Existential refuge

Biennale La science de l’art
Direction de la Culture de l’ESSONNE

2011, light installation

A shelter at the centre of the town offers the experience of an existential refuge. As a place of welcome in urban space, it immerses visitors in shimmering light. This installation, in a centrally located house, unsettles our perception of a refuge, which also becomes a mirage. At night, the windows are caught up in an endless revolving luminous motion. Projections of light coming from the windows form a dense beam turning around the house, which is the central pivot. This light shines from white to pale pink; an almost blinding light that envelopes passers-by. Nearby visitors are surrounded by these optical stripes. It is impossible to see inside. The light beams seem to freeze the interior of the house, a visual refuge but an impenetrable shelter.

Light projectors, gel filters, programming system