Cryptogram and Trophies

Let’s pause for a moment in front of this bronze column. You’re looking at Cryptogram One, a work gifted to the city in 2012 by artist Karl Lagasse. Born in Deauville, Lagasse was named in 2009 as one of the ten most talented sculptors under thirty. Take a closer look at the letters engraved on each side: together they form universal words such as Hope, Wisdom, and 7th Art. It’s a message of peace, but also a nod to the city’s cultural vocation.

In 2017, Lagasse drew on this very Cryptogram to design the trophies awarded at the 43rd edition of the Deauville American Film Festival. Since then, he has created a new prize, Reflection of the Sun, this time inspired by the crisscross railings that frame the cabins along the Planches boardwalk. Enlarged into monumental sculpture facing the sea, these familiar shapes have given Deauville a new emblem—one that blends seaside heritage, cinema, and contemporary art.