Drawn to this spot between the library and the town hall? You’re standing before Trait d’union. It is a sculpture-fountain created by Michel Goulet. Trait d’union means “hyphen” in French.
Michel Goulet designed Trait d’union to stand at the entrance of the Saint-Léonard Library. The library is near the borough town hall. This location creates a link between the two institutions. Trait d’union acts as a hyphen. It connects knowledge and governance.
Trait d’union features twelve columns. They rise in pairs along a single axis. Each column has different heights. Masonry compositions sit atop these columns. The four tallest columns support a complex metallic structure. Water trickles from this structure. It flows into concrete and stone basins below. The structure resembles a dolmen.
These elements evoke ancient times. They remind us of civilizations that came before. Trait d’union presents invented architectural traces. These traces inspire us. They link us to our heritage.
Michel Goulet conceived Trait d’union as a link. It unites the two public buildings. It connects their functions. The library is a repository of human knowledge. The town hall protects individual and collective rights. Trait d’union stands between them. It symbolizes their connection.
Trait d’union is one of Michel Goulet’s early public art projects. It reminds us of Western culture’s heritage. It encourages us to continue this heritage. We continue it through creation.
Michel Goulet was born in Asbestos in 1944. He studied at the Université de Sherbrooke. He also studied at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Goulet has had an international artistic career. He also taught at the University of Ottawa. Later, he taught at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Goulet is known for his sculptures. He is also known for his public artworks. He also designs sets for theatre and opera.
Goulet represented Canada at the Venice Biennale in 1988. The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal held a retrospective of his work in 2004.
Michel Goulet has received many awards. These include the Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas in 1990. He also received the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts in 2008. He became an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec in 2018. He became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2009. He received an honorary doctorate from the Université de Sherbrooke in 2010. He was also appointed to the Order of Canada in 2012.
As you stand here, consider the link. Trait d’union connects the past and the present. It connects knowledge and governance. It encourages creativity and cultural heritage.