For two years, a talented artist has been waiting for a final decision from the Collioure municipality regarding a sculpture project commissioned for the town's new Bernardi Esplanade. What began as an enthusiastic verbal agreement between Mayor Guy Llobet and artist Philippe Laborderie has turned into a bureaucratic maze of consultations, commissions, and delays.

In August 2023, Mayor Llobet approached Philippe Laborderie, affectionately known as "Fifi" to locals, requesting a sculpture design for the new Bernardi Esplanade. Laborderie, a Toulouse-based artist who has become deeply connected to Collioure through countless visits, meals, and celebrations over several decades, is described as an unconventional and colorful character who draws poetic inspiration from the environmental beauty that fills his memory and soul.

Laborderie's vision for the sculpture reflects his deep connection to Collioure's unique landscape. "The bay of Collioure offers a unique panoramic view, with seas, beaches, facades, roofs, mountains, and skies that overlap in layers, changing colors and light with the winds," he explained. His proposed sculpture would stand 2.7 meters tall on the Faubourg promenade, positioned between the sea and mountains, between the ramparts and the Customs tower.

The artist envisioned a mineral, architectural, vertical, and solid construction that would be visible from afar while integrating with the remarkable alignment of palm trees. The design features colored concrete layers depicting sails, trees, crops, fish, and birds, with the sculpture appearing twisted by powerful winds and topped by a sun. The project took shape with both form and substance, ready to come to life in its designated location.

However, when Laborderie approached Mayor Llobet in the fall for approval, the mayor decided to seek opinions from Claire Muchir, Curator of the Modern Art Museum (MAM) of Collioure, and Caroline Marlot, Chief Architect of the prestigious Buildings of France (ABF). This decision marked the beginning of what would become a frustrating bureaucratic ordeal for the artist.

What followed was a succession of letters, emails, meetings, and phone calls leading nowhere, stretching over weeks and then months. The artist describes the experience as a "Way of the Cross," with each party passing the decision to another. After two years, there is still no definitive answer, with everyone deflecting responsibility for the final decision.

The timeline of responses reveals the bureaucratic shuffle that has characterized this project. The MAM Curator stated on March 19, 2024: "I will see the ABF and give them the file pending their opinion, then I'll get back to you quickly." The Architect of Buildings of France provided a favorable opinion on June 11, 2024, noting that "the support site, dedicated to the installation of this sculpture, is positioned in the remarkable heritage site of Collioure" and confirming that "this project meets the architectural, landscape, and pictorial requirements intended for the city of Collioure."

Despite the favorable architectural review, Mayor Llobet responded on November 29, 2024, with yet another delay. He explained that at his request, Laborderie had met with Claire Muchir, who proposed forming an expert commission to provide informed opinions on artistic commission proposals they regularly receive, including Laborderie's. The mayor stated that "given the imperatives and priorities that are ours, the constitution of this commission has been deferred to 2025."

The artist notes with bitter irony that it's a well-known French and Catalan practice in the Northern Catalonia region to create a commission when officials want to bury a project. The situation has led him to wonder whether Surrealism has dethroned Fauvism in Collioure, referencing the town's rich artistic heritage.

Frustrated by the endless delays, Laborderie has sent what he describes as his final letter to the mayor: "I conclude that you no longer want the sculpture for the Bernardi esplanade of the Faubourg. I am very disappointed. It is certain that the choice to install a work of art in a public space never achieves unanimity. I now wish to be quickly paid for the work I carried out for this project a year ago; you now have the invoice. I know you understand me." The situation remains unresolved, leaving both the artist and the community wondering what will become of this long-delayed cultural project.