Theoretical projects
2020/12/20
What is essential is invisible to the eye…
For the 2021 edition of the Jardins de Métis International Garden Festival, Atelier Monarque Architecture was among the 23 finalists that made it to the jury with their project What is essential is invisible to the eye…
“Goodbye,” said the fox. “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly: what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
“What is essential is invisible to the eye,” the Little Prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”
“It is the time I have wasted for my rose –” said the Little Prince, so that he would be sure to remember.
“Men have forgotten this truth,” said the fox. “But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose…”
“I am responsible for my rose,” the Little Prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
The Little Prince, Chapter XXI,
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
What is essential is invisible to the eye…
Saint-Exupéry reminds us with these words that it is in the smallest things that life gets its meaning; these things are often intangible and short-lived, but it is their sum that makes them precious. If there is one lesson we’ve learned from the confinement, it is how much we take these magical moments for granted: a smile in the subway, an evening spent with loved ones sharing a meal, or a walk outside during the sunset.
The installation draws the visitors in with mysterious ropes that reveal, on the surface, the complex underground rhizomes that nature uses to communicate and evolve. Once the visitors reach the middle of the installation, three large benches welcome them for a moment of respite while contemplating nature, but also give them an opportunity to unwind and connect, through serendipitous conversations with friends or even perfect strangers. In lieu of the Little Prince’s rose, we’ve chosen a Japanese maple tree, that will show its beautiful red leaves all season long and will grow as time passes, delighting children and adults alike. What will make this tree unique is the time that visitors will waste in its company.
