Thursday Salute to Originals: A Common Thread
When an artwork is both futuristic and ancient, it certainly captures our attention. Perhaps it draws on our own affinity for onyx, formed over millions of years, paired with cutting edge LEDs? To others, it may be the universal concept of time and man’s relationship to it. Whatever the personal appeal to antiquity vs. modernity, we’ve come across one installation piece that plays on this dichotomy in such a targeted manner that we can’t help but share it with you.
Deep in the cellars of the Maison Ackerman, a 200-year old French wine house, glowing threads adorn the walls. This installation, created by artist Julien Salaud, is named Fleuve Céleste (The Heavenly River). Formed by 28 miles of thread tacked up with nails, the strands are illuminated with projected ultraviolet light and weave throughout the walls and ceiling of the cellar space.
The materials used in the installation give way to haunting forms as the thread spins into images reminiscent of cave paintings, beastly creatures, plants, and graphic shapes. The fragile webs cast a net over the objects, both exposing and restraining the forms beyond it. And among all of these ancient references, the eerily modern and obviously manmade threads and artificial illumination remind us that we are in the present time.
This installation is at once mystical and mythical, futuristic and ancient. For placing us squarely in both worlds, we salute Julie Salaud’s artistry. His work inspires us to consider how materials and their context provide direct connotations to time. How will the manipulation of those variables in your next project impact and define the perception of the space?
Image credits: The Creators Project, UR Design Mag