Éloge du déplacement Travelling work by artist Philippe Ramette

From Nantes to Québec City, Éloge du déplacement is continuing its journey and crisscrossing the Plains of Abraham. Philippe Ramette’s travelling work is stopping in the forecourt of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.

Undecided, it is reflecting and weighing its options. Should it enter and join the MNBAQ’s collections or stand as a lasting monument in front of the Pierre Lassonde Pavilion? Must it bind itself to the institution to be deemed a full-fledged artwork? It remains to be seen where its reflections will lead it.

Éloge du pas de côté, Philippe Ramette’s iconic statue in Nantes, features a man standing on his plinth with one foot in the air, paying homage to the city’s audacity. In his Éloge du déplacement, the artist frees the statue from its pedestal, sending the figure off in search of greener pastures. This “runaway sculpture” has crossed the Atlantic this summer to touch down in Quebec City, where it will pursue its quest for the ideal location.

About the artist

Philippe Ramette’s sculpture and photography cleverly play with perspective, staging improbable scenes that turn the world we know upside down. His work has been exhibited in many French institutions and travelled across borders to Spain, Switzerland, Romania, Uruguay, Thailand, India, China, and Japan.

This project initiated by EXMURO art public was made possible with the support of the Entente de développement culturel between Quebec’s Ministère de la Culture et des Communications and the Ville de Québec.