From April 14 to June 30, 2023, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann will host a new installation by Korean artist Kimsooja entitled"To Breathe". This work offers a revelation of the architecture of the famous Haussmann department store through light.
More precisely, Kimsooja dresses the dome of the historic dome of Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann with a film that diffracts natural light into an infinite number of colors. This technique has the effect of transforming the exterior surfaces and interior spaces of the dome by creating ephemeral iridescent landscapes that evolve throughout the day according to the sun's rays.
For nearly three months, we will be at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann to admire To Breathe from the 8th floor terrace, as well as in the dome's interior, which is exceptionally open to the public for the installation. But that's not all: Kimsooja's work can also be heard throughout the department store, accompanied by a soundtrack playing in the space between the two domes.
This site-specific installation, the first of its kind in Paris, allows the artist to explore the sensory and meditative qualities of the department store. It invites the spectators to focus their eyes on these luminous environments, conducive to contemplation. In the heart of the Coupole, you will be able to live the singular and confidential experience of "To Breathe". Kimsooja's work is breathed to the rhythm of his own breath, diffused throughout the space between the two levels of the dome.
This initiative is an opportunity for Galeries Lafayette to offer us an original artistic experience, while highlighting their architectural heritage of the place we love. For art and design lovers, this installation is a must-see.
Kimsooja 's installation presented at Galeries Lafayette invites to an original dialogue with the emblematic historical dome of the store as a return to history. Built in 1912, this dome once diffused a multitude of colorful hues thanks to the stained glass windows designed by Jacques Grüber. Unfortunately, these have been removed and replaced by white glass, depriving the dome of its former brilliance. Kimsooja pays tribute to this glorious period by subtly reintroducing color through light. Thus, his installation To Breathe weaves vibrant links between acts of creation more than a hundred years apart, reconnecting with the original atmosphere of this historic monument, an emblem ofArt Nouveau.
In the center of the dome, themonumental installation offers a unique and intimate experience to visitors. In the space between the dome, the artist's work is breathed to the rhythm of his own breath, diffused throughout the space. The breath is at first slow and imperceptible, but gradually accelerates until it becomes intense and vibrant. The energy of the breath then blends with the changing chromatic experience, offering the audience an exceptional meditative and contemplative moment. By combining light and air, Kimsooja gives a creative energy to the department store, which she invites everyone to experience and actively feel. This unique installation allows visitors to discover the architecture and atmosphere of the department store from a new perspective, offering an original and immersive artistic experience.
If you are not familiar with Kimsooja, she is a South Korean artist who likes to explore the themes of displacement and exile in her work. For over 40 years, she has been interested in the bottari, a traditional South Korean object that symbolizes an autonomous world capable of containing everything, materially and conceptually. Through this object, she observes and questions the contemplative experience of migration and transitions. She also adopts the principle of "non-doing" to focus the gaze on an object or a phenomenon and make appearances that question the forces at work in art and life. Her installations, created specifically for each location, make perceptible immaterial notions such as the passage of time and offer a strong meditative and introspective dimension to visitors.
So, what if we went under or on the dome of the galleries to see all the colors?
Dates and Opening Time
From April 14th, 2023 to June 30th, 2023
Location
Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann
25 Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin
75009 Paris 9
Prices
Free
Recommended age
For all
Official website
www.galeriedesgaleries.com
