Œuvre d'art public

Obélisque en hommage à Charles de Gaulle

Olivier Debré, Obélisque en hommage à Charles de Gaulle, 1992
Location:
Place Charles-de-Gaulle, La Fontaine Park, Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, QC, Canada
Artwork creator(s): 
Debré, Olivier
Text author(s): 
de Gaulle, Charles
Installation year: 
1992
Remarks on location: 

Place Charles-de-Gaulle is located at the South end of the park, alongside Sherbrooke Street.

Description: 

Sculpture in the shape of an obelisk, consisting of seven superimposed elements. Depending on the point of view, it offers either uniform or fragmented surfaces. A vertical blue crack runs through the whole sculpture. Two engraved bronze plates accompany the work. The first features a quote by Général de Gaulle and the other explains the context in which this donation was made.

Text of the artwork: 

Pureté Fermeté Divinité

Artwork theme: 

Tribute

History: 

The work was inaugurated in the presence of Mr. Jean Doré, Jacques Chirac and Xavier Deniau (deputy of the Loiret Department, in France) as well as a group of Québec nationalists. During the ceremony, Félix Leclerc's song L'Hymne au printemps was played as well as Sambre et Meuse (military air). The two bronze plates were stolen and replaced. A replica of the work was supposed to be installed in Paris, near Porte Maillot, but the project never came to fruition.

Event: 350th Anniversary of the City of Montreal

Dimensions:

Height: 
17.6m
Width: 
2.74m
Depth: 
2.18 m
Document(s): 

De Gaulle’s message in 1944: "Vive le Canada"

Kalbfleisch, John (1992).  De Gaulle’s message in 1944: "Vive le Canada". The Gazette. (July 25), p. A12

No echoes

Peritz, Ingrid (1992).  No echoes. The Gazette. (July 17)

Vive le Québec libre ! No echo of de Gaulle battle cry

Picard, André (1992).  Vive le Québec libre ! No echo of de Gaulle battle cry. The Globe and Mail. (July 17), p. A1-A5

Un obélisque libre

Gauthier, Ninon (1993).  Un obélisque libre. Parcours. no. 9 (Printemps) , p. 76-77

À la mémoire du Général !

Bolduc, Christiane (1992).  À la mémoire du Général !. Montréalités. (Septembre), p. 8