A rusted staircase to heaven? That’s the first impression Delos, septième porte de la perfection et le l’immortalité, Convoi III makes. Here in Parc Baldwin, Lorraine Fontaine’s Corten steel sculpture dominates the southern landscape. Delos isn’t just a staircase. It’s a symbolic link between myth, nature, and culture. The rust-colored patina isn’t decay. It’s a deliberate aesthetic choice, echoing the natural world around it. Fontaine creates a paradox. This stairway to perfection and immortality is also a stark reminder of life’s fragility, its inevitable end. Delos challenges us. Can we truly achieve immortality? Should we even strive for it? This monolithic sculpture is the final piece in Fontaine’s trilogy. It follows “Ô Narcisse, ma sœur…” and “La chambre d’Écho,” completing her exploration of these profound themes. Donated to the Plateau-Mont-Royal Borough in 2009, Delos found its permanent home here in Parc Baldwin in 2011. As you gaze upon Delos, septième porte de la perfection et le l’immortalité, Convoi III, consider its message. It’s a journey, not a destination. A journey into the heart of our own desires, our hopes and fears about life, death, and the elusive promise of forever.
Scala Santa Yes
“The staircase that Jesus ascended to Pilate’s praetorium” is how some describe the Scala Santa. It is a precious reminder