La Voix lactée, Contemporary mosaic in Saint-Lazare metro station, Paris, France
La Voix lactee is a contemporary mosaic in the Saint-Lazare metro station featuring magnified red lips set against a dark background. The work spans across the wall of the connecting tunnel between lines 14 and 9, merging the glass mosaic composition with poetry verses integrated into the surrounding tunnel walls.
The installation was created in 2011 through cooperation between the Montreal and Paris metro systems to celebrate 50 years of Montreal's underground transit. This international partnership brought an artistic vision from North America into the Paris transportation network.
The verses by Anne Hébert integrated into the tunnel walls blend poetry with a visual celebration of beauty and sensuality in the metro space. This combination creates an unexpected encounter with art for travelers moving through their daily commute.
The mosaic is located at the north end of the connecting tunnel between lines 14 and 9, making it easy to view while transferring between trains. Visitors can see the work during regular metro hours without any need for special access or entry requirements.
The mosaic is a reproduction of a photograph that was originally displayed at the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art, recreated as glass mosaic by the German workshop Franz Mayer. This transformation from photographic image to glass mosaic gives the artwork a completely different tactile quality and visual presence in the tunnel space.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
