pictures are screenprints from the first video in the documentation, published here in agreement with the maker Sirkki Turkki |
Outsider Environments Europe
an inventory and documentary of art environments in Europe created by non-professionals
March 22, 2024
Sirkki Turkki, Ruusulinna Taidepuisto / Art park Rose Castle
March 15, 2024
Colin Stokes, Colin's barn
pictures are screenprints from the videos in the documentation |
In 2000, a marble quarry was opened near Colin Stokes building. The noise that this business entailed prompted him reluctantly selling his property and moving elsewhere, leaving his project in the good condition it was in at the time.
In 2013 it was reported that Stokes, then aged 68, was farming sheep, poultry and angora rabbits near Moffat in Scotland.
March 08, 2024
Abbé Clovis Vannobel and anonymous workmen, Décoration du pavillon des Iris / Iris pavilion decoration
this image and the next two as on the website Habitants-Paysagistes, published here in agreement with the photographer Francis David |
The facade decorated with a tree as shown above can be seen in a street in the municipality of Steenwerck, a little town with some 3400 inhabitants, located in North West France, near the border with Belgium.
In the field of art environments the town is known for Arthur Vanabelle's La ferme aux avions (The airplane farm), a site located in the outskirts of the municipality until around 2015. The local Musée de la vie rurale (Museum of rural life) was donated a representative number of creations after Vanabelle's death.
The building with the decorated wall was built on the site of a hotel that was destroyed during the First World War. Subsequently, two breweries were built on the site, which went bankrupt during the Second World War. A director of one of the breweries had a country house there.
After the war, the complex was purchased by a social organization led by Abbot Clovis Vannobel, in order to establish there a rest home for women, initially only in the director's house, then also in one of the breweries after it had been renovated.
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Restoring the facade
Two workers, who did maintenance work for the rest home, helped realize the idea. The wall was treated with linseed oil and zinc white was used to make the wall nice and smooth. After the preparatory work, a sketch of the tree was drawn on the wall and colored in a dark shade against a light blue speckled background.
March 01, 2024
Giovanni Masiero, Giardino con sculture in metallo / Garden with metal sculptures
this picture and the next four are screenprints from the videos in the documentation |
February 23, 2024
Eugène Juif, Maison décorée / Decorated house
Before the decorations were added to the exterior wall of the house and the adjacent garage, these walls were painted bright yellow. The colorful decorations painted on these surfaces, mostly depicted large bunches of flowers in red pots.
The stone pillars and the edge of the fence along the street were also provided with striking colours. The top of the pillars were crowned with small sculptures of white birds.
And then, the couple's convertible was also put in the spotlight with floral motifs.
Eugène Juif in front of his decorated house |
Vy-les-Lure, dept Haute-Saône, région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
decorations don't exist anymoreFebruary 17, 2024
Albert Barry, Jardin décoré / Decorated garden
pictures are screenprints from the video (2006) in the documentation |
Life and works
This site is a creation of Albert Barry (February 20, 1908-July 2, 2000), who started the project in 1974 when he retired at the age of 66.
Barry had a career in viticulture, first as a winegrower in the vicinity of Balaruc-le-Vieux, later as director of the local winegrowing cooperative.
When he retired he had some health problems and doctors advised him to take it very, very easy.
But Barry was afraid that doing so would make him waste away in boredom and he decided to take up the hobby of painting that he already had loved as a child.
So he began making all kinds of painting indoors, but he was also attracted to making a variety of sculptures to brighten up the garden with all kinds of scenes.
The series of photos provides an impression of Barry's collection of animal sculptures.
In addition to animal sculptures, he also made a miniature castle, as shown in the image at the very top.Avenue des Bains
Balaruc le Vieux, dept Hérault, region Occitanie, France
February 09, 2024
Marcel Lambert, Jardin décoré / Decorated garden
entrance of the site this image and the next one as on Google Streetview (2021) |
decorative fencing at the rear of the site |
this image and the next one are old postcards |
Decorated garden
Rue de l'Echo
Jargeau, dept Loiret, region Centre-Val de Loire, France