Sole Crushing by Meriem Bennani: our photos of the immersive installation at Lafayette Anticipations

What if flip-flops became musical instruments? With Sole Crushing, Moroccan artist Meriem Bennani transformsLafayette Anticipations in Paris into a vast sculptural and sound orchestra, from October 22, 2025, to February 8, 2026. This monumental installation brings together around a hundred autonomous flip-flops and tap shoes that strike, clack and resonate on several levels of the building, creating a unique musical score. Part immersive performance, part contemporary art and part reflection on the collective, Sole Crushing invites us to rethink the boundary between symphony and uprising.

• To be read
• Lafayette Anticipations: opening hours, prices... everything you need to know about the contemporary art foundation
• Mark Leckey invites Christelle Oyiri to Lafayette Anticipations for the exhibition As Above So Below
• This week's tips in Paris and the Ile-de-France region, December 8-14, 2025

Conceived as a living crowd, the installation alternates between moments of unison and improvised solos, in the image of demonstrations, stadiums or the ceremonies of dakka marrakchia, the Moroccan musical tradition. Here, the simple click of a sole becomes a political gesture, a sonic signal of belonging, a unifying common language.

An installation for lovers of contemporary art and music.

The exhibition, a truly immersive installation, invites you to listen for approximately 30 minutes to dozens of flip-flops striking different surfaces in rhythm, creating a most curious music. Note that a large sofa will allow you to enjoy the experience without tiring yourself out by standing. A welcome comfort for people who have trouble standing. Walkers will take the opportunity to climb upstairs and admire the installation from another angle.

An installation for all ages, which should entertain children and pique the curiosity of their parents. The message behind this installation is aimed more at those who are curious about what the artist wants to convey through his work. The exhibition is also free and centrally located, making it as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. However, be warned: it is quite noisy and may not appeal to those who are sensitive to loud sounds.

A collaborative work adapted to the venue.

This version of Sole Crushing is a reinterpretation of the installation originally exhibited at the Fondazione Prada in 2024, as part of the For My Best Family exhibition. For its presentation in Paris, Meriem Bennani collaborates with musician Reda Senhaji, aka Cheb Runner, who signs a new original soundtrack. The artist also adapted her work specifically to the architecture of Lafayette Anticipations, playing with its volumes and verticality to amplify the sound experience.

Beyond the artistic gesture, Sole Crushing questions forms of cohabitation, the power of collective voices and the materiality of sound as a universal language. An invitation to listen to what binds us together, through a ballet of flip-flops striking the ground of an echoing city.