The Centre National des Arts Plastiques launched the restoration of the Cyclop in March 2021, a work of total art initiated by the Swiss artist Jean Tinguely in the heart of the woods of Milly-la-Forêt in the Essonne department.

 

The site closed its doors in October 2020 to make way for a vaster restoration site that will last a little over a year. The topographical situation of the Cyclop and the climatic conditions it is confronted with throughout the seasons make its conservation particularly complex.

 

The objective today is to restore the Cyclop's integrity. Its opening to the public is scheduled for May 2022.

 

The Cyclop, a work of monumental dimensions, was born from a dream shared with Bernard Luginbühl, friend and compatriot of Jean Tinguely.

 

The overall budget for the restoration of Cyclop is 1.2 million euros, paid for by the Cnap with the support of the Ministry of Culture and several patrons. In addition to the decisive sponsorship provided by Saint-Gobain and the sponsorship of 3DO Reality Capture for a three-dimensional laser scan of Niki de Saint Phalle's Face aux miroirs, the Crédit Agricole Ile-de-France and the Fondation du Crédit agricole are partners of the restoration and have wished to support artistic and cultural education activities carried out during the project with two vocational schools.

 

Two participative financing campaigns (MymajorCompany; Commeon) have made it possible to complete the restoration budget with the support of the Geoterre company and the Geoterre gallery and the Georges-Philippe and Nathalie Vallois gallery.

 

Its most characteristic feature, the metallic and modular structure, has been affirmed from the outset as a place for sharing and collective exchange with other artists: Niki de Saint Phalle, Eva Aeppli, Arman, César, Daniel Spoerri, Jean-Pierre Raynaud, Jesûs-Rafael Soto, Rico Weber, Larry Rivers, Seppi Imhof, Philippe Bouverte and Pierre Marie Lejeune.

 

They created works for the place and participated in this titanic adventure, which developed from 1969 to 1994. 

 

In order to perpetuate the Cyclop, Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle donated it to the State in 1987. Since then, the Centre national des arts plastiques has been responsible for its conservation.