The Passenger

The Passenger is a large public sculpture near the entrance to the Grand-Place: a sweeping wave of stacked timber that curves overhead, creating a dramatic gateway to the historic centre. The work was originally commissioned for Mons's year as European Capital of Culture in 2015 and proved popular enough that a version was made permanent.

It is the kind of public art that divides opinion — too big, too foreign, too modern for some; a welcome jolt of ambition for others. Either way, it is impossible to miss and has become part of the city's visual identity. The timber construction echoes Mons's industrial and mining past in the Borinage region to the west.

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When Mons was named European Capital of Culture 2015, the city commissioned a series of major artworks. The Passenger — a 43-metre wave of stacked wooden logs surging over the entrance to the Grand-Place — was created by the Spanish artist Claudia Fontes and became one of the most talked-about temporary installations of the year. A permanent version was later installed near the train station.

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