Consigne à vie, Bronze sculpture at Saint-Lazare Station, Paris, France
Consigne à vie is a bronze sculpture at Saint-Lazare Station made of stacked suitcases and travel bags reaching about six meters high. The work transforms familiar luggage into a large outdoor installation that visitors see while entering or leaving the station.
The sculpture was created by French artist Arman in 1985 as part of a government program to bring art into train stations. The work has been maintained and restored over the decades to preserve the bronze from weathering.
The sculpture speaks to the bond between people on the move and the objects they carry with them. It mirrors how travelers experience the station as a place of transition and departure.
The sculpture is located on the front facade of Saint-Lazare and is easily visible from the Cour de Rome plaza. The best vantage point for viewing is directly in front of the station building, where pedestrians naturally gather and pass through.
The sculpture underwent complete restoration in 2014 by the same foundry that originally cast it nearly thirty years earlier. This comprehensive renewal brought the work back to its original appearance while extending its lifespan.
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