Since last spring, countless passersby have been intrigued by the impressive metal sculptures visible from a roundabout in Paimpol, a coastal town in Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany. The mysterious artist behind these eye-catching works has now been revealed as Agostinho Da Cunha, a 49-year-old self-taught sculptor who recently moved to the area.
The sculptures, which include a centaur, a minotaur, a small elephant, a mermaid, and a giant head, are impossible to miss when traveling from the Lande Blanche roundabout toward Lanvollon. All of these striking pieces are created through metal fusion techniques, incorporating inserts of wood and various other materials. The works adorn an extraordinary garden that visitors describe as resembling "the Postman Cheval's palace reimagined by Mad Max."
Da Cunha arrived in Paimpol just six months ago with his partner Franck, seeking to escape the heat and get closer to the sea. "We had very specific location and financial criteria," he explains. "And this house, located on the Lande Blanche roundabout, met all of them." Born in Bordeaux, Da Cunha previously worked as a mason specializing in roads and various networks, but his true passion has always been welding.
The 2020 health crisis marked a turning point for the artist, prompting him to professionally retrain as a welder and transform his passion into both his career and his art. "I started before arriving in Libourne, where we lived for 15 years," he recalls. In Paimpol, he now works at the Effinor shipyard, describing it as a dream come true. "Every day, I'm happy to go to work on boats. I've finally found what I wanted to do both professionally and artistically."
Da Cunha's works demonstrate remarkable diversity, featuring animals, imaginary creatures, and mythological characters that have quickly gained recognition. The artist traces his creative roots back to his childhood in a large artistic family. "At my parents' house, we were five brothers and four sisters, all passionate about artistic disciplines. I'm the youngest. It was incredible motivation. From a very young age, following their example, I started painting and sculpting. However, I wasn't very studious at school."
Despite having a business registration number, Da Cunha proudly identifies as an amateur artist, which he says removes the pressure of sales and allows him to create without fear of failure. His work draws heavily from manga influences, particularly the Knights of the Zodiac series that accompanied his childhood and adolescence. "My characters tell a mythology inspired by manga," he explains.
All materials used in his sculptures come from recycling and recovery, such as a hand sculpture made from barrel hoops, giving abandoned metals a second life. During his time in the Libourne region, he created numerous works including a memorial for the organ donation association in front of Robert Boulin Hospital. His 2016 exhibition "Predator" at the Bordeaux Geek Festival attracted over 50,000 visitors, though he notes with a smile that "for the rest, we mainly exhibited at home."
Throughout the interview, Da Cunha frequently mentions Franck, his partner of more than 20 years, crediting him as "also a true artist" who "draws future works, helps me set them up, and knows how to criticize me constructively." The garden serves a specific purpose for the artist: attracting visitors, meeting people, exchanging ideas, and decorating life. "It's important for an artist to have this contact," he emphasizes.
Da Cunha has issued a public appeal for materials, seeking scrap metal for his future works. Interested parties can contact him at 06 68 57 18 06 or visit him directly, as he's available every weekend except during high tide periods. The artist's journey from construction worker to acclaimed sculptor demonstrates how passion, combined with opportunity and artistic vision, can transform both a career and a community's landscape.
