Abstraction, Art

Olafur Eliasson Gives Versailles a Surreal Aura

View all 15 Photos

He brought the sun inside the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern in 2003 and made Manhattan and Brooklyn look surreal in 2008 with four huge waterfalls. For 2016, renowned artist Olafur Eliasson transforms the Palace of Versailles into a surreal wonderland. The outdoor and indoor installations allow visitors to experience the famous landmark in a completely different way. “The Versailles that I have been dreaming up is a place that empowers everyone. It invites visitors to take control of the authorship of their experience instead of simply consuming and being dazzled by the grandeur.” says the artist.

The outdoor artworks include ‘Waterfall’, an impressive installation that seems suspended in mid-air, the ‘Fog Assembly’ mist garden, and the ‘Glacial Rock Flour Garden’, a fountain remodeled into an arid area covered with a layer of cracked earth. Inside, a series of installations accentuate the surreal and conceptual aspects of the project. Here, mirrors and light are used together to bring a magical space to life, a place where visitors are faced with their own reflection as they walk around the rooms. ‘The Gaze of Versailles’ transforms the viewed into viewer and vice versa, while ‘The Curious Museum’ creates a parallel world through the use of a large hidden mirror. Curated by Alfred Pacquement, the Olafur Eliasson exhibition will be on display until October 30th, 2016. If you’re planning a trip to France, make sure you visit, as this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Eliasson’s Versailles. Photos by Anders Sune Berg.

olafur-elliasson-waterfall-versailles-gessato-2

olafur-elliasson-waterfall-versailles-gessato-4

olafur-elliasson-waterfall-versailles-gessato-6

olafur-elliasson-waterfall-versailles-gessato-7

olafur-elliasson-waterfall-versailles-gessato-10

olafur-elliasson-waterfall-versailles-gessato-12

olafur-elliasson-waterfall-versailles-gessato-14

olafur-elliasson-waterfall-versailles-gessato-15

More for you

Chacarera House


Architecture

A concrete house designed with five volumes that follow the slope of the land and pri…

Ca’ Norina


Architecture

An 18th century house in Tuscany, Ca’ Norina was renovated and redesigned with modern…

Hop Cottage


Architecture

A renovation and extension project that transformed an old cottage into a modern home…

Peckham House


Architecture

A monolithic brick house completed with a stunning attention to detail – in both desi…

Jackson House


Architecture

Designed for a London house, this extension boasts bright spaces finished with a pale…

La Grange


Architecture

An old stone farmhouse converted into a tranquil retreat and studio for product desig…

Around the world

Treehouse Villas, A Nature-Cen...


Around the World

Seven tree house villas in Bali nestled among lush vegetation on a sloping site that …

Ftelia Beach Club


Around the World

Italian design meets modernist vibes in a tranquil retreat by the sea in Greece.
Nes…

Pa.te.os, A stunning coastal r...


Around the World

Four concrete houses that invite guests to lose themselves in a spectacular coastal l…

Staff Picks

Casa Chouso Bruno Dias Arquitetura

Bed-Stuy Townhouse

The MA-MA Menorah, A Sleek Twist On Tradition

Åstrup Have

Stay Updated

FacebookPinterestRedditLinkedInEmailWhatsAppX