The Eiffel Factory, exhibition view at Royal College of Art, London
The Eiffel Factory
The Eiffel Factory explores an alternative method of production inside one of the most visited monuments in the world. Whilst walking to the top of the tower, visitors are invited to interact with a ball that conceals a rotational moulding device inside. Every step they take inside and every action shapes and casts a small Eiffel Tower figurine.
Users are encouraged to experiment and play with the ball, simultaneously becoming an integral component in the process of production. The project aims to challenge the notion of authenticity in relation to artefacts of heritage and consumption.
Acknowledgements: Andrea Garcia Santana (production), Daisy Ho and Yolanda Villagran (photography), Lilas Rosetti, Alice Guyot, Valentin Bernhard, Veronica Robayna and Ana Conti (assistants)
A street vendor selling illegal souvenirs of the Eiffel Tower
A sign on the Eiffel Tower recommends tourists to buy souvenirs only in the official shops
A four-piece mould used to cast illegal Eiffel Tower souvenirs on top of the tower
A kid casting her own souvenir on the Eiffel Tower
Three kids playing and casting their own souvenirs on top of the Eiffel Tower
A souvenir straight out of the mould
Kids participating in the production of Eiffel Tower souvenirs
Kids participating in the production of Eiffel Tower souvenirs
The Eiffel Factory, exhibition view at Royal College of Art, London
Three kids posing with their freshly made Eiffel Tower souvenirs
A family posing with their freshly made Eiffel Tower souvenirs