5 ms·

Untergunther – Restoration of the Pantheon clock (2007)

102 points by louismerlin 3y ago

lb1lf 3y ago
Stories like this restores my faith in humanity. Using skill and irreverence for the common good, making the restoration basically a piece of performance art in itself. I'd buy the UnterGünthers a beer.
- IncreasePosts 3y ago
  Lacking historical pizzazz, but you might enjoy this: https://thelandmag.com/richard-ankrom-guerrilla-public-service-los-angeles-free/ https://thelandmag.com/richard-ankrom-guerrilla-public-servi... A man created a "fake" highway sign in LA because he saw how confused the lack of signage made motorists, and it took a long time for anyone to tell it wasn't actually real.
  - lb1lf 3y ago
    I remember this got posted to HN some time, and absolutely loved it - particularly as the sign was for all intents and purposes perfect and flew under the radar even of the authority which would normally have been tasked with putting it up for months - heck, they even left it in place after having found out it was a guerilla piece! His observation that if you look the part, you can get away with just about anything matches my experience, though - when in university, the students' union I belonged to had all sorts of hi-vis vests and hard-hats which were used if we had planned any shenanigans - worked every time. You'll get farther with a hi-vis vest with a reasonable logo on it and a smile than with a smile alone. Bonus points if you also carry a clipboard and a VHF radio.
seabass-labrax 3y ago
I think it's wonderful that people are restoring public objects of historical value, but nowhere does the article explain why this has to be clandestine. The article says that Monum's leadership didn't want to publicise the repair, but why would they? It would be a tacit admission that illegal entry into protected historical sites is justifiable for the purpose of 'guerilla restoration' - wherever such a position is valid or not, endorsing it would indeed compromise Monum and similar organisations. Monsieur Jeannot was surely right in this regard. That leaves me wondering why simply asking wasn't an option. Are Monum really so resistant to offers of restoration that a few phone calls and a press release couldn't have done the job, saving both sides a lawsuit?
- lb1lf 3y ago
  I believe it is a fair assumption that 'simply asking' would entail all sorts of red tape the UnterGunthers simply weren't interested in; after all, Monum would want all sorts of assurances that the restorers wouldn't mess up things, insurance would have to be organized, assessments made &c (Which, don't get me wrong, are all not just reasonable demands, but really what any responsible authority SHOULD do in such cases. I suspect that would simply take all the fun out of it. So, Monum's stance is definitely valid, as is, in this particular case, at least, UnterGunther's. And the less is spoken of the guerilla gorilla Jesus [0], the better. [0] https://news.artnet.com/art-world/botched-restoration-of-jesus-fresco-miraculously-saves-spanish-town-197057 https://news.artnet.com/art-world/botched-restoration-of-jes...
  - blkhawk 3y ago
    I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it would take the fun out of it even tho thats undoubtedly true. I think they had no reasonable chance of matching any requirements on paper and it would just end up keep getting neglected. Its a situation without good outcomes as long as you stay inside the guiderails. And as for that Botched restauration I think the less politically correct term for it was "monkey with down syndrome" at the time. :)
    - addaon 3y ago
      > I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it would take the fun out of it even tho thats undoubtedly true. It's hard to think of a more justifiable situation in which to jump to a conclusion than one in which the conclusion is undoubtedly true.
      - blkhawk 3y ago
        People do unfun things if they belive the results are worth it. I get the vibe here that it was simply impossible to get this done above board because of a deadlock situation.
- scintill76 3y ago
basementcat 3y ago
2012 Wired magazine article about the group. https://www.wired.com/story/the-new-french-underground/ https://www.wired.com/story/the-new-french-underground/
rawling 3y ago
Presumably related: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39976483 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39976483
- codezero 3y ago
  Caltrain officials built those for personal benefit. The article here is about a restoration for public good.
- hunter2_ 3y ago
  Indeed, a comment on that submission yesterday contains the same link as this submission: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39977574 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39977574 Quite likely that OP found it, and decided to submit it, based on that comment.
DontBreakAlex 3y ago
The leadership of the monument changed in 2018 and they hired the guy to finish the restoration: https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/12-ans-apres-sa-restauration-clandestine-l-horloge-du-pantheon-fonctionne-enfin-2199259 https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/12-ans-apres-sa-res... (In French)

102 points by louismerlin 3y ago

Stories like this restores my faith in humanity. Using skill and irreverence for the common good, making the restoration basically a piece of performance art in itself. I'd buy the UnterGünthers a beer.

