Ulla von Brandenburg's Theatrical Installation at Palais de Tokyo

Ulla von Brandenburg's exhibition 'Le Milieu est bleu' at Palais de Tokyo in Paris (2020, initially scheduled until May 17, now closed) transforms the space into a theatrical, nostalgic environment. The show begins with a wall of coarsely painted fabrics featuring a circular opening evoking a camera diaphragm. A real haystack, reminiscent of Monet's haystacks, fills the space with its scent. Performers in improvised choreography use giant chalk sticks (writing), wicker fishing traps (food), and quilts (nomadic life). Life-sized textile dolls lie on the floor. The centerpiece is a film shot with the Théâtre du peuple community (founded 1895 in Bussang, Vosges), depicting a microsociety in medieval tunics chanting and crafting objects. The film ends with protagonists slowly walking into the forest, looking upward as if seeing a different, 'blue' world. Von Brandenburg aims to create an anti-Palais de Tokyo, evoking rural memories and rituals to combat modern loneliness.