Three-dimensional space: sciences and letters, Bas-relief on a university building in Clermont-Ferrand, France
Plein relief spatial : les Sciences et les Lettres is a bas-relief mounted on the facade of a university building in Clermont-Ferrand, France. It is positioned near the main entrance of the building, making it visible to anyone approaching or passing by on foot.
The work was created in the mid-20th century, during a period when many public buildings in France were being decorated with stone or concrete art. It was designed by the artist Noël Georges, who used plain shapes to connect the decoration directly to the purpose of the building.
The relief on the university facade features shapes connected to knowledge and learning, visible to anyone walking past the building. As the sun moves across the sky, the shadows cast by the carved forms shift and give the surface a changing look throughout the day.
The relief is on the outside of the university building and can be seen at no cost at any time of day. Taking a moment to stand in front of it at different times allows you to notice how the carved surfaces catch the light in different ways.
The sculpture was not conceived as a standalone artwork but was planned as a fixed part of the building's architecture from the start. This close collaboration between the artist and the architect was a distinctive feature of public art commissions in France during that period.
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