Acclaimed artist Jean-Michel Othoniel leads Avignon's largest-scale display at his newest exhibition
In an extraordinary celebration of art, history, and love, Jean-Michel Othoniel's latest exhibition, "Cosmos ou Les Fantômes de l'Amour", has taken over the city of Avignon, France. This ambitious project marks Avignon's 30th anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and European Capital of Culture[1][2].
The exhibition, which features approximately 270 works, including 160 new creations, is spread across ten iconic locations throughout the city[1][2]. These range from the imposing Palais des Papes, an imposing stone palace the size of four Gothic cathedrals and the seat of the Catholic church for much of the 14th century[1], to lesser-known museums such as the Lapidary Museum and Bains Pommer.
Othoniel's works draw inspiration from the Italian poet Petrarch's *Il Canzoniere*, a collection of sonnets dedicated to Laura of Avignon, a lost love[1]. The artworks, which include abstract zodiac constellations, colossal astrolabe mobiles, glass fountains, and colourful installations, form a "celestial love story" that reflects both the romantic and spiritual history of this once papal city[1].
By integrating contemporary art with Avignon’s rich history and culture, Othoniel not only revitalizes the city’s cultural landmarks but also makes art accessible to a broad public[1]. Many of the museums involved offer free entry, inviting visitors on a sensory pilgrimage through time, highlighting Avignon’s heritage and its ongoing cultural relevance[1].
At the Palais des Papes, four enormous 'Cosmos' spheres made of gilded stainless steel beads, each 5 metres across and weighing around 500 kilos, hang in the Grand Chapel[1]. Elsewhere, a glass sculpture with knotted swirls was installed in a corner fireplace in the former papal bedroom of the Palais des Papes[1]. At the Calvet Museum, Othoniel's gilded lotus flower sculpture is surrounded by 19th-century marble maidens[1].
Next door to the Calvet Museum, Othoniel's illuminated herbarium mirrors a natural history museum's collection of up to 300,000 plant specimens[1]. 'Coeur', a large blood-red glass heart, is now located in the Chapelle Saint-Claire, the remnants of the place where Petrarch first set eyes on Laure[1]. Othoniel's 'Wonder Block' coloured glass columns stand alongside ancient Egyptian funeral stelae in the Lapidaire museum[1].
At the Bains Pommer, porcelain bathtubs share numbered treatment rooms with the sounds of trickling water from Othoniel's delicate glass fountains[1]. The exhibition also includes artworks on building facades and the medieval St Bénezet bridge[1].
Othoniel's homage to 20th-century art, notably minimalism, is displayed at the Collection Lambert[1]. The exhibition is themed around Petrarch and his unrequited love for Laure, with each individual exhibition being seen as a sonnet exploring different facets of love[1].
To ensure the safety of the monumental pieces, an engineer ensured that they would not collapse or be destroyed by the mighty mistral wind[1]. The colossal show, 'Cosmos ou Les Fantômes de l'Amour', runs until 4 January 2026[1].
[1] Source: The Art Newspaper, 12 May 2022 [2] Source: The Local France, 14 May 2022
The exhibition, "Cosmos ou Les Fantômes de l'Amour", not only showcases Jean-Michel Othoniel's works in iconic locations like the Palais des Papes, but also extends to lesser-known museums such as the Lapidary Museum and Bains Pommer, creating a unique blend of home-and-garden settings within the city's rich cultural landscape.
Immersed in the heart of Avignon, visitors can experience Othoniel's aesthetic vision, from the colossal astrolabe mobiles and glass fountains in the Palais des Papes, to the installation of a large blood-red glass heart in the Chapelle Saint-Claire, offering a lifestyle encounter with contemporary art and the city's deep-rooted history and culture.
