1982 – marble, bronze
This is the first installation ever created for the outdoors by the French husband and wife team. Under the main lake, in the heart of Giovanni Gambini’s romantic park, a series of waterfalls cascade into a picturesque valley below. At the bottom of this small gorge, the water forms a permanent pool and in this spot the Poiriers decided to place the most important parts of their installation: a giant eye carved in marble pierced by a bronze arrow. The reference here is to the battle between the Giants and the Gods of Mount Olympus, as recounted by Virgil, and some of the poet’s verses are inscribed on the arrows. During the terrible fight, the Gods unleashed arrows and lightning bolts to beat down their enemies. Virgil tells how one of the Giants, Ephialthes, was struck down and killed instantly by an arrow in each eye. Near the same pool of water there are other marble fragments of the giant as well as several lightning bolts in bronze which are sunk into the ground in the surrounding area as if to bear witness to the apocalyptic moment described.
