Giant Lace Mural in Calais are a Tribute to the City's History
Fine fabric detailing, soft and fragile intricate designs and numerous pretty floral or ornamental motifs woven out of fine white silk threads, these are the secrets the world-famous, classic French lace. The port city of Calais, located along the northern shores of France, was once the hub of lace manufacturing. The threaded tales of beauty were famous worldwide.
To commemorate the rich history and legacy of lace manufacturers and the city, Warsaw-based artist Nespoon has installed a life-sized mural across the front façade of the the Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, the city&rsquos fashion and lace museum.
The artwork features intricate and delicate patterns and floral motifs which form a beautiful mesh covering the building. The design dates back to 1894. Nespoon sourced it from the museum archives and then spray painted it on the walls.
This is not the first instance. The young artist had taken to the streets and transformed many parts and corners of the French city into beautiful art pieces and murals. The Museum of Fine Art and Lace was her previous muse and site of mural paintings. Footpaths, walkways, urban buildings and parks, nothing fails to capture the mind and spark creativity in the young Polish artist.
Nespoon usually paints huge life-sized art works which stretch over the heights of multistoried buildings and her yarn works cling to passageways and trees like large spider webs.
Calais has a rich history. Earlier it was the hub of lace. Many lace workers lived here to earn their livelihood. In the 19th century, English textile artists and engineers immigrated here to escape economic and social difficulties in their homeland. This gradually led to clandestine operations and soon machines took over handmade laces and Calais became an industrial hub, giving employment to over 40,000 people.