jean-michel othoniel stacks 10,000 black glass bricks to build ‘the big wave’

from now through september 24, 2017, two simultaneous exhibitions dedicated to artist jean-michel othoniel are presented in france — at the centre régional d’art contemporain occitanie/pyrénées-méditerranée (regional centre for contemporary art), in sète, and the carré sainte-anne, contemporary art space in the city of montpellier. ‘géométries amoureuses’ features some sixty sculptures, a dozen paintings and over a hundred works on paper, revealing several aspects of the artist’s multifaceted work.

exhibition view of ‘the big wave’ | image courtesy of galerie perrotin © marc domage

the centre régional d’art contemporain — a former industrial wasteland re-conceived as a center for art and culture — presents a selection of othoniel’s previously unseen work. at ground level, the exhibition begins with a monumental 6-meter-high, 15-meter-long wave comprising more than ten thousand black glass bricks. conceived specifically for site, ‘the big wave’ takes its name from the first photograph taken in sète in 1987 by gustave le gray.

exhibition view of ‘the big wave’ | image courtesy of galerie perrotin © marc domage

further rooms of the exhibition seek to thematically reflect the potential violence of natural elements. the subject is abstractly represented by a series of enormous cyclones made from steel, delicately suspended in space, as well as a flower, ‘the wild pansy’ — a gigantic knot of colored-glass pearls paying tribute to the freedom of thought.

exhibition view of ‘the big wave’ | image courtesy of galerie perrotin © marc domage

exhibition view of ‘the big wave’ | image courtesy of galerie perrotin © marc domage

‘the big wave’ (detail) | image by othoniel studio

‘the big wave’ (detail) | image by jean-michel othoniel

video courtesy of othoniel studio

exhibition view of ‘tornado’ | image courtesy of galerie perrotin © marc domage

exhibition view of ‘tornado’ | image courtesy of galerie perrotin © marc domage

exhibition view of ‘black & purple tornado’ | image courtesy of galerie perrotin © marc domage

exhibition view of ‘the wild pansy’ | image courtesy of galerie perrotin © marc domage

video courtesy of othoniel studio

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