The foot, the sweater and the digestive system are a set of sculptures installed on the beach of St Nazaire in 2021. Daniel Dewar and Grégory Gicquel worked together on this triptych made up of concrete blocks reaching seven meters high, it was necessary solid to withstand the ocean. St Nazaire is indeed located at the end of the Loire estuary, facing the Atlantic Ocean.
The concrete blocks would echo the facing of the sea wall next door, and perhaps also the imposing submarine base dating from the Second World War located in the center of the port city. The raw side of the concrete is indeed connected with the history of St Nazaire which is best known for its shipyards, it is the capital of shipbuilding in France and one of the largest sites in the world, with in particular the largest current liner that came out of these yards.
The artists give little explanation to understand their sculptures, certainly preferring that the surreal side of the installation speaks for itself. The foot is the closest to the beach, located between the land and the sea, it could be a nod to the Colossus of Rhodes, this gigantic statue of Antiquity which also faced the sea. The sweater, with its chunky knits are reminiscent of the sailor sweater. The digestive system is supposed to represent an inner and invisible world, it is located closer to the ocean, when the tide rises it is more quickly in the water.
Gwlad Sas 