Bernar Venet's Monumental Sculptures Invade Versailles Gardens
Between June 1 and November 1, 2011, monumental sculptures by Bernar Venet—Arcs, Lignes verticales, and Effondrements—were showcased in the gardens of the Château de Versailles, thanks to the invitation of Jean-Jacques Aillagon and curator Bernard Marcadé. Rather than serving as a retrospective, the exhibition emphasized significant research themes. The sculptures were strategically placed throughout the grounds, including the parterre du Midi and place d'Armes, where two identical Arcs framed both the château and the statue of Louis XIV. Venet's artistic journey transitioned from conceptual and minimalist art, with the first Arcs created in 1976. Additional exhibitions included "Peintures 2001–2011" at Hôtel des Arts, Toulon (June 11–September 18, 2011) and "Bernar Venet – sculptures" at Fondation Poppy et Pierre Salinger (June 21–October 30, 2011).
Key facts
- Exhibition ran June 1 to November 1, 2011 at Château de Versailles gardens.
- Bernar Venet showed Arcs, Lignes verticales, and Effondrements.
- Invited by Jean-Jacques Aillagon and curated by Bernard Marcadé.
- Sculptures placed at parterre du Midi, parterre d'Eau, bassin du Char d'Apollon, bassin du Fer à cheval, place d'Armes, Domaine de Marly.
- First work: two symmetrical Arcs on place d'Armes framing château and Louis XIV statue.
- Venet's early works include Déchets, Goudrons, Tas de Charbon (1960s).
- After New York move, he created Tubes and later Arcs (1976).
- Effondrement introduced in 1996 uses randomness.
- Concurrent exhibitions at Hôtel des Arts, Toulon and Fondation Poppy et Pierre Salinger.
- Aillagon told Venet: 'Don't just do an exhibition, make a grand gesture.'
Entities
Artists
- Bernar Venet
- Joseph Kosuth
- Frank Stella
Institutions
- Château de Versailles
- Hôtel des Arts, Toulon
- Fondation Poppy et Pierre Salinger
- La Bastide Rose
Locations
- Versailles
- France
- New York
- United States
- Toulon
- Le Thor
- place d'Armes
- parterre du Midi
- parterre d'Eau
- bassin du Char d'Apollon
- bassin du Fer à cheval
- Domaine de Marly
Sources
- artpress —