#01 Echoes

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Who made this sculpture?

Michel Goulet, a Canadian artist from Quebec. Considered by many as one of the prominent sculptors of his generation, his work has been shown in numerous prestigious group exhibitions. He has exhibited in major institutions and museums and his work is included in important public and private collections. During the past twenty years, Goulet has been recognized for his outstanding contribution to public art, creating more than 25 permanent public art commissions in Canada, the United States and France.



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What ideas are being explored in this sculpture?

The stainless steel chair forms are casual, akin to kitchen or café chairs. The work titled Echoes, has an inscription on each seat in French or English text with simple, thoughtful phrases, such as “minor dreams weaved tight”, or “HE ARRIVED EARLY I ARRIVED LATE so we met” and “pousser un cri plus lion dans la gorge”. These phrases reflect aphorisms of everyday emotions and dreamlike thoughts that anyone can relate to.

How was this sculpture made?

This sculpture was made by hand with the help of one of Michel Goulet’s assistants. The chairs are made out of stainless steel and bronze. Once the chairs are complete, Michel cuts fragments of poetic text into them. The installation at Kitsilano Beach is secured by a concrete base, which keeps the chairs in place.

How does this work connect with this artist’s other works?

Michel Goulet has been making and installing chairs like the ones at Kitsilano Beach since the 1990’s and they have become his signature trademark. Some of the chairs he has made are utilitarian, others meant to be contemplated, and others are upside-down or laying on their sides.  It is the poetry and beauty in the simple domestic forms that is at the heart of his work.  Goulet’s chairs have been used in theatre, dance and performance. As with his previous installations, the chairs at Kitsilano Beach are playful and interactive, with pieces of text that invites interaction and fosters contemplation.

The Vancouver Biennale and the artist gifted Echoes to the City of Vancouver in 2010. Michel Goulet also  presented the City of Montreal with another chair installation, Rêver le nouveau Monde (2008), for their 400^th anniversary.