Sylvie Benzoni-Gavage

"Rulpidon" is the name given by French artist Ulysse Lacoste to a series of sculptures featuring intersecting cylinders at right angles. I explored the mathematical potential of this form by designing complete 9-color maps on its surface—made possible by its genus-3 topology. Starting with a plain wooden Rulpidon provided by Ulysse, I set out to bring such a map to life in wood. Using nine distinct tree species—including exquisite varieties like purpleheart, yellowheart, and zebrawood—I carefully crafted and assembled a map I designed specifically for this project. Though the Rulpidon's geometry is locally as flat as that of cylinders, adapting the marquetry to its shape proved to be an intricate challenge.

While preparing my complete 9-color map for the solid Rulpidon, I created an extra version and mounted it flat on plywood—both as a practice piece and as an artwork in its own right. Set within its elegant floating frame, it not only has aesthetic appeal but also serves as a display base for the 9-color solid Rulpidon. By placing the solid form on top, viewers can better comprehend the map, even though the tree species used differ from those on the solid version. To further enhance the connection between the outer and inner cylinders, I introduced here a tenth species—burr walnut—adding another layer of depth to the composition.