Paris, Sept 19: A French businessman-turned artist was fined
200,000 euros ($253,800) on Wednesday for
defacing his 18th century stone home in a quiet suburb of
Lyon to turn it into a work of art called "The Abode of
Chaos".
Thierry Ehrmann, 44, who made a fortune from an online
art data business, has spent 2.5 million euros ($3.17
million) on the project since starting out in 1999.
His property is littered with 2,500 works of art
including a crashed helicopter in the courtyard, wrecked
cars, a model of the jagged steel remains of the World
Trade Center. It also has a reproduction of an oil platform
on the roof.
The walls of the old building are painted black and
covered in signs, black and white pictures of war, and
faces including those of Osama Bin Laden, U.S. President
George W. Bush, Ariel Sharon, Yasser Arafat, and Fidel
Castro as well as eight portraits of popes. Ehrmann painted
the two-story house together with 70 artists from various
countries.
The Lyon court ruled that Ehrmann had violated town
planning laws by modifying the property without permission.
But the court did not demand he restore the property
to its original state.
Ehrmann said the point of art was to ask questions and
was delighted with the outcome of the case.
"We can say that it's a victory, the work of art is
saved. All the 70 artists (who participated in the work of
art) are delighted, everybody is delighted (by the court
decision not demanding the restoration of the house to its
original state)."
Pierre Dumont, mayor of Saint Romain au Mont d'Or who
took Ehrmann to court, argued that he has violated laws on
building within the town limits.
Neighbours in the small village of Saint Romain au
Mont d'Or had mixed views.
"It paves the way for the destruction of the village,
anyone will be able to do whatever they want," said one
angy neighbour.
Another was unconcerned: "It's a work of art, so it's
fair, it's normal", he said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, September 19, 2006, 00:00