Works in the public space
Jan Kopp

Après la pluie

Sponsor: City of Rennes
Directed by: Hélios Bretagne
Technical support: Puzzle workshops

Public commissions, 2022
Square Madeleine Brès, Rennes

The work is composed of a cloud of tactile nails driven into the ground of an alley, the accumulation of which forms the letters of the expression “after the rain”. Tactile studs are used in roads to warn visually impaired people of vigilance zones such as pedestrian crossings.

The work is designed to be more or less visible depending on the light and weather conditions. It blends in with the concrete floor when shaded and wet from rain. On the other hand, it sparkles when illuminated by the sun, thus only appearing clearly after the rain. By proceeding in this way, Jan Kopp shows in a minimalist way that the presence and absence of water shape the appearance of the surrounding garden, and more broadly that of the world in which we live.