SOUS LES PAVÉS, LA PLAGE! BENEATH THE PAVEMENT, THE BEACH!

Protesters in the riots of 1968 expressed their anger with the government by throwing paving stones against the police. Flying stones were accompanied by the rally crie ‘Sous les pavés, la plage!’. When protesters ripped out the paving stones the sand-bed beneath became visible. The sand was associated with a beach. This beach was used as a metaphor for freedom and non-utilitarian space that is covered by the oppressive rules of civilization. Since May 1968 more and more surfaces are being sealed. The beach is harder and harder to reach. And NO, we do not mean such a type of beach: