Fers, Contemporary sculpture in 17th arrondissement of Paris, France
Fers is a contemporary metal sculpture located in Jardin de la Solitude on Place du Général-Catroux. The installation features broken chains and shackles arranged in space to create a powerful visual statement about freedom and resistance.
The city commissioned this work in 2009 to replace an earlier monument destroyed during the Vichy regime. The replacement restored recognition of General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, whose memory had been erased during that difficult period.
The work speaks to freedom from slavery through imagery of broken chains and shackles. Visitors walking through the garden space immediately recognize these symbols and understand which historical struggles the installation honors.
The sculpture sits in a public garden and remains freely accessible throughout the year. Its location on Place du Général-Catroux makes it easy to find and serves as a good landmark when exploring the neighborhood.
Artist Driss Sans-Arcidet taught himself metalworking after studying psychology and philosophy at university. This background gives the sculpture a personal intensity, as someone who thought deeply about human nature before choosing to speak through art.
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