P.I.L.I., installation art by Philippe Favier
P.I.L.I. is an art installation created by French artist Philippe Favier in 2000, displayed in the Pyramides and Madeleine metro stations on line 14. The work uses lights and design to interpret how metro maps function, transforming the underground passage into a space that engages commuters during their daily travels.
The installation was created in 2000 to mark the hundredth anniversary of the Paris metro system. This timing connects the work to the metro's history while introducing contemporary art and poetic language into the stations where daily commuters pass through.
P.I.L.I. draws its name from the light systems found on Paris metro maps, blending the practical needs of commuters with poetry by Jacques Roubaud. The work creates a moment for reflection in the daily rhythm of travelers moving through the underground stations.
The artwork is located underground at the Pyramides and Madeleine stations, where it is regularly encountered by commuters changing between train lines. You can observe the design details best by moving slowly through the area or pausing briefly to study the lights and structure.
The piece was inspired by writings from Jacques Roubaud, a poet who connected the metro's everyday navigation system with literary creativity. This fusion of practical necessity and poetic thought makes the work stand out as art that interweaves with real movement through the city.
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