Lyon is getting ready to add a new artistic gem to its concrete and green necklace. As the redevelopment of the banks of the Saône and the lower Saint-Antoine port progresses at a snail's pace (the work was abruptly halted in 2024 due to a fragile wall), the Metropolis is kicking things back into gear with flair by installing an astonishing work starting in July: The Praise of Contemplation. Its creator, Philippe Ramette, is no stranger to the capital of the Gauls. He had already created an XXL piece in 2015 at Part-Dieu with a monumental photo on the B10 construction site. This time, he’s stepping into 3D, with a sculpture that is sure to spark chatter as much as it will fascinate.
An Unusual Work with a Strong Symbol
Picture a man sitting, suspended in the air, perched on a base held up by ropes. A calm, almost zen posture, but in an installation that flirts with the challenge of gravity. No spectacular acrobatics here, but a strong symbol: this.
a gaze fixed, time suspended, slow observation in a city that moves quickly. This is exactly the kind of perspective that this piece aims to offer, according to Bruno Bernard, president of the Metropolis, who describes it as a “floating sculpture” serving as a poetic marker at the entrance of this new living space.🎨 L'œuvre Éloge de la contemplation de Philippe Ramette sera installée en juillet 2025 sur le belvédère des Terrasses de la Presqu’île. Une sculpture en lévitation qui offrira un nouveau point de vue symbolique sur la Saône et marquera l’entrée culturelle de ce nouveau lieu de… pic.twitter.com/0UJA5GI6aD
— Bruno Bernard (@brunobernard_fr) May 27, 2025
If its cost hasn't been revealed yet (and we know it can rise quickly when public art comes into play, hello giant umbrella in Bellecour...), The Praise of Contemplation has already succeeded in making people talk about it. Blending artistic boldness with the reappropriation of urban space, Lyon once again confirms its taste for works that truly capture attention.
