Constellation de la douleur, set of sculptures located in Aisne, in France
Constellation de la douleur is a sculpture installation of nine large wooden figures standing on a slope near the Caverne du Dragon. The figures are made of charred oak wood, each about twenty feet (6 meters) tall, with no arms, legs, or faces, presenting simple and timeless forms.
The installation was unveiled in 2007 to honor African soldiers who died in 1917 during the assault on Chemin des Dames, particularly Senegalese tirailleurs from French colonies in West Africa. The dedication coincided with the 90th anniversary of the battle, marking the memory of thousands of soldiers in this region.
The nine wooden figures stand close together on the slope, as if speaking silently to one another. The arrangement suggests a gathering of witnesses bearing testimony to African soldiers who died here, their stories overlooked for many years until this work drew attention to them.
The site is free to visit and accessible by road near the Caverne du Dragon. Visitors can walk freely among the sculptures and spend as much time as needed to explore and reflect at their own pace.
The artist carved a depression into the ground to symbolize the wound left by war rather than recreating a traditional trench. This gash in the landscape creates a sense of isolation and becomes a meditative space expressing the inner loneliness of suffering.
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