Adrien Vescovi's Monumental Textile Installation at Marseille's Vieille Charité

Adrien Vescovi (b. 1981) presents 'Dormir comme le soleil' at the Centre de la Vieille Charité in Marseille from May 16, 2026 to January 17, 2027. The installation features over 600 dyed sheets suspended across 108 arches, specially engineered to withstand mistral winds up to 100 km/h. Vescovi uses natural dyes from plants, spices, and ochres, with colors that fade over time, embracing decay as part of the work's life. The project, his most ambitious to date, transforms the baroque chapel by Pierre Puget and the former hospice's corridors, echoing historical photographs of laundry hung there after WWII. Curator Laëtitia Olivier notes the resonance with the site's past as an emergency shelter. Vescovi's studio in Belle de Mai focuses on sustainable practices: using vinegar to neutralize pH, reusing water, and sourcing old sheets. The exhibition is free and connects the site's museums (Mediterranean Archaeology, African/Oceanic/American Arts, Poetry Center, EHESS, CNRS).