Dans La Lumière, Perrotin, 2024

The exhibition Dans La Lumière at Perrotin Paris delves into CHIROPTERA, the monumental ballet by JR, Damien Jalet, and Thomas Bangalter, presented outside the Palais Garnier in November 2023. 

On the first floor of Perrotin, JR debuts artworks that blend three singular techniques: photo transfers on wood are reinforced with black ink and highlighted with hand-drawn charcoal strokes. These works rouse memories of that evening when over twenty-five thousand spectators gathered at the Place de l’Opéra to illuminate 153 dancers performing on thirty-meter-high scaffolding. 

One of these new pieces is L’Ombre de la caverne, which recreates the balletic exchange between principal dancer of the Paris Opera Amandine Albisson and her looming shadow. The Génome series depicts the configurations of the 153 dancers on the scaffolding, while the Chromosome series features close-up shots of their individual movements. In his Dans la lumière series, JR focuses on the dancers’ radiant silhouettes, drawing inspiration from Plato’s allegory of the cave and the liberation of the chained prisoners as they return to the light. 

On the second floor of the exhibition and in Saint-Claude, JR presents a series of photographic works of Retour à la Caverne. His two installations - a vast cave entrance for Act I and the interior of the cavern with walls covered in human handprints for Act II - are shown at different times of day. One room of the Saint-Claude features Aletheia 19, a sound installation by Thomas Bangalter, which runs only until June 15th. 

Learn more about Dans La Lumière at Perrotin.