Three sealed off Renault Trafics from 1983 were parked near Bois de Boulogne, a large forest just outside of Paris. With its cosy green lanes, the park is a popular destination for walking and cycling during the day. By night, it's a notorious meeting point for sex tourists.After several attempts by the French government to target illegal prostitution, sex workers diverted to this park: pimps use cheap vans, often Renault Trafics, as brothels. Due to this ingenuity, the Renault Trafic, which was France’s first spacious van for private individuals,was unintentionally linked to clandestine ‘traffic’.

Philips placed the three cars on blocks with flat tires to make them immobile. He thus mimics a visual code, referring to a hidden underground world, while at the same time creating an autonomous sculptural symbol. Through a passive-provocative intervention, Philips’ work is reflected in the shadows of the free market economy. The billboard installation that coincided with this project emphasized the striking reference to Déjeuner sur l’Herbe (1863) by Edouard Manet. More than a century ago, this painting was also a statement regarding the blurring of standards taking place in the exact same Bois de Boulogne. In fact, through the staged connection between an object and its surroundings,Philips centralizes the expression of a multi-layered interpersonal relationship. This approach runs through his entire oeuvre.