Narcissus Theorem

Jean-Michel Othoniel will be taking over the Petit Palais and its garden in September 2021 with the biggest exhibition devoted to the artist in Paris since 2011. The exhibition, titled 'Narcissus Theorem', will feature over 70 new works and explore the theory of reflections that the artist has been developing with Mexican mathematician Aubin Arroyo. The exhibition will include mirrored pieces that reflect the frescoes of the peristyle, monumental water lilies, gold necklaces, and pearls niched in the peristyle. The Crown of the Night comes from a forest in northern Europe and the Narcissus grotto awaits us at the foot of the staircase, where we find the whole universe of reflections.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 48 pages
Publication date: 30 June 2022
Publisher: Actes Sud

From September 2021, Jean-Michel Othoniel will be taking over the entirety of the Petit Palais and its garden, presenting the largest exhibition dedicated to the artist in Paris since the My Way retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in 2011. The exhibition will revolve around the Petit Palais and its rich history, with the artworks engaging in a dialogue with the architectural features of the building and its garden. Othoniel has conceived the Narcissus Theorem for this occasion, focusing on the figure of the beautiful flower and its reflection of the world around it.

Narcissism is not always a neurosis but can serve as a positive force in artistic creation. Sublimation is not always the denial of desire but can be a means of engaging with an ideal. Thus, Narcissus no longer says, "I love myself as I am, but I am as I love myself." The "Narcissus Theorem" exhibition showcases over 70 new works by the artist, exploring the theory of reflections that he has been developing in collaboration with Mexican mathematician Aubin Arroyo for nearly a decade. The exhibition opens with a river of a thousand shimmering blue bricks cascading down the main staircase of the Petit Palais, setting the stage for the journey we will embark upon.

Inspired by the opulent architectural embellishments of the Petit Palais and the flowers in its garden, Othoniel has installed twenty new works. These include mirrored pieces that mirror the frescoes of the peristyle painted by Paul Baudoin, monumental water lilies perched on the mirrors of the water basins, adorned with blue mosaics, gold necklaces adorning the branches of trees from the Orient, and more. The exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in the artist's captivating world, where reflections and ideals intertwine, creating a fresh and visionary perspective on contemporary art.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 177 x 237 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9782330156459