Le Moretti, Outdoor sculpture in La Défense business district, France.
Le Moretti is the cladding of a 32-metre ventilation shaft of slightly ovoid form, set back from the parvis between the Neuilly Défense and Manhattan Square buildings. It is made of 672 fibreglass tubes, 2 to 30 cm in diameter, painted in 19 bright, cool tones; laid end to end they reach 22 km and weigh 27.5 tonnes.
Raymond Moretti created this sculpture in 1990 as part of an artistic initiative for the business district. It was officially inaugurated in 1995 and became a permanent part of La Défense's architectural collection.
The work represents the fusion of functional urban infrastructure with modern art, bringing color to the glass and steel surroundings. Its bright appearance creates a visual contrast against the surrounding office towers.
The sculpture stands between the Neuilly Défense and Manhattan Square buildings and is easily reached via La Défense metro station and regional train services. Visitors can view the structure anytime during daylight hours as it is freely accessible from outside.
The 672 fiberglass tubes, 2 to 30 cm in diameter, are painted in 19 vivid, cool tones and total 22 km in length, weighing 27.5 tonnes. They were brought by barge from the factory to the site, and assembly took 2,100 hours. The work was created in 1990 and inaugurated in 1995.
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