Ernesto Neto Takes Over Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche with “Le La Serpent”
Ten years ago, Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche decided to pay tribute to its founders, Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut, who came up with “le mois du blanc” during the 19th century. Standing for “the month of white” in English, the idea was to, for a brief period right after the year-end celebrations, all household linen items would be on sale. Since then, the department store has invited artists every year to take over the space and exhibit new works, on the sole condition that they only use white. As the 10th guest of the initiative, Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto, renowned for his biomorphic works, has reinterpreted the myth of Adam and Eve to give a new meaning to the role of the snake.
Entirely crafted in the artist’s studio in Rio de Janeiro, the artworks depart from the original sin’s interpretation of the animal as diabolical. Here, the reptile becomes a female and a mother. “Le La Serpent” is an allegory of the living world, which makes no distinction between nature and culture, man and animal. Ernesto Neto offers a sensory, multicultural experience that challenges our beliefs and narratives. At the opening, we met Ernesto Neto, Jérôme Sans, Daniel Buren, and Gaëlle Pietri, among others.
Photos: Astrid Staes & Michaël Huard
