L'Envol, Bronze statue in Pentagon district, Brussels, Belgium.
L'Envol is a life-size bronze statue of Belgian singer Jacques Brel by Tom Frantzen, standing on a low round concrete base on the Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés. Brel wears a suit jacket and trousers, his arms spread wide and his head tilted back, with a microphone rising on a cable before his torso. Small bronze objects lie at his feet: a rose, a pile of fries, candies and a turntable disc.
The bronze was commissioned by the association of shopkeepers of the Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés and sculpted by Tom Frantzen. It was inaugurated on 11 October 2017 by alderman Marion Lemesre and association president Jean-Pierre Malherbe, a few steps from the Brel Foundation.
The title references words from Brel's songs and marks his lasting importance in Belgian music. Visitors who know his work can feel the passion captured in this bronze representation of his stage presence.
The sculpture is located near museums and cultural venues, making it an easy stop on a walking tour of the city center. You can reach it by foot while exploring neighboring landmarks and historic areas.
The bronze base carries small objects cast in metal: a rose, a pile of fries, candies and a turntable disc beneath the figure. They refer to Brel's songs and to his Belgian public rather than to any event at the unveiling.
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