Philippe RAMETTE

Éloge du pas de côté, Philippe Ramette’s iconic statue created in 2018 for Nantes, features a man standing on his plinth with one foot in the air, paying homage to the city’s audacity. In his Ode to Travel, the artist reinvents his own artwork and frees the statue from its pedestal, sending the figure off in search of greener pastures. After touring the streets of Nantes in 2023, this “runaway sculpture” crosses the Atlantic this summer to touch down in Quebec City, where it will pursue its quest for the ideal location.

TRAVEL DIARY

PLACE DE PARIS – May 28 to June 13

Freshly landed in Quebec, the Nantes statue begins its pursuit of the best location with a brief stop on Place de Paris, whose name evokes a certain familiarity. With its picnic-friendly street furniture and its view of the river, this public square in the historic sector appears perfectly convivial. With the Saint Lawrence wind in its sails, the statue advances towards Place Royale, the cradle of French America and the place where EXMURO has taken up residence.

PARC MONTMORENCY – June 14 to July 1

After beginning its tour at Place de Paris, Philippe Ramette’s statue laboriously pushes its massive plinth to the top of Côte de la Montagne all the way to Parc Montmorency National Historic Site. Well in view of the strollers on the benches, the figure seems intent on joining the commemorative monuments that inhabit the park. Will his bronze cousins be able to direct him to the best vantage point?

PORTE SAINT-JEAN – July 2 to 18

The travelling figure continues his peregrinations towards the Porte Saint-Jean, a gateway out of Old Quebec’s fortified walls towards new horizons. In the middle of the Festival d’été de Québec, he follows the crowd to Place d’Youville and its outdoor stage, surrounded by the three concert halls of the Palais Montcalm, Le Diamant and the Capitole. Will he be able to soak up the amazing energy and experience a real change of scenery?

CHÂTEAU FRONTENAC – July 19 to August 4

In the spirit of travel, why not settle down in front of the world’s most photographed hotel? The (fake) bronze figure approaches the Château Frontenac, Quebec City’s architectural landmark. However, when he arrives on Dufferin Terrace, he’s bowled over by the grandiosity of the 16-metre-high monument to Samuel de Champlain. No point trying to compete with the city’s great explorer and founder: Philippe Ramette’s work abdicates and contemplates its next destination.

MUSEE NATIONAL DES BEAUX-ARTS DU QUÉBEC – August 5 to September 15

After crossing the Plains of Abraham, Philippe Ramette’s travelling work stops in front of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. Undecided, it collects itself on the plaza and weighs up its options: to enter and join the museum’s collections, or to stand as a perennial monument in front of the Pierre Lassonde Pavilion? Should it join the institution to be considered a masterpiece in its own right? It remains to be seen where the statue’s reflections will take it next.

ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE DU QUEBEC – September 16 to October  28 

Philippe Ramette’s work quite naturally stops at the Assemblée nationale du Québec to join its bronze cousins. The facade of the Hôtel du Parlement and its gardens are populated with commemorative and allegorical statues glorifying the women and men who have marked the history of Quebec and French America. As for Ramette’s artwork, it promotes the audacity of the “step aside”, the gesture of stepping back to open our horizons and renew our worldviews.