Monumental sculpture, made to order
Some pieces will never fit in a display case. Carved from wood or stone, they take their place in a garden, a courtyard, a lobby, a public square. Paul Crochat makes them to order, one at a time.
A work conceived for a place
A monumental sculpture is not chosen from a catalogue. It grows out of a specific place, a certain light, a purpose: what you wish to mark, where the work will stand, how it will be seen from afar and up close.
The material comes next. Wood or stone, worked by direct carving, without mould or reproduction. Each piece is unique and will remain so: none is produced as a series.
Who these commissions are for
Private clients
A piece for a garden, an entrance, a family place — sometimes carved from a tree that mattered to you.
Public bodies
A memorial, a sculpture for a square, a landmark at the entrance to a town.
Companies
A work to greet visitors, a presence in a lobby or grounds, a piece presented at an event.
Two commissions
How a commission works
It begins with a conversation: the place, the intention, the constraints, the budget. Paul then suggests a direction — material, dimensions, a sketch — before any commitment. The work is then carved at the workshop in Montrond-les-Bains, France.
Transport and installation are considered case by case, depending on the weight of the work and access to the site. Timescales depend on the piece: a monumental sculpture is measured in weeks, sometimes months.