Le carrousel de l’île (The Island Carousel)
Municipal public art collection
Title
Le carrousel de l'île (The Island Carousel)
Artist
Michel Goulet
Completed
2005
Installed
Inaugurated on June 23, 2005
Acquisition
Competition (Ville de Montréal)
Location
Traffic circle on Boulevard René-Lévesque on Nun's Island
Borough of Verdun
Note on the artist
Born in Asbestos in 1944, Michel Goulet now lives and works in Montréal. A prolific sculptor, he also teaches art at
the University of Québec at Montréal. He was awarded the Prix Paul-Émile Borduas in 1990 and represented Canada at the Venice Biennale in 1988. Among his works of public art are Les leçons singulières, installed in Place Roy; the Belvédère Léo-Ayotte in LaFontaine Park (1990); and Les milles lieux at the University of Quebec at Montréal (1992). Goulet also received acclaim for his set design for the UBU theatre. From as early as 1967, Goulet's work has been displayed in group and individual exhibits. He has created several major works of public art, notably, Les leçons singulières I et II at Place Roy; the Belvédère Léo-Ayotte in Montréal; Le Jardin des curiosités in Lyon; and Fair Grounds in Toronto. Michel Goulet has greatly influenced public art by creating a new language based on everyday objects.
Note on the work of art
The Carrousel de l'Île entirely fills up the centre of a traffic circle. This work consists of twelve (12) scenes that illustrate human relations based on two concepts: island and archipelago. Using sculptural elements made mostly from steel and brass, the Carousel represents in a very personal way familiar objects and images such as a Morris column or the artwork from the Beatles album Abbey Road. He also instils playfulness and reflection through his associations with daily objects, exemplified by his three upturned chairs placed on top each other, the highest chair supporting a globe, or the tall mast covered with ribbon representing hope. Michel Goulet notes, "This work consisting of twelve remarkable spectacles marks the turbulent passage of Life (the city) to the Port of Tranquility (Island) and vice versa." The artist's view for Nun's island imbues his artistic vision.
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