To celebrate the opening of French artist Bernar Venet’s latest exhibition at Custot Gallery Dubai, we look back at 15 of his finest public sculpture commissions and outdoor exhibitions from Quebec to Kaukapakapa.

See all of the grand locations and gravity-defying structures mentioned here in our slideshow, and read on to go on a world tour of the best of the sculptor's work.

Berlin: “124.5° Arc,” 1987

Gifted to Berlin by France to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the city, this 40-meter-wide curve can be found across from the German capital’s Urania building. One of Venet’s first ever public commissions, it is also one of the artist’s personal favorites. Venet once said in an interview that “it is a sculpture I liked so much that I decided, a year after, to make a similar one in Nice.”

Florida: “97.5° Arc x 8,” 2004

Perhaps Venet’s crowning achievement as a sculptor, this work seems to defy gravity as the 7.5-meter curve reaches into the sky, balancing on the thinnest of points to create what Venet at the time called a “drawing in space.” It was part of a retrospective by Sotheby’s at a golf club in Orlando.

Versailles: “85.8° Arc x 16,” 2011

Venet has always sought out spectacular locations when accepting commissions, but arguably none as grand as the seven sculptures displayed at the Palace of Versailles in France in 2011. Venet said of Versailles that “it is the perfect venue for my sculptures — and a real challenge. My Arcs have to blend in without fading away in the backdrop.” This was best achieved with these sculptures, which acted like parentheses around the statue of the palace’s former dweller, Louis XIV.

Strasbourg: “Indeterminate Line,” 1990

Whereas Venet’s “Arc” sculptures rely on mathematical precision to achieve their curve, “Indeterminate Line,” at Place de Bordeaux — one of Strasbourg’s busiest spots — is far more free-form. Its sprawling spiral almost seems like a three-dimensional doodle, albeit one that is seven meters tall and 11 meters wide.

Vienna/Budapest: “Arcs in Disorder: 3 Arcs x 4,” 2014

Another work for another palace. This time, Venet presented a series of nearly complete circles that sat outside Vienna’s Belvedere Palace, whose Baroque design offered a perfect contrast to the artist’s minimalist arcs. In 2015, the 8-ton, $1.1 million sculpture was transferred to Budapest, where it is now situated near the Elizabeth Bridge. Originally meant to be displayed in the south of France, Venet “decided on Budapest instead, given the ‘prominent’ spot on offer.”

Denver: “Indeterminate Line,” 2004

Located outside the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, this 20-ton sculpture is one of the more geometric “Indeterminate Lines” works, with its tight round central spiral at odds with the more free-flowing works in the series. However, it has been sand-blasted and coated with acid, like most of Venet’s sculptures, to give it the signature rusted look.

Quebec: “2 Arcs of 245.5°,” 1997

This is one of the 15 works by mostly French artists that feature in Quebec’s Julie and Christian Lassonde Sculpture Garden, which surrounds the Musée des Beaux-Arts. This piece utilizes aluminium, a departure from the COR-TEN steel brand that most of Venet's outdoor works are made of.

Marseille: “Disorder: 84 Arcs,” 1997

Exhibited in 2013 at the Palais du Pharo, this is one of the most ambitious works Venet ever attempted. Commissioned to celebrate Marseille’s year as the European Capital of Culture, it features 84 arcs across the Pharo lawn, placed so as to be in harmony with a landscape Venet described as “sublime” in an interview.

Venice/New York: “Disorder: 9 Uneven Angles,” 2015

As France’s most popular public artist, it was only a matter of time before Venet was asked to participate in the Venice Biennale. Strangely, this piece was featured in the “Glasstress” exhibition, which ostensibly matches artists with master glassmakers, even though this work is made of steel. This confusing relationship aside, however, the 8 meter piece certainly turned heads at Venice and also when it was later exhibited in Union Square, New York.

Bottrop: “Indeterminate Line,” 1987

One of Venet’s earlier “Indeterminate Lines,” this work can be found in the idyllic sculpture garden of the Josef Albers Museum Quadrat in Bottrop, Germany, where it sits alongside other pieces by Donald Judd, Walter Dexel, and more — like a condensed history of minimalist sculpture from the 1920s onwards.

Vancouver: “217.5° Arc x 13,” 2005

This work was purchased as part of the 2005-2007 Vancouver Biennale. It is now on display on Sunset Beach, where it has become something of a local celebrity, nicknamed “Whale Ribs” due to its location and resemblance to bones, and often featuring a hammock someone has installed (presumably to the chagrin of the artist).

Dublin: “217.5° Arc x 12,” 2008

Installed outside the city’s Irish Museum of Modern Art, “217.5° Arc x 12” comprises two sets of six arcs assembled in a shape that recalls a venn diagram or a large letter “W” to create a piece strangely at odds with the 17th century building that is the museum’s home.

San Diego: “221.5° Arc x 28,” 2008

In 2008, San Diego’s waterfront was enlivened with eight representative works from various Venet series, including “Arcs” and “Indeterminate Lines.”  Principal among these was this work at Embarcadero Marina Park South, with its various elements perfectly balancing the control and chaos always at odds in Venet’s best work.

Kaukapakapa:“88.5° Arc x 8,” 2012

Although major cities around the word have a Venet, often the most interesting works are found in stunning remote locations. This is certainly true of the piece featured in the Gibbs Farm sculpture park in Kaukapakapa, New Zealand: another tall gravity-defying work perfectly at home alongside other significant works by artists such as Richard Serra, Anish Kapoor and Sol Lewitt.

Duisburg: “5 Arcs x 5,” 2007

Venet often chooses locations whose stunning landscapes give his work an innate drama, but this sculpture outside the Theater Duisburg in Germany takes the relationship between his arcs and drama more literally. According to the German Kulturbüro, it is full of “the vibrations of the music and the power of representation.”

“Bernar Venet” runs through July 30 at Custot Gallery Dubai.