Public Artwork
Le Témoin
Location:
Palais de justice de Trois-Rivières, 850 rue Hart, Trois-Rivières, QC, G9A 1T9, Canada
See map: Google Maps
Artwork creator(s):
Cornet, Lucienne
Text author(s):
Cornet, Lucienne
Collaborator(s):
Gagnon,Denis; Pontbriand, Martin; Trung, Chan
Installation year:
2003
Remarks on location:
The artwork is located in front of the main façade and to the right of the main entrance to the PALAIS DE JUSTICE, in the middle of the lot at the corner of HART and LAVIOLETTE Streets.
Description:
The work consists of a concrete column, at the top of which two bronze shapes are attached. A little house placed inside a stainless steel boat sit on the very top of the column. An integrated lamp lights the inside of the house. The artist wrote a poetic text that evokes the word "Témoin" ("witness") and engraved it onto a plate installed on a support in the sculpture's axis.
Text of the artwork:
LUCIENNE CORNET 2003 LE TÉMOIN
« Il a vu passer les Amérindiens descendant la rivière
Saint-Maurice dans les canots chargés de fourrures
Il les a vus danser sur le sable du rivage
Il a vu les hommes du Roy accompagner
le sieur Laviolette sur le Platon
Il a vu ceux qui ont bâti les forges
du Saint-Maurice et les coureurs des bois
Il a vu s’installer des femmes remarquables
et leurs familles qui ont bâti maisons
Il a vu rouler les billes le long des glissoires,
des estacades et flotter l’arbre jusqu’au Saint-Laurent
Il a vu la chevauchée des draveurs dans
le tumulte des eaux
Il a vu le sieur de La Vérandrye partir
avec ses fils pour l’Ouest
Il allume sa lampe témoin. Il veille lorsque
vous dormez, il enregistre vos rêves
et garde en mémoire tous ceux qui vous échappent
Il voit la poésie dans la rue.
Lucienne Cornet
Text theme:
History
Artwork theme:
Witness to the PALAIS DE JUSTICE, witness to old TROIS-RIVIÈRES, witness to the history of the city. The body of the artwork is shaped like a boat, evoking the comings and goings of our ancestors on the rivers. The head of the work is a house, which represents the place where the sailor comes home when traveling is over. It lights up at night, like a light that looks over children's dreams. The column and the two "arms" are also a tree; wood is very important in the history of TROIS-RIVIÈRES. and so, at night, the child climbs the tree to reach for his dreams. Dimensions:
Height:
7m
Width:
2.5m
Depth:
2 m
Diameter:
2m Note(s):
This text is incorporated into the various poetic itineraries distributed all over the city of Trois-Rivières, as part of its poetry festivals. Engraved on an anodized aluminum plate.
Owner(s):
Palais de justice de Trois-Rivières
Architect(s):
Côté, Chabot, Morel, architectes en consortium avec Émile Gilbert et associés; Beauchesne, François R., architect; Bluteau, Raymond, architect Document(s):
Syndicate
