Metro mosaic depicting singer Georges Brassens at Porte des Lilas station was vandalized or damaged
In the heart of Paris, between Paris and Les Lilas (Seine-Saint-Denis), the Porte des Lilas station has long been adorned with a series of mosaics, created by artist Michel L'Huillier in the late 1980s as a tribute to the song Les Lilas. However, during the holidays, one of these mosaics, depicting the renowned French singer-songwriter Georges Brassens, was unfortunately destroyed during waterproofing work at the station.
The news of the destruction was met with disappointment by Michel L'Huillier, the artist behind the mosaics, as well as the local community, who saw the destroyed mosaics as an integral part of the station's decoration and cultural significance. A study commissioned by the RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) concluded that the preservation of the mosaics was incompatible with the requirements for durability and continuity of the transport offer.
In January, the RATP announced the destruction of three mosaics, including the Georges Brassens tribute, and expressed a desire to honor Georges Brassens within the station. A new work has been proposed to Michel L'Huillier, intended to be visible for travellers and protected from the risk of infiltration. The new mosaic would aim to continue the artistic homage to Georges Brassens, possibly updating the design or materials to ensure better preservation and integration within the station’s environment.
However, the RATP has yet to provide details on plans to preserve the memory of the destroyed mosaics beyond the proposed new work. Heritage preservation associations launched a petition with 10,000 signatures to preserve the original mosaics, but their request was not met. Michel L'Huillier has not yet responded to the RATP's proposal.
The associations suggested solutions to the RATP to keep the works while carrying out the necessary work, but these suggestions were not implemented. The destroyed mosaics held cultural significance for the local community, and their loss is a reminder of the importance of preserving our artistic heritage.
As plans for a new tribute to Georges Brassens take shape, the RATP and Michel L'Huillier must ensure that the memory of the original works is not forgotten, and that the new mosaic serves as a testament to the lasting impact of Georges Brassens on the Paris Métro system and the local community.
Michel L'Huillier, the artist responsible for the mosaics at Porte des Lilas station, was disheartened by the destruction of a mosaic depicting Georges Brassens. The lost mosaic was seen as an essential part of the station's decor and cultural significance by the local community. As a new tribute to Brassens is being proposed, it is crucial that the memory of the original works is not forgotten and that the new mosaic stands as a symbol of Brassens' enduring influence on the Paris Métro system and the local community.
