A Picnic at Sunset reminds of star constellations above the map of the world, a mirage in a desert landscape, a fatamorgana. Two ripening sunflowers grow upside down from the ceiling, turning away from the sun toward the solar panels underneath. Flower heads like aging, imploding stars, made out of carbonised sugar, drip constantly and cover the surface of the panels. The “leaves” or the “roots” of the sunflowers are made out of mushroom-made leather. The metal structures are armed with reproductions of carved stone, reminiscent of ancient culture and technology. The system of interconnections in the shape of flowers/stars is based on 23 holes. It is like a clock without an hour. Taking out “one hour” changes the possible angles of the connections from 15/30/45/90 to slightly off-ones, defining how all the structure comes together, and creating a different time-space dimension. The mathematical orders mix with a fair dose of exceptions and chance, different systems intertwine. Carbonised sugar reacts to the temperature and humidity of the space melting throuout the exhibition.
A Picnic at Sunset, 2019
Carbonised sugar, jesmonite, mushroom fabric, broken solar panels, cables, painted steel, metal drills, clamps, bolts, screws
Installation view from the exhibition Futur, Ancien, Fugitif, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, FR