In Quebec City, thirty staircases connect the Lower Town to the Upper Town. Escale is an annual artistic event that celebrates this world-unique heritage. From May 30 to September 1, discover three works created by Quebec City artists and architects that reveal the full richness of these transition spaces.
A playful and thought-provoking installation in Old Quebec. In the heart of Old Quebec, just steps from the historic fortifications, a unique installation comes to life within the city's iconic staircases. Titled Un jeu d’enfant! (Child's Play!), this work is inspired by the colorful building blocks that children manipulate with boundless creativity. Based on the play sessions of two young girls, Estelle and Lili, aged 3 and 5, the installation transposes these familiar little toys into a life-sized dimension. Pure wooden blocks, contemporary shapes from Denmark, cylinders, and openings overlap in a vibrant and colorful ensemble.
Un jeu d’enfant! offers an immersive and poetic experience. While wandering through these human-scale structures, visitors are invited to reconnect with their inner child and explore a world where balance and fragility coexist. The structures, though stable, give the impression of defying gravity, reminiscent of children's bold, ephemeral constructions.
Behind this playful appearance lies a subtle reflection on the legitimacy of urban designers. Like children playing without constraints, some decision-makers and builders shape our cities by bypassing rules, creating unexpected and sometimes unbalanced urban landscapes. Un jeu d’enfant! thus invites us to question who truly holds the right to mold our living spaces.
By scaling up objects usually held in the palm of a hand, the installation transforms the passerby into a tiny explorer, rediscovering the simple joys of childhood. It offers a dual reading: the first, light and joyful, inviting play and contemplation; and the second, more critical, questioning the freedom of action within our built environments.
Through Un jeu d’enfant!, we are invited to rethink our relationship with architecture and the city, while being reminded that creativity and imagination have neither age nor limit.
