Daniel Buren: L’Observatoire de la lumière

In line with Fondation Louis Vuitton’s commitment to contemporary creation and encouragement of innovative encounters with its architecture, as of May 11, 2016, the Fondation Louis Vuitton will present a temporary work by Daniel Buren. Developed in close dialogue with the building by Frank Gehry, L’Observatoire de la lumière will be installed across the glass “sails,” the emblematic feature of the building. 

The 12 “sails,” formed of 3,600 pieces of glass, will be covered by a staggering array of coloured filters that are in turn punctuated, at equal distances from one another, by alternating white and blank stripes perpendicular to the ground. The 13 selected colours will make coloured forms appear and disappear, ever-changing with the time of day and the season. Through a play of colours, projections, reflections, transparencies and contrasts, both inside and outside, Daniel Buren will show this building in a new light.

Major international artist Daniel Buren (1938, France) has been developing a radical oeuvre characterised by the use of his “visual tool” (8.7 cm wide alternating white and coloured vertical stripes), since the 1960s. He moved from working with paint (1965–67) to working with space and its context. All his works are now conceived specifically for the space, context and features of the host venue and are created in situ, be that in a public space or in a museum or art gallery.

“Daniel Buren has designed a grandiose project, pertinent and enchanting, the result of a real dialogue with Frank Gehry and his building,” said Bernard Arnault, President of the Fondation Louis Vuitton.

Marking this occasion, a catalogue—designed with the artist—will bring together, for the first time, a considerable body of works based around intersecting themes—colour, transparency, light, translucency, projection—created between the 1970s and today. Co-edited with publishers Xavier Barral.

BurenCirque: 3 times another Hut
In parallel with this event, BurenCirque will be setting up camp across from the Fondation, for three exceptional and original performances of a new show, 3 times another Hut, on June 2–4, 2016. Devised in the early 2000s by Daniel Buren together with Dan and Fabien Demuynck, pioneers of contemporary circus, BurenCirque is a multidisciplinary project in which new talents, national and international, are invited to interact with features created by Daniel Buren. In 2013, Buren designed a new structure with three huts inspired by fairground architecture. Bright by day, they become translucent and mysterious lanterns at night.

Bookings and prices: www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr

Children’s workshops
Children aged six to ten will be able to enjoy the artist’s work thanks to “The light trap,” a workshop that will enable them to experience the multiple coloured facets of the Fondation Louis Vuitton, which will become a giant kaleidoscope. Tracking the projections and reflections during their discovery process, they will then have a chance to experiment in the workshop with how the play of transparency, opacity and colour modifies one’s perception of space.

From May 28 to August 28, every Saturday and Sunday, from 2:30–5pm

The Foundation app
A new itinerary with interviews and unseen videos. Available free on Appstore and Googleplay.

Media contacts at the Fondation Louis Vuitton
Isabella Capece Galeota, Director of Communication for the Fondation Louis Vuitton: i.capecegaleota [​at​] fondationlouisvuitton.fr

Brunswick Arts
Roya Nasser / Maude Le Guennec
T +33 (0) 6 20 26 33 28 / T +33 (0) 6 34 27 13 64 / fondationlouisvuitton [​at​] brunswickgroup.com