French court orders dismantling of Demeure du Chaos

The Grenoble Court of Appeal has ordered Thierry Ehrmann, CEO of Serveur Group (which operates Artprice.com), to restore his property in Saint-Romain-au-Mont-d'Or, near Lyon, within nine months. The ruling, issued on December 16, 2008, targets Ehrmann's ongoing project, the Demeure du Chaos, a deconstruction of a former post house begun nearly a decade ago. The work spans 10,000 square meters and comprises 3,123 pieces, including frescoes, sculptures, a charred car, and a crashed airplane, intended to convey the violence of the contemporary era. The mayor of Saint-Romain, who considers the installation a visual affront to the village's picturesque golden stone architecture, has pursued legal action for years. The court's 25-page judgment asserts that the artwork must comply with local zoning and color regulations, effectively stripping it of its artistic singularity. Ehrmann argues the ruling denies art any autonomous existence in public space. Despite its provocative, esoteric, and Gothic aesthetic, the Demeure du Chaos is defended as a cultural landmark comparable to the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval. Ehrmann plans to appeal to the Court of Cassation.