The giants of the North come back to life thanks to Dorian Demarcq

In his workshop in Ronchin, south of Lille, paper faces slowly emerge from the wicker or rattan frames. At the crossroads of art and craftsmanship, Dorian Demarcq has been designing these monumental figures which enliven the streets and festivals of the North for twenty-five years. Nothing, however, destined him for this profession.

A graduate of the Roubaix School of Applied Textile Art, he moved towards the visual arts. But the chance of encounters traced another path. “There is no school for making giants,” he confides. His learning therefore took place in the field, through curiosity, exchange and the transmission of gestures.

Giants who embody local identity

Round cheeks, generous smile, mischievous eyes… While they all look good, each giant is unique. Sizes vary according to tradition: from two meters for the smallest to more than six for the Lille figures.

Dorian’s last born, Maurice the Castroleuxwas born this summer in La Bassée. At 3.40 meters high, it joined the local family of giants: Bassus, Basséa and Basséane. Its name evokes an ancient brewing tradition: in the past, brewmasters offered the bottom of the vat – the “castrole” – to those who could not afford a bottle.

Dorian also participated in collective projects, such as ABOa giant created with young people for a blood donor association. “We imagined a giant for each blood group,” he smiles.

Know-how transmitted and shared

The manufacturing follows a well-established ritual. It all begins with discussions with associative actors and municipal representatives, to imagine together a tutelary figure – real or fictitious – who embodies the soul of a territory.

Dorian can then get to work, first modeling the head in clay, which he then casts in plaster. “We use layers of paper, not paper pulp. We need papers that do not shrink too much,” he explains. The frame, woven in wicker or rattan, supports the canvas skirt which conceals the carrier and its handles.

The costumes, often made with Nicole Cugny – faithful costume designer and long-time accomplice – complete the ensemble. Together, they brought more than sixty giants to life.

Colossi at the heart of urban life

Alongside the association The Round of the GiantsDorian also strives to preserve older monumental figures, often weakened by time or festivities. Because the giants are not simple parade decorations. “They are alive, integrated into the life of the cities, and essential to the celebration,” he recalls.

Between two carnivals or processions, some find shelter in town halls, churches, or even university residences, like the giant Sainte Barbe in Lens. “Each site weaves a link between memory, heritage and everyday life,” emphasizes Dorian.

Much more than folklore, these giants embody the strength of the collective, the taste for shared celebration and the transmission of a common heritage. “As long as they walk in our streets, it’s a whole people who will continue to recognize themselves,” concludes Dorian.