The Chat - Hotton

This beautiful bronze statue at the 'place du chat' (former Quartier en Rahisse) is powered entirely by solar energy for lighting and fountain operation.

Le Chat carries an umbrella that doubles as a fountain during the day and lights at night, all powered by solar panels.

The cat shares her mood about the world around her with the audience. He thinks about the little things in life and the big problems in society. If sometimes, like everyone else, he feels like it's raining under his umbrella, he also wants to tell us that, despite everything, he believes in humanity, which will be saved by ensuring the future of the planet.

Hotton's statue is an ode to renewable energy. The cat doesn't pollute and encourages those who love her to do the same.

The statue of "Le Chat" was created in 2008 by François Deboucq, a renowned sculptor. "Le chat" is a well-known character from Philippe Geluck's cartoon , which he invented in 1988 and appeared weekly in a full-page insert in the newspaper "Le Soir" until 2013.

Le Chat is an adult, obese, human-sized, anthropomorphic cat who usually wears a suit. It always has the same physical expression. He often finds elaborate arguments that lead to hilariously absurd conclusions , for example by taking metaphors literally or adding ever more unlikely wannabe situations to ordinary situations.

Willem Vandenameele