ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris

Ernesto Neto transforms Le Bon Marché with Le La Serpent

 

Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto transforms Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche with Le La Serpent, an exhibition celebrating the tenth anniversary of the department store‘s annual artist-invitation series. Running until February 23, 2025, the show offers a profound interpretation of the myth of Adam and Eve, presenting the serpent not as a symbol of sin but as a maternal force. Marking a decade of Le Bon Marché’s tradition of inviting artists to reinterpret its spaces, Neto follows a prestigious lineup that includes Ai Weiwei, Joana Vasconcelos, Prune Nourry, and Daniel Buren, among others. 

 

At the heart of the exhibition is Before Time Appeared, an immersive sculptural installation inviting visitors to walk barefoot into a multisensory experience. The trunk of the public art is filled with dried leaves, turmeric, cumin, and white paper derived from trees, evoking life’s interconnectedness through scent and touch. Suspended under the iconic glass ceiling of Le Bon Marché, a 28-meter-long crochet serpent, supported by bamboo arches, winds through the space. Neto describes the installation as an opportunity for visitors to connect deeply with their senses, noting, ‘I want to remind people that they have a body—that they can feel it. Scents activate memory and help us reconnect with our own essence.’

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
images courtesy of Ernesto Neto and Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

 

 

the exhibition extends beyond Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche interior

 

The title Le La Serpent reflects Ernesto Neto’s intention to challenge gender norms and celebrate feminine origins. In Portuguese, the word for serpent is feminine, which the artist aligns with Eve’s pivotal role in the Genesis story. By combining the French articles ‘le’ and ‘la’, Neto alludes to the union of Adam and Eve, positioning the serpent as a divine figure transcending gender—a bearer of life and wisdom.

 

The show honors the store’s founders, Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut, who introduced the White Month in the 19th century, stipulating that participating artists incorporate white into their works. Neto achieves this by integrating white paper and chalk for ephemeral visitor drawings on the walls. The exhibition extends beyond the interior of the Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche department store, with interactive window displays and installations along Rue de Sèvres and Rue du Bac. In the series Between Light and Shadow, the Collective is the Path, a serpent figure slithers across ten window displays, inviting passersby to follow its journey. Another series, Le L’Archéologie, highlights the creative process behind Neto’s works. Visitors can explore these narratives through guided tours, workshops, and a specially composed song by Neto that resonates throughout the space.

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
Ernesto Neto transforms Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche with Le La Serpent

 

 

exploring the animal’s significance across cultures

 

Neto draws inspiration from myths such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, which emphasizes the transformation from the divine to the human and celebrates the acceptance of mortality as the essence of life. He connects the serpent’s imagery to universal symbols of renewal, spirituality, and connection, likening it to the intertwined structure of DNA. ‘In many cultures, the serpent is a god,’ Neto explains, referencing figures like Mucalinda in Buddhist traditions and the feathered serpent in Native American lore. ‘It represents the bond between spirit and body.’

 

A comprehensive exhibition catalog will be available, featuring texts by Neto and invited contributors, such as Pedro Luz, exploring the serpent’s significance across cultures. Additional programming includes guided tours, artist conversations, and intimate dinners in the exhibition space.

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
the show offers a profound interpretation of the myth of Adam and Eve

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
the title Le La Serpent reflects Ernesto Neto’s intention to challenge gender norms and celebrate feminine origins

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
a 28-meter-long crochet serpent, supported by bamboo arches, winds through the space

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
the exhibition celebrates the tenth anniversary of the department store‘s annual artist-invitation series

ernesto-neto-monumental-crochet-serpent-le-bon-marche-paris-01-17-2025-designboom-1800-02

positioning the serpent as a divine figure transcending gender—a bearer of life and wisdom

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
Before Time Appeared invites visitors to walk barefoot into a multisensory experience

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
the trunk of the sculpture is filled with dried leaves, turmeric, cumin, and white paper derived from trees

ernesto neto suspends monumental crochet serpent within le bon marché in paris
evoking life’s interconnectedness through scent and touch

ernesto-neto-monumental-crochet-serpent-le-bon-marche-paris-01-17-2025-designboom-1800-01

Neto draws inspiration from myths

  
 
1/14
the artist alludes to the union of Adam and Eve
the artist alludes to the union of Adam and Eve
the show honors the store’s founders, Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut
the show honors the store’s founders, Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut
Neto follows a prestigious lineup that includes Ai Weiwei and Daniel Buren, among others.
Neto follows a prestigious lineup that includes Ai Weiwei and Daniel Buren, among others.
the installation is an opportunity for visitors to connect deeply with their senses
the installation is an opportunity for visitors to connect deeply with their senses
a specially composed song by Neto resonates throughout the space
a specially composed song by Neto resonates throughout the space
visitors can explore these narratives through guided tours
visitors can explore these narratives through guided tours
additional programming includes guided tours, artist conversations, and intimate dinners in the exhibition space
additional programming includes guided tours, artist conversations, and intimate dinners in the exhibition space
participating artists have to incorporate white into their works
participating artists have to incorporate white into their works
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche founders introduced the White Month in the 19th century
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche founders introduced the White Month in the 19th century
colorful beads hand from the crochet sculpture
colorful beads hand from the crochet sculpture
white paper and chalk are available for ephemeral visitor drawings on the walls.
white paper and chalk are available for ephemeral visitor drawings on the walls.
the exhibition extends beyond the interior of the Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche department store
the exhibition extends beyond the interior of the Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche department store
Neto connects the serpent’s imagery to universal symbols of renewal, spirituality, and connection
Neto connects the serpent’s imagery to universal symbols of renewal, spirituality, and connection
presenting the serpent not as a symbol of sin but as a maternal force
presenting the serpent not as a symbol of sin but as a maternal force

project info: 

 

name: Le La Serpent
artist: Ernesto Neto | @ernestonetoarte
location: Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche | @lebonmarcherivegauche, Paris, France

dates: 11 January – 23 February, 2025 

KEEP UP WITH OUR DAILY AND WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS
suscribe on designboom
- see sample
- see sample
suscribe on designboom

ernesto neto (15)

exhibition design (661)

le bon marché (12)

public art (664)

textile and fabric art (41)

X
5