalancingactsensitivetothesmallestdisplacement.Mr.OlivierPoissonobservingthesculptures(2014-11-03/2014-11-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteInotherareasofthereplica,thedecorationswerefinished.TheconstructionsitemutatedintoChauvetCave2.0.YvesPoisson,headofthesculptorsinchargeofthevaultedceilingsofthereplica,checkedtheworkofhisteamsbymeansofvirtualreality,atoolthatwasconceivedandintroducedfortheveryfirsttimeinFrancetocarryoutaculturalproject.AgatheMaxpaintingareconstitutuedcavebearskull(2014-07-03/2014-07-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSite25,000yearslater,thebearisbackInJuly2014,inSaint-PriestinthesuburbsofLyon,theDaspletsworkshopishiddenbehinda1960sgasstation,alonganurbanavenuethatisidenticaltohundredsofothers.ThisiswheretheplasticartistAgatheMaxworks.Maxiswhoweentrustedforthereconstructionofthecavebearbones.Itisimpossibletoignorethecavebear,astheysometimesmodifiedthereliefsofthewallsbypolishingthemorbymakinghundredsofimprintsinthesoftsoil.Thereconstructionworkwascarriedoutusingrealcavebearbones.Threedifferentcavebearskullstemplates(2014-07-05/2014-07-05)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteLiketheadornedpanelsandtheconcretions,thesameresin-basedmaterialswereusedtoreplicatecavebearbones.Thisphoto,frombottomtotop,showsthreeskullmodelsveryfaithfullyduplicated:askullofajuvenile,askullofafemale,andthelast,thatofamale.Thelargestskullexceeds45cm(0.5in)inlength.Theanimalbonesinsitu(2014-07-03/2014-07-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOncefinishedandvalidatedscientifically,theresinboneswerepositionedontheground.Thispreciseactiontakesintoaccounttheslopeofthegroundorthewaterflowrateswhich,intherealcave,relocatedanddisplacedthebones.Thegiantcalciteconcretionimbricatedinthesettings(2014-04-03/2014-04-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteConcretionsfindtheirplaceInApril2014,eachdecorativeelementwasinstalledinitsreservedlocation.Thelargeconcretiondelicatelyembracedtherockreliefsofthereplica.Thepuzzlewasnearingcompletion.Dr.JeanClottesintheReplica(2014-07-03/2014-07-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteBackinthecaveOnJune10,2014,wewerevisitedbyprehistorianJeanClotteswhochairedtheScientificCommitteeoftheReplica.HewastheprehistorianwhoauthenticatedthedrawingsoftheChauvetCaveattheendof1994,aswellasthepersonwhosetupthescientificprogramforthecave.Hisstrollthroughareconstructedcave,eveninanincompletestate,evokedaflashbackofmemorieswhichhesharedwithus.Hetoldusthatin1994,hecriedinfrontoftheFrescooftheHorses.TheFelineFrescoisfinished(2014-07-03/2014-07-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteTheFrescooftheLionswasinturncompletedinJune2014,inToulouse.ItistheheartofthePaleolithicsanctuary.Thispanelgrouped115"graphicunits"(asarcheologistscallthem)whicharemorecommonlyknownasdrawingdrawings.FinaladjustmentsintheRhinocerosPanel(2014-07-03/2014-07-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteInthesilenceoftheToulousestudio,DavidSarre-Doubletbringsthefinaltouchestoaquasi-sacredwork.Finaladjustmentsaroundtheso-called"BrushedhorsePanel"(2014-11-03/2014-11-03)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteByNovember2014,alltheadornedpanelswereinplace.Here,thepanelofthegroomedhorse,sonamedbecauseofitsgenerousfadedmane,receivesanartistictreatment,focusedonthejointswiththesurroundingencasementmadeofconcrete.InsidetheCavebearskullChamber(2014-09-04/2014-09-04)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteInanotherpartofthereplica,thesetsarecompletelyfinished.Likethemoltofasnake,distendedremnantsinheritedfromthesitearelanguidlyhangingonthewalls.TheHorsesFrescoinsitu(2014-09-04/2014-09-04)byS.Compoint/ResoluteGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteGettoknowtheChauvetCaveOnApril25,2015,theChauvetCavereplicawelcomeditsfirstvisitors.Theysawwhattheycouldonlyobserveinbooksorreports.TheChauvetCavebecametangible.Sincethen,twomillionpeoplefromallovertheworldhavevisitedtheChauvetCavereplica.Credits:StoryTheSyndicatmixtedel'EspacederestitutiondelagrotteChauvet(PublicUniontomanagetheChauvetCave/SMERGC)thankstheMinistryofCultureandCommunication.ThisexhibitionwascreatedaspartofanagreementlinkingthesetwopartnerstopromotetheChauvetCaveanditsgeographicalandhistoricalcontext.SMERGCisthedesigner,developerandowneroftheLaGrotteChauvet2site(formerlyknownasCaverneduPontd'Arc).ItpreparedanddefendedtheapplicationpackageoftheChauvetCaveforinclusionintheUNESCOWorldHeritageList.http://lacavernedupontdarc.org/https://www.facebook.com/lagrottechauvet2/SMERGCalsothanksGoogleArts&Culture.Credits:AllmediaThestoryfeaturedmayinsomecaseshavebeencreatedbyanindependentthirdpartyandmaynotalwaysrepresenttheviewsoftheinstitutions,listedbelow,whohavesuppliedthecontent.GrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteStoriesfromGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitTheBearHollowChamberGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitTheSkullChamberandtheLatticesGalleryGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitTheEndChamberGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitTheCandleChamberGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitChauvetCave:TheFirstKnownMasterpieceofHumanityGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitTheBrunelRoomGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitTheHillaireChamberGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitTheRedPanelsGalleryGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitTheMegalocerosGalleryGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteOnlineExhibitMeetthePeopleoftheChauvetCaveGrotteChauvet-UNESCOWorldHeritageSiteExploremoreRelatedthemeExploreUNESCOWorldHeritagePreservingtheworld'smostoutstandingplacesforfuturegenerationsto 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