The Theorem Of Narcissus: A Free Exhibition At The Petit Palais In Paris
If you're looking for an idea for a free outing in the capital, you should know that the Petit Palais is currently hosting a temporary exhibition with free access. Entitled Le Théorème de Narcisse, this exhibition by Jean-Michel Othoniel invites you to take a dreamlike stroll through the museum and its gardens. A real feast for the eyes!
A walk in the museum and its gardens
The artist Jean-Michel Othoniel is exhibiting until the end of the year at the Petit Palais in Paris 70 new works, almost all of which have been produced especially for the occasion.
This artist, known for his obsession with pearls and reflections, will once again surprise you... You surely know his Kiosque des noctambules, located at the exit of the Palais-Royal metro station in front of the Comédie-Française and his black pearl fountains installed at the Qatar Museum.
With this exhibition entitled The Theorem of Narcissus, the artist invests the entire museum building and the garden for a dreamlike and shimmering walk.
This event, moreover, constitutes the artist's largest solo exhibition in Paris since his My Way retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in 2011.
Bewitching creations to discover
Jean-Michel Othoniel's works are an invitation to dream as the artist has a habit of playing with illusion, the imaginary and the unreal.
In the Le Théorème de Narcisse tour, some works turn with the wind, others reflect the architecture of the Petit Palais, while a Blue River flows up to the monument's gate!
As the title of the exhibition suggests, most of these creations play with reflections, especially since Jean-Michel Othoniel has been developing a theory of reflections for nearly ten years with the complicity of Mexican mathematician Aubin Arroyo.
These astonishing and colourful installations dialogue with the sumptuous architecture of the monument and the gold of its garden. They are alternately embedded in the Petit Palais building or suspended from trees or even placed on the water.
As soon as visitors arrive, the magic happens as the Steps of the Petit Palais are transformed into an impressive river of blue bricks.
A factory of illusions
To create these dreamlike works, Jean-Michel Othoniel works with a small team of 10 people in a brand new studio located in Montreuil.
The creative process begins with watercolor drawings and continues with technical phases of 3D creation, bead and glass block making and pigment work.
About her process, the artist explains, 'Offering beauty, wonder, a time of pure contemplation and retreat is a true luxury.'
At the Petit Palais, this luxury is within the reach of all pockets and eyes since access to this exhibition is entirely free.
By offering the public this enchanted interlude free of charge, the artist invites visitors to dream in order to better resist the disillusionment of our world.
Practical information
The exhibition The Theorem of Narcissus by Jean-Michel Othoniel is being held at the Petit Palais from 28 September 2021 to 2 January 2022.
Address
Petit Palais
Avenue Winston Churchill
75008 Paris
Tel : 01 53 43 40 00
Tuesday to Sunday: from 10am to 6pm (last entry at 5:15pm)
Nocturne on Friday until 9pm (only for temporary exhibitions, last entry at 8:15pm)
Closed on January 1st, November 11th and December 25th.
Fees
Free admission
Note: access to the permanent collections of the Petit Palais is also free.
