Guillaume Herbaut — French Fifth

Bibliothèque Elsa Triolet
4 rue de l’Union
Bobigny

From November 9th until December 30th 2023

In place for 62 years, following its adoption by referendum in 1958, the constitution of the French Fifth Republic and the institutions that guarantee it have long been associated with an image of an era of progress, of a strong and dynamic France. “One of the essential characteristics of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic is that it gives a head to the State”, said Charles de Gaulle of the text he commissioned from his future Prime Minister Michel Debré.

And yet, in France, a country where history is important if ever there was one, we know what was done in the past to the heads of state…

Today, the Fifth Republic appears to be on the verge of asphyxiation. The persistent economic crisis, the feeling of a two-speed society (or even a multi-fractured one, since the 90s and the appearance of the expression “fracture sociale” in political discourse), the concentration of power, terrorist attacks, the rise of populism, the Yellow Vests crisis are all straining its foundations. The Covid-19 pandemic has only accelerated the ills of the Fifth.

Through the jolts of the nation’s political and social life, this work questions the representation of the French republic today. Emmanuel Macron’s five-year term, often marked by the centralism and “Jupiterian” nature of the head of state, is nearing its end. The question of governance, for a time silenced by crisis

A sculpture of the Marianne head adorns the garden of “La Fontaine aux images” in the Chêne Pointu district. La Fontaine aux images” is a circus tent, where all forms of expression meet and mingle, between amateurs and professionals. It offers numerous shows for young audiences, concerts and plays. It was in this district that the riots began in the suburbs in 2005.