Covering two facades of number 5 rue du Marais, this mural by Peeta is an anamorphosis, a distorted image designed to be viewed from a precise angle. Indicated by a yellow circle traced on the ground, the ideal place to admire this work is some fifty meters from the building, in front of number 66 rue Girardet. From this vantage point, the optical illusion is perfect, and the shapes painted by the artist emerge from the walls. The windows become panels of parallelepipeds suspended in the void. The illusion of three-dimensional shapes is particularly striking when the light intensity is roughly the same on both facades, when the sun is south-west of the building (around 1 p.m. in summer), or when the sky is cloudy and the sunlight diffused. Then the north-east corner of the building magically disappears.

To create perfect anamorphoses, Peeta uses photogrammetry. Photogrammetry is a technique for digitizing reality. It consists in creating three-dimensional models of physical objects from simple photographs of the same objects. For the creation of this fresco, Peeta first came to Le Locle to take numerous photos of the building from different vantage points. Then, back in his studio in Campolongo Maggiore, near Venice, he imported these photos into photogrammetry software which, using complex algorithms, combined them to calculate the dimensions of the building and produce a three-dimensional (3D) model.

There’s no better way to realistically simulate 3D shapes than with color shades. Rather than using brushes, the easiest and quickest way to paint gigantic shades is to spray paint on the facades. To do this, the artist is armed with some twenty spray guns, each fitted with a tank containing one liter of a specific color. This process is faster, more economical and environmentally friendly than using spray cans.

Thanks to his immense talent and a healthy dose of elbow grease, Peeta succeeded in transforming this building with no particular architectural qualities into an exceptional work of art. This monumental achievement alone sums up the extent to which the exomusée has changed people’s perception of the Mother Municipality of the Neuchâtel Mountains. For despite its many qualities and the fact that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because of its architectural heritage, which stems from the watchmaking industry, this charming little town was often portrayed as an unattractive town. Since it became a mecca for urban art, these unfounded criticisms have dried up.

Of course, you can’t measure a city’s attractiveness in the light of tourist attractions. But the many flattering reviews in the media are helping to restore the town’s reputation. And it’s true, that every year, thousands of tourists leave Le Locle with stars in their eyes after visiting the exomusée (as well as the town’s 3 other museums). Some visitors have told us that after visiting the exomusée, they’ll never see Le Locle in the same way again. This, of course, delights Peeta, whose task consists of questionning the way we perceive reality.