Huang Yong Ping's 'Empires' Dominates Monumenta at Grand Palais

The ninth edition of Monumenta at the Grand Palais in Paris features Chinese artist Huang Yong Ping's installation 'Empires,' curated by Jean de Loisy. The work transforms the nave into an industrial landscape with a metal serpent suspended by a crane winding over eight hills of shipping containers, passing by an arch topped with a large Napoleonic hat. The serpent's open mouth threatens the ambition of powers, symbolizing the endless cycle of glory and destruction. Containers represent globalization and wealth circulation, while Napoleon's hat from the Battle of Eylau signifies the will to seize power. Huang, born in Xiamen in 1954 and a French resident since 1989, was a key figure in China's 1980s avant-garde and founder of the Xiamen Dada movement. 'Empires' incorporates the earlier installation 'Bâton Serpent' shown at MAXXI Rome in 2015. The exhibition runs until June 18, 2016, and includes related events such as conferences, films, a parkour performance by Yamakasi and students from the École Supérieure de l'Académie Fratellini, and a closing concert by the Orchestre National de Jazz directed by Olivier Benoit.