Maternity

In 2009, Georges Hanskens' work *Maternity* was installed at the Nouveau Bassin. Made of bronze with a brown patina, this sculpture rests on a large monolithic white granite base. From a distance, it may seem more modest than other installations in the area, but its theme naturally invites viewers to come closer to admire it, unlike other works that require stepping back to appreciate the details.

Upon viewing the piece, the observer first sees a set of intertwined geometric shapes, whose meaning is not immediately clear without knowing the title. Once revealed, the lines take on meaning: one can distinguish a mother embracing her child or the silhouette of a pregnant woman. Georges Hanskens himself explained that he designed this sculpture as a tribute to women, gestation, and birth. This idea aligns with the natural surroundings of the site, where flowers and trees are born, live, and fade, reminding us of the cycle of life.