Wood, coton, activated carbon, gravel, hemp, 41 x 24,5 x 12,5 cm.
Curators: Valérie Guillaume, Sylvie Robin
photo: Pierre Antoine - Paris Musées - Musée Carnavalet
Archaeological excavations have revealed a sanctuary at the sources of the Seine dedicated to Sequana. Revered by the Celts, the healing goddess incarnating the river Seine was thanked abundantly for her care. Thousands of anatomical ex-votos made of wood, stone and metal were found at the sources of the river in Côte-d'Or, miraculously preserved in clay for centuries. These representations of suffering bodies were offered to Sequana in the hope or thanks for a cure.
Reactivating ancient gestures of offering, sacrifice and dialogue with the Seine, sculptures inspired by the wooden ex-votos found at the river's sources were sculpted, carbonized and presented during an exhibition at Galerie Municipale Jean Collet in Vitry-sur-Seine. At the end of the show, the sculptures representing internal organs were transformed into activated carbon, an ultra-absorbent material used for water purification. The activation of the charcoal led to the destruction of the sculptures and the resulting fragments of activated carbon were sewn into cotton shrouds.
For Nuit Blanche 2023, the remaining sculptures were exhibited at MAC VAL then transported from the museum to the Seine during a choreographed procession to the sound of an ancient Celtic instrument, the carnyx. Swaddled in shrouds containing activated carbon, the sculptures were immersed in the Seine for several weeks, contributing symbolically, but also concretely, to the purification of the river.
Full of pollutants and impurities from the Seine, these “martyr” sculptures are being analyzed to reveal what their sacrificed material was able to absorb.
Wood, inox.
Curators: Daniel Purroy, Thomas Maestro
Photo: Violette Morisseau
In collaboration with choreographer Anne Collod and carnyx player Samuel Meric.
Production: MAC VAL, Galerie Municipale Jean Collet, Atelier des Ardoines.
Photos: Fernanda Tafner, Yan Tomaszewski
Photo: Yan Tomaszewski
photo: Pierre Antoine - Paris Musées - Musée Carnavalet
After several weeks of immersion, one of the "martyr" sculptures having absorbed pollutants from the river is exhibited alongside ancient ex-votos from the sources of the Seine.
Wood, coton, activated carbon, gravel, hemp, 41 x 24,5 x 12,5 cm.
Curators: Valérie Guillaume, Sylvie Robin
photo: Pierre Antoine - Paris Musées - Musée Carnavalet
Wood, inox.
Curators: Daniel Purroy, Thomas Maestro
Photo: Violette Morisseau
In collaboration with choreographer Anne Collod and carnyx player Samuel Meric.
Production: MAC VAL, Galerie Municipale Jean Collet, Atelier des Ardoines.
Photos: Fernanda Tafner, Yan Tomaszewski
Photo: Yan Tomaszewski
photo: Pierre Antoine - Paris Musées - Musée Carnavalet