An artist sculptor since 2005, Annick Leroy was chosen by Stade Rennais F.C. to create a statue of Jean Prouff, as part of the club's 120th anniversary celebrations. Interview with the woman whose hands have given new life to one of the club's greatest builders.
Madame Leroy, how did the idea of inviting Jean Prouff to the grandstand come about?
It was a bit evasive at first, but then I got a call back to say I was interested. I was delighted. The idea came from Jacques Delanoë (editor's note: Chairman of the Board of Directors of Stade Rennais F.C.). I insisted a little on the freeze-frame and live aspect. In other words, his slightly bemused attitude to what was happening on the pitch. That was my little touch, to add something dynamic. There's a lot of observational work involved, to get a good feel for his morphology, his build, his athleticism... He often widened his eyes, his face was very expressive, the way he crossed his hands, his raincoat... lots of little things that are observations from photos.
Does his expressive side make him a good model?
Nobody's easy, because every face is different in its proportions and expressions. It's never the same. The good thing was that I had good photographic documentation. I was given good shots with good definitions. By cross-referencing different photos, I was able to understand the shape of his mouth or even his teeth, ears and hairline. It's a bit of a game of deduction to get something really grateful.
"I LIKE THE FREEZE-FRAME ASPECT."
This work stands out from soccer standards, which feature standing figures on stadium forecourts...
I like the freeze-frame aspect. Typically, a footballer in full swing is something I find quite interesting. Whereas traditional sculpture depicts figures in fairly fixed attitudes, we can reinforce bronzes and create great imbalances. Today's technology helps us to do this. We can really play with movement.
How long did it take to make the statue?
Before starting, I came to Rennes to meet Romain Danzé and Jacques Delanoë, to see its future location, all the technical aspects and the idea behind it. Normally, it takes six months to make a sculpture. We did it in three months. We were very busy. I sculpted for thirty days non-stop.
Video credit : Annick Leroy / Stade Rennais F.C.
What's the manufacturing process like?
For creation, I have a model. There's a lot more truth when you work with a human model, in terms of anatomy. You can't make any mistakes. First I represent the statue naked, then I put the clothes on. It sticks to the skin, so it's easier to work like that, for me at least, than to fumble around, removing and adding material left and right. I model in clay. Then there's the elastomer molding stage, carried out by the foundry. In this silicone and plaster mold, waxes are poured to make lost-wax bronzes. This foundry is located three kilometers from my home. It's a large, technologically advanced art foundry.
How many kilos does it weigh?
I think the clay structure starts out at 180kg. Inside, there's an iron structure. It takes a few days to make a concrete-iron skeleton and get it into the right position. In the end, it weighs around 120kg. It travelled with me, in the back of the car! (laughs)
"JEAN PROUFF IS HERE TO STAY FOR A FEW HUNDRED YEARS."
Why use bronze?
We still have bronzes from Roman, Greek or Chinese times, which are extremely old. And if a bronze is damaged, it can be repaired. Jean Prouff will be around for a few hundred years. It may last longer than Roazhon Park (laughs).
Thousands of fans will now be rubbing shoulders with him at Roazhon Park. It's a source of pride?
I'm not a soccer fan, but I'm familiar with the success of Stade Rennais in the French Cup in the 60s and 70s. The club remains a benchmark. I think this statue is a nice touch, because it's a figure who was once a fixture at the club, and who everyone knows. It's a second life for him. It gives him back contact with the public. I'm happy to offer a testimony like this. When I create, I enter into the lives of the characters. I read documents or watch films. I try to convey as much as possible of what they were like.
How did you turn your passion into a profession?
When I was little, I used to make little clay dancers. I've always had a passion for sculpture. I almost became an architect. As soon as I could, it became all I could do. It's been my profession since 2005. Before that, I had another life. I had a long career as a computer scientist, working in a research laboratory. One day, I followed my vocation. When I was looking for training, I met an American woman who was a professor at the New York Academy of Art. She had a very good method. I quickly became her assistant in France, as she is of French origin, and then I used her method. It's a very analytical method that allows me to respect anatomy and achieve beautiful modeling. I'm really into figurative sculpture and what interests me most is movement. After working in ceramics, I quickly turned to bronze. It's more durable and noble too. My workshop is located next to the foundry I work with, in Crest, in the Drôme. I used to commute back and forth so much when I lived in Rennes that I ended up moving. I spent over thirty years in the Breton capital.
The statue of Jean Prouff is one of your many references in the region...
Most of my sculptures are in Brittany. In particular, I made the statues of the four Breton winners of the Tour de France, Bernard Hinault, Louison Bobet, Jean Robic and Lucien Petit-Breton, which are in Carhaix, created for the Tour de France's passage through the town. Otherwise, I've done singers and famous Breton characters. I also created the large sculpture in the lobby of the Samsic Group head office, the club's official sponsor. Christian Roulleau, the founder, was very happy with what I did for them. It took a year to complete.
aleroy.fr
(artist discovered at an Association terre et flamme event in Chantepie)