IncreasePosts 3y ago
Lacking historical pizzazz, but you might enjoy this: https://thelandmag.com/richard-ankrom-guerrilla-public-service-los-angeles-free/ https://thelandmag.com/richard-ankrom-guerrilla-public-servi... A man created a "fake" highway sign in LA because he saw how confused the lack of signage made motorists, and it took a long time for anyone to tell it wasn't actually real.
- lb1lf 3y ago
  I remember this got posted to HN some time, and absolutely loved it - particularly as the sign was for all intents and purposes perfect and flew under the radar even of the authority which would normally have been tasked with putting it up for months - heck, they even left it in place after having found out it was a guerilla piece! His observation that if you look the part, you can get away with just about anything matches my experience, though - when in university, the students' union I belonged to had all sorts of hi-vis vests and hard-hats which were used if we had planned any shenanigans - worked every time. You'll get farther with a hi-vis vest with a reasonable logo on it and a smile than with a smile alone. Bonus points if you also carry a clipboard and a VHF radio.

seabass-labrax 3y ago

I think it's wonderful that people are restoring public objects of historical value, but nowhere does the article explain why this has to be clandestine. The article says that Monum's leadership didn't want to publicise the repair, but why would they? It would be a tacit admission that illegal entry into protected historical sites is justifiable for the purpose of 'guerilla restoration' - wherever such a position is valid or not, endorsing it would indeed compromise Monum and similar organisations. Monsieur Jeannot was surely right in this regard. That leaves me wondering why simply asking wasn't an option. Are Monum really so resistant to offers of restoration that a few phone calls and a press release couldn't have done the job, saving both sides a lawsuit?

lb1lf 3y ago
I believe it is a fair assumption that 'simply asking' would entail all sorts of red tape the UnterGunthers simply weren't interested in; after all, Monum would want all sorts of assurances that the restorers wouldn't mess up things, insurance would have to be organized, assessments made &c (Which, don't get me wrong, are all not just reasonable demands, but really what any responsible authority SHOULD do in such cases. I suspect that would simply take all the fun out of it. So, Monum's stance is definitely valid, as is, in this particular case, at least, UnterGunther's. And the less is spoken of the guerilla gorilla Jesus [0], the better. [0] https://news.artnet.com/art-world/botched-restoration-of-jesus-fresco-miraculously-saves-spanish-town-197057 https://news.artnet.com/art-world/botched-restoration-of-jes...
- blkhawk 3y ago
  I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it would take the fun out of it even tho thats undoubtedly true. I think they had no reasonable chance of matching any requirements on paper and it would just end up keep getting neglected. Its a situation without good outcomes as long as you stay inside the guiderails. And as for that Botched restauration I think the less politically correct term for it was "monkey with down syndrome" at the time. :)
  - addaon 3y ago
    > I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it would take the fun out of it even tho thats undoubtedly true. It's hard to think of a more justifiable situation in which to jump to a conclusion than one in which the conclusion is undoubtedly true.
    - blkhawk 3y ago
      People do unfun things if they belive the results are worth it. I get the vibe here that it was simply impossible to get this done above board because of a deadlock situation.
scintill76 3y ago

basementcat 3y ago

2012 Wired magazine article about the group. https://www.wired.com/story/the-new-french-underground/ https://www.wired.com/story/the-new-french-underground/

rawling 3y ago

Presumably related: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39976483 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39976483

codezero 3y ago
Caltrain officials built those for personal benefit. The article here is about a restoration for public good.
hunter2_ 3y ago
Indeed, a comment on that submission yesterday contains the same link as this submission: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39977574 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39977574 Quite likely that OP found it, and decided to submit it, based on that comment.

DontBreakAlex 3y ago

The leadership of the monument changed in 2018 and they hired the guy to finish the restoration: https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/12-ans-apres-sa-restauration-clandestine-l-horloge-du-pantheon-fonctionne-enfin-2199259 https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/12-ans-apres-sa-res... (In French)