Seventy tons of steel rise before us. This is L’Homme. The Alexander Calder sculpture stands tall in Parc Jean-Drapeau. It is a Montreal landmark.
L’Homme, French for “Man,” was created for Expo 67. This was Montreal’s World Fair. Alexander Calder was a famous 20th-century sculptor. He first trained as an engineer. He embraced art in 1923.
Calder invented the mobile. He also made large sculptures called stabiles. L’Homme is a stabile. The International Nickel Company of Canada commissioned it. They wanted a sculpture for the World Fair. L’Homme was revealed on May 17 1967. This was Montreal’s 325th birthday. A time capsule was placed beneath it. It contains documents from the ceremony. Montreal’s future mayor can open it in 2067.
In 1992, L’Homme moved to the Belvedere lookout. It is on Île Sainte-Hélène. By 2003, L’Homme became the center of Piknic Electronik. This is a popular outdoor rave. It is held on Sundays. Families and electronic music fans attend.
L’Homme is 21.3 meters high. It is 22 meters wide. It covers most of the dance floor. Getting here is easy. Take the Jean-Drapeau Metro. Walk straight ahead from the station. Follow the dirt path. Pass the bathrooms on your left. You will see a giant dome. It is the Biosphere. Keep walking. The giant L’Homme sculpture will appear.
Calder had a studio in France. He worked with boilermakers. They helped him build his large sculptures. Boilermakers are trained craftsmen. They fabricate steel. They weld pieces together. Calder made a model. The factory scaled it up. The boilermakers completed the metalwork. Calder supervised everything.
L’Homme is approximately 70 feet tall. Viewers must see it from different points. It looks different from 20 feet away. It appears different from 5 feet away. It changes when you are underneath it. It is different from the other side.
The way sunlight hits L’Homme creates shadows. This gives it an ever-changing appearance. The sculpture’s supports look like steps. Calder’s signature is on the sculpture. It shows an entwined “C” and “A.” It also shows “67” for 1967.
Originally called Trois Disques, L’Homme became a symbol of Expo 67. It represents progress and human power. Calder said he was only interested in geometric forms. He did not intend for it to look human.
In 1967, the sculpture cost $135,000 CAN. In 2013, it was worth $50 to 200 million. The city decided to close Terre des Hommes in 1981. Trois Disques was in a deserted place for 20 years. In 1989, Calder’s family complained. They threatened to take it back. In 1991, Trois Disques moved to Parc Jean-Drapeau’s belvedere. This made it easier for the public to see. It became a visual landmark.
In 2013, there was a proposal to move the Calder sculpture. Many locations were suggested. The sculpture stayed on Île Sainte-Hélène. Municipal officials approved this. L’Homme remains here today. It continues to inspire. It connects us to Montreal’s past. It points toward the future.