First of all in case this is the first post you have read, I have to point out that La Rochelle is not in the Loire Valley but easily reached from here - in just over 2 1/2 hours. I am writing about our visit there last weekend.
Our visit to the first of the three towers the 'Tour de la Chaine' threw up a surprise in the form of a red winged Bear on the lower terrace.The plaque on it states:
" The state of the polar bear population is slowly becoming a global symbol.Every one of us has been moved by pictures of scrawny and tired-looking white bears,drifting towards a certain death as the first victims of global warming. This tragedy inspired me ( Richard Texier a French painter and sculptor born in nearby Niort) to create a bronze sculpture of a winged bear called 'Angel Bear', an environmental messenger. The animal is red,as a warning sign and thus draws mankind's attention toward biodiversity,dealing with pollution,sustainable development and respecting the biosphere.The quest for achieving a clean planet will be a long one ,for now,the proposed solutions are limited and the majority of the world's countries are not very preoccupied by these issues. Bears are often seen as soft and cuddly companions during our childhood and in this red bronze colour ,they may become the emblem of new generations, a symbol of environmental awareness.The help of young people is vital. They speak the truth and their words are meaningful:this concerns the world they will be living in tomorrow,"
Well, that explains it all!
Sometimes art goes over my head - wouldn't it be better if it we didn't have to be given the explanation?Perhaps not.
I understand it will only be displayed until the end of October, so we were lucky to catch this interesting sculpture. To move it cannot be easy as it stands 2.5metres high and weighs over a ton.
" The state of the polar bear population is slowly becoming a global symbol.Every one of us has been moved by pictures of scrawny and tired-looking white bears,drifting towards a certain death as the first victims of global warming. This tragedy inspired me ( Richard Texier a French painter and sculptor born in nearby Niort) to create a bronze sculpture of a winged bear called 'Angel Bear', an environmental messenger. The animal is red,as a warning sign and thus draws mankind's attention toward biodiversity,dealing with pollution,sustainable development and respecting the biosphere.The quest for achieving a clean planet will be a long one ,for now,the proposed solutions are limited and the majority of the world's countries are not very preoccupied by these issues. Bears are often seen as soft and cuddly companions during our childhood and in this red bronze colour ,they may become the emblem of new generations, a symbol of environmental awareness.The help of young people is vital. They speak the truth and their words are meaningful:this concerns the world they will be living in tomorrow,"
Well, that explains it all!
Sometimes art goes over my head - wouldn't it be better if it we didn't have to be given the explanation?Perhaps not.
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