The Cathedral Basilica of Saint-Denis hosts the"La Trêve" exhibition from April 5 to September 15, 2024. This Cultural Olympiad event invites artist Sophie Comtet Kouyaté to take over this historic site, immersing herself in the spirit of the ancient Olympic Games. Through photographs and textiles, the artist creates a bridge between Greece's glorious past and our contemporary world, resonating with the architecture and stories of one of the most emblematic monuments in French history.
The result is a series of portraits, photographic frescoes and monumental costumes designed to immerse us in the fascinating world of the first Olympian Games. These works are not historical replicas, but a modern and personal reinterpretation, where each piece evokes the values, disciplines and social figures of the ancient era. It's an invitation to contemplate the spirit of competition, but also of truce, where wars gave way to the celebration of sport and humanity.
Don't look for historical elements in these portraits or costumes - this is a free interpretation. Recycled objects, diverted, imagined, with winks such as the animals at the foot of the monumental portraits, reminiscent of those installed at the foot of the recumbent figures.
Sophie Comtet Kouyaté's work creates a vibrant dialogue between eras, involving forty residents of Saint-Denis andAubervilliers and eight Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The latter, such as Paméra Losange and Cédric Nankin, appropriate and embody emblematic characters from Greek social life, creating a living link between the glorious past and our present.
The exhibition takes on a participatory dimension thanks to workshops organized with young people from Aubervilliers during the school vacations, becoming moments of sharing, learning and collective creation. These moments, captured in photographs and videos, bear witness to the community dynamic and the young people's commitment to the project. Sophie Comtet Kouyaté points out that no fewer than 25 people were involved in putting this exhibition together.
The first part of the exhibition is open free of charge in the nave of the basilica, allowing as many people as possible to immerse themselves in this dreamlike universe. Portrait discs on either side of the nave and two large panels reveal themselves to us.
The adventure then continues in the royal necropolis, for those wishing to deepen their cultural experience. It's in the crypt, then, that we find the costumes in sutu and other portraits that plunge us into a completely mystical universe. As you stroll through the exhibition, the inhabitants of Saint-Denis and Aubervilliers engage in a dialogue with the Jeux Antiques and the site that hosts them.
The interaction of the works with the sacred architecture of the basilica, notably through four monumental costumes placed in the crypt's chapels, reinforces this immersion. One of these costumes, accessible to all, invites us to slip into the skin of an athlete from ancient times to immerse ourselves in the role. So get out your camera for a memorable shot.
This exhibition is not just an artistic retrospective; it is a reflection on the universal values of peace and unity, principles as fundamental yesterday as they are today. To visit"La Trêve" is to take a moment to reflect on the importance of these ideals, in a setting that is both historical and artistic.
In short,"La Trêve" at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint-Denis is a wonderful discovery, an invitation to cross time and rediscover the timeless values that unite peoples. A not-to-be-missed cultural experience to discover a sublime, participatory exhibition in the heart of a historic site, with a fine universal message about the Truce during the Olympic Games.
Dates and Opening Time
From April 5, 2024 to September 15, 2024
Location
Saint-Denis Basilica
1, Rue de la Légion d'Honneur
93200 Saint Denis
Prices
1ère partie gratuite dans la Nef: Free
Exposition dans la crypte: €11
Recommended age
For all
Official website
www.saint-denis-basilique.fr
