Public Artwork
Histoire alphabétisante
Location:
École primaire du Vieux-Chêne, 99 croissant de la Matapédia, Terrebonne, QC, J6W 5H2, Canada
See map: Google Maps
Artwork creator(s):
Leblanc, Pierre
Text author(s):
Leblanc, Pierre
Installation year:
1989 Description:
The work consists of sculptures and photographs, and includes high reliefs and low reliefs on the theme of "bandes-dessinées" (comic books). Among the illustrated elements, there are characters, animals, modes of transportation, types of habitats and trees. Some of the elements were cut-out and painted in bright colours or in black and white. Other elements were created using the technique of photographic transfer. Text balloons were created using the same techniques and accompany some of the characters. Most of the sculptures seem to peel off the wall at varying levels, while others remain flat against it
Text of the artwork:
An open book shows the following text:
mots de vocabulaire
a = ara / b = bilboquet / c = / d = diable / e = égoine / f = fou / g = gargouille / h = harpe / i = igloo / j = jumelle / k = / l = // m = montgolfière / n = / o = obélisque / p = piquier / q = / r = réverbère / t = / u = / v = / w = / x = / y = / z =
Then, each of the words quoted above is reproduced as an image. On each of them, the first letter of the represented word appears in lowercase. The vertical obelisk shows a series of Chinese characters. The word "DICTIONNAIRE" is written on the dictionary, as well as a stylized letter "L" on its cover.
In the balloon in the top left corner of the wall:
R [avine] v. t. Imp / eau de vin avant de le remplir. / "AVION" [avjç] n. m. (nom de l'appa- /reil inventé par Ader; du lat. "avis", / oiseau). Aérodyne à moteur, dont la / sustentation est assurée par des ailes / fixes ou par une voilure qui ne subit /que des déplacements limités dans le / temps pour des chagements de confi- / guration (V. hors-texte, pp. 80-81) / AVION-CARGO n. m. Avion de / age, destiné uniquement / fret lourd et en // l'écl / AVIV / les bords / pour les ré / AVIVER [a
In the balloon in the lower right corner of the wall:
UTAGE n. m. action / parachuter /
PARACHUTE (paraSyt] n. m. (de / "parer" et"chuter"). Appareil destiné à / ralentir la chute d'un corps qui tombe / ou descend d'une grande hauteur. (En / aréonautique, le parachute se compose / d'une voilure en toile, soie ou Nylon, / d'un harnais qui le fixe au corps à /soutenir, et d'un sac où la voilure est / méthodiquement pliée et dont l'ouver- / ture est effectuée automatiquement ou à / l'aide d'une commande. Des parachutes / spéciaux, fixés à la queue des avions, servent de freins lors des atterrissages / PARACHUTER v. t. Larguer au / partir d'un aéronef, du
Text theme:
Alphabet
Artwork theme:
History of the dictionary
Dimensions:
Width:
24.4m
Depth:
2.9 m
Artist's biography:
Pierre Leblanc
Owner(s):
Commission scolaire des Affluents, École primaire du Vieux-Chêne 
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