Portage de Croix

 

Map showing where the sculpture can be found

Portrait of Yves Guérin, the artist

 

In red: the cross, in blue: the figure of Christ

 

Annaëlle BRUNEL &  Alice TRIDEMY write...

Since April 2014, more than 20 monumental sculptures have been put up by the Puy-de-Dôme Départment in various towns including Riom, Ambert, Vertolaye, Arlanc and Marsac-en-Livradois. These works, collectively called Gold and Iron, forged from pieces of railroad track, can be up to 12 meters tall.

Yves Guérin is the sculptor. He lives and works in Romagnat. He teaches drawing and sculpture at the Art School in Riom and the College of Art in Clermont-Ferrand. Yves Guérin says “Contemporary art questions the people passing by. When a work of art is placed in an everyday landscape, it invites us to look at the world differently.”

The material Guérin uses consists of pieces of iron, in particular segments of railway track and iron bolts. The sculptures are placed in front of train stations, so there is a link with the materials used.

The statue in Riom was created in 2005. The shape is modern and looks abstract. Nevertheless, this statue is a religious work… We can see Christ bent over under his heavy cross. The title is Portage de Croix (Carrying of a Cross).

It is in on the square in front of the SNCF railway station, in Etienne Clémentel street. When one comes out of the station, the statue is the first thing one sees…

Comments by local people

Jean-François, 40 years old: “I pass in front of this sculpture regularly, but I do not know its meaning… It’s big isn’t it?! A bit overpowering too… Does it have something to do with railroad journeys? It’s a great place to have put it, anyway, right in front of the railway station; it makes the space a bit more interesting.”

Gabin, 12 years old: “I see it every time I take the train. I do not find it very attractive but it’s quite popular. I like it that they recycled old rails into art!”

Fanny, 20 years old: “It’s plain ugly! You can’t miss it it’s so big and just in front of a busy railway station. I don’t know anything about it, and quite honestly, I’m not interested.”

Laurent, 50 years old: “I’m curious about it, yes. It’s a bit abstract; it’s not obvious what it represents… Maybe I’ll look into it when I have time!”

The statue recites a poem...

Friends, travellers,

You who speed past

Or shuffle back

Heavy-laid with luggage,

A smile on your lips

Or a tear in your eye,

Look for me!

I carry my cross

Indefinitely

Fixed in the iron.

I would like to leave,

Like you, travel the rails of life!

Hugo JALLAT & Simon ROQUET add…

Portage de croix (The Carrying of the Cross) was made in 2005. It belongs to the series of monumental sculptures De Fer Et Dore (Made of Iron and Gold) by Yves Guérin, a sculptor from Clermont-Ferrand. It is in front of Riom train station. It is made of wrought iron railway rails. It symbolizes homelessness, transmission and mobility. It evokes aspects of our region’s identity: blacksmithing (“De Fer…” means “made of iron”) and the exploitation of water resources (“…Et Dore” is a pun: the Dore is a river that has its source in the Auvergne and its name sounds like “or” meaning “gold”).

Interviews of local people about the sculpture

Hugo’s little brother finds this statue rather ugly. He’s only nine and doesn't know anything about contemporary art!

Hugo’s mother said: “I think that this statue is not very welcoming and not very joyful. However, I recognize that the artist has a lot of talent; it’s an impressive piece!”

Simon’s father thinks this statue has its place in Riom because it is a religious town (the statue shows Christ carrying his cross). However, he finds it strangely made; if you do not know the title of the sculpture, it’s difficult to guess what it is about…

An elderly man who was looking at the sculpture said: “You know, an old person like me usually likes simplicity. This is too abstract for me, but I find the theme well chosen.”

A teenage girl also commented the statue: “I find it appropriate to the atmosphere of the place, and I like it when an artist tries to represent things he has in his mind…”

The sculpture speaks…

"I look like a scarecrow, don't you think? I try to welcome the people who come out of the station, but I am only an old scrap heap put out on an empty and gloomy square... People are puzzled when they look at me. Every morning, the same people pass and every evening they come back. I had a lot of sympathy for one young man because he was one of the only people who did not look at me contemptuously, but I suppose that he has become used to me and now he doesn't pay attention to me anymore. Why are people so indifferent to me? I would like to get away from here, jump into the first train…"

Click HERE to see a video of the statue speaking!