A flagship artwork of downtown Saint-Lambert, Le cercle de vie was created in 1989 by the sculptor Jean Brillant. This magnificent sculpture is composed of a huge granite circle surrounded by a continuous steel band with a bronze patina. With its unpretentious geometry, it embodies a universal metaphor that could represent a city’s movement forward, its progress.

Each of the composite granite sections has a different colour and is carefully adapted to the circular motif. Each angle had to be measured and cut according to the method used in ancient Roman and Greek architecture to fit perfectly with all the others so as to form a whole. Similarly, the blocks, which are shaped like piano keys, are reminiscent of those adorning the top of entrances to buildings of classical construction. Standing proudly in the middle of the Parc de la Gare, this impressive work follows Jean Brillant’s recent artistic activities, which include an in-depth exploration of the different types of stone found in Québec.