When public art questions the landscape

As early as 1978, Villeurbanne became the setting for an innovative cultural policy. For its public spaces, the city launched a series of ambitious commissions, creating a true open-air museum. A contemporary collection to discover, in partnership with Le Rize.

This walk takes visitors from one end of Saint-Clair’s Grande Rue to the other, discovering the work of American artist Peter Downsbrough— at once subtle and monumental. A landscape and artistic immersion between the Rhône River and The Balme, punctuated by lines, geometries, vanishing points, words, and half-words.

Downtown Lyon is home to monumental and iconic works of public art. This walking tour, from Les Terreaux to the banks of the Saône, invites you to (re)discover how contemporary art interacts with the monumental and historic architecture of the Presqu’île and its surroundings.

The Part-Dieu neighborhood is home to a rich collection of artworks, ranging from the sculptures of the 1978 Symposium to the installations of the 2000s, including the community gardens of the 1990s. This tour offers insight into the connections between urban planning, architecture, and art.

Since the 1970s, the City of Vénissieux has built an exceptional collection of modern and contemporary art. About forty works are in public spaces, creating landmarks and fostering a sense of identity at the neighborhood level. Let’s set out to discover this unique and little-known urban museum.