Zidane, a 21st-century portrait: the visual and sound installation at the Philharmonie de Paris

Ballon d'Or winner in 1998, World Champion the same year, European Championship winner in 2000, and also named FIFA World Player of the Year three times (1998, 2000 and 2003)... Zinédine Zidane has unquestionably left his mark on the history of soccer. This autumn, from October 5, 2023 to January 7, 2024, the Philharmonie de Paris is paying tribute to the former Marseille-born player with an immersive installation entitled"Zidane, a portrait of the 21st century", in reference to the title of the French documentary directed by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno in 2006.

So, what can we expect at this event in eastern Paris? The Philharmonie immerses us in a soccer match, with a sound and visual installation based around the legendary French striker. Football fans will be able to relive the match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu stadium, as if they were there. As a reminder, this match was filmed in real time in 2005.

To ensure total immersion, seventeen giant screens were installed - or, more precisely, suspended - in the Philharmonie's exhibition space. All of them broadcast specific sound content, allowing visitors to be plunged into the heart of this multi-dimensional and poetic match, with the sound of the pitch colliding, the chanting of the fans, the sounds of bodies colliding and feet striking the ball, but also Zidane's breath.

Here, the sound and visual work conceived by contemporary artists Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno, with sound designer Nicolas Becker, places the Zizou legend at the center of the set-up. The cameras don't follow the ball, but the player, capturing his gaze, his charisma, the precision of his gestures and the ever-present tension. This 360° experience gives us the impression of being an integral part of the match, following Zidane as closely as possible to the action, and thus better understanding the passion we feel for this star of the game. The installation also questions the way we look at things, our relationship with time and images.

• To be read
• Games and immersive experiences in Paris museums and monuments
• What to do in Paris and the Île-de-France region this weekend, December 20, 21 and 22, 2024
• Emilie Simon in concert at the Cité de la Musique in Paris in October 2023

To top it all off, the installation is accompanied by original music by the talented Scottish post-rock band Mogwai, whose tracks include " Kids Will Be Skeletons ", " Ritchie Sacramento " and " I Love You, I'm Going to Blow Up Your School ".

In short, it's an audio and visual experience that's sure to appeal to many Zizou and other fans of the game! Join us at the Philharmonie de Paris from October 5, 2023 to January 7, 2024 to immerse yourself in the installation"Zidane, a portrait of the 21st century". It's an opportunity for the Philharmonie de Paris to get into the spirit of sport, just a few months ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games!