Galerie Perrotin presents Sophie Calle and Elmgreen & Dragset exhibitions

As the excitement grows a few days before the FIAC kick off, Galerie Perrotin opened this weekend their latest exhibitions by Sophie Calle and Elmgreen & Dragset. Entering the gallery located on 76 rue de Turenne, the visitor is faced with a huge installation by the Scandinavian duo (who have also been commissioned to present an Hors-les-Murs project on Place Vendôme) : this is an urban landscape that seems ravaged by a natural disaster. Further down the ground floor, Sophie Calle presents “Parce que”, a new series of photographs. Each photograph is hidden behind a curtain embroidered with a text explaining the reason why the particular image exists – thus forcing the visitor to take a moment to read before going on their phone and taking a picture for Instagram. On the first floor Elmgreen & Dragset present their emblematic swimming pools and inverted diving boards, as well as a circular bar mounted in a way you can’t access it (in the tradition of their “Powerless Structures”), still you had to cross the street to reach the Impasse Saint-Claude space, where all the party fun was to be had. There, Sophie Calle presented “Souris Calle”, the part of the exhibition devoted to her late cat. The artist asked forty musicians to compose a song for Souris, which she has gathered on a LP record displayed on the gallery walls. Among the contributing artists: Pharrell Williams, Benjamin Biolay, Juliette Armanet, Bono, Brigitte or Lou Doillon. A record that guests (including Laurent Grasso, Samuel Boutruche, Jean Nouvel, Jérôme Sans and Xavier Veilhan) could listen to in small alcoves. Around 9pm came the moment everybody was waiting for: Sophie Calle came on stage to sing her song “Les sensations manquantes” (#40 on the album) composed with her friend Albin de la Simone. Music then took over Galerie Perrotin, and it transformed into a place of celebration. This was a very good start to a busy week ahead.