Cameroonian artist Barthélémy Toguo chosen to decorate Montpellier tramway trains

"I called this work + Leaf of life +. There is the head of a man in profile, the open mouth from which plants come out. For me, it is the association of man and the plant world , the interaction that exists between the individual and the elements that surround him", explained the visual artist of 56 years, via a press release.

A rising figure in contemporary art, Barthélémy Toguo is notably behind the pillar of colored bales exhibited under the Pyramid of the Louvre in Paris since October, a monumental work called "The Pillar of Missing Migrants".

"The choice of Barthélémy Toguo was obvious because it sends us back to the otherness of the world and perfectly traces the identity of Montpellier", explained the mayor of Montpellier, Michaël Delafosse.

Since the launch of the tramway in Montpellier in 2000, the four lines in circulation have all been decorated by artists, on the themes of air, earth, water and fire, including lines 3 and 4 by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix.

Line 5, work on which began recently, will link the north-eastern outskirts to the south-west of Montpellier from 2025, passing through the historic centre.

The use of Montpellier's bus and tram network will be completely free for all inhabitants of the metropolis from the end of this year, as is already the case for those under 18 and those over 65, as well as on weekends for all residents.