Grotte-Chauvet II, Cave Replica

Grotte Chauvet II is a replica of the Chauvet Cave in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc in the Ardèche region of France. The original cave is not open to the public to preserve the historic cave, as it holds some of the earliest known European cave paintings. The replica allows visitors to see and experience the cave art without causing harm to the prehistoric artworks. The thread art created to represent this landmark in some ways has a similar purpose to the replica. It offers viewers a method of enjoying the cave abstractly, to give them an opportunity to experience the emotion from inside Grotte Chauvet II. The bordering grey thread, subtle yet limiting, emulates the cave walls holding visitors inside the space. It is barely visible, as if it almost wasn‘t there, just like the experience in the replica. The cream threads hint at an entry point, which is then blocked by the aforementioned dark grey. They also suggest a border, but one more accessible, as if it were the same as the walkway and balustrades as part of the cave tour. The red threading is slightly concealed by the man-made walkway and stepped back from the public access space. These three types of thread together create the same experience in an engaging piece of art.