The 17th Lyon Biennale, titled “Crossing the Water,” features 78 artists whose works explore the theme of relationships. Curated by Alexia Fabre, the exhibition explores our engagement with differences, using a pathway along the Rhône as a metaphor for interconnected waterways linking Lyon’s 15 arrondissements.
Founded in 1991, the Lyon Biennale fosters local connections by promoting regional expertise to create site-specific works. It engages diverse and younger audiences, offering a fresh perspective on Lyon and its surroundings through artistic projects that resonate with local stories and communities.
Spanning over 15 areas across Lyon and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the edition encourages artists to collaborate locally and engage with a broad audience. Venues such as Les Grandes Locos and the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie highlight themes of connection anntd community, while sites like macLYON reflect the rich history and communal practices of the area.
Artists create a spatial score that weaves their works into connections with specific places and generations. This collaborative endeavor not only reflects shared struggles but also fosters dialogue about resilience and community bonds. By emphasizing otherness as a means of discovery, the Biennale uses rivers as metaphors for exchange and shared histories.
Here is a glimpse at five remarkable works featured at the 2024 Lyon Biennale:
Pilar Albarracín presents “Marmites enragées”, an installation featuring 50 pressure cookers that transforms them into symbols of revolution. The subversive installation evokes a fantastical scene with steam rising from the cookers to the tune of the Socialist International anthem, critiquing the outdated notion of women confined to the kitchen and linking the site’s history of workers.
American artist Hilary Galbreaith’s mixed-media installation “Be Our Guest” explores the tension between the altruistic roots of hospitality and its profit-driven nature. Drawing from her experiences in French restaurants, she explores violence related to sexism, racism, and classism. The installation includes transcriptions of interviews with 29 hospitality professionals in TripAdvisor’s sans serif font, paired with second-hand lamps and tables for a cozy atmosphere.
Canadian artist Michel de Broin presents “Mortier Fati – Lignes de lumière” with neon light sculptures on the vaulted ceiling of an industrial building. The work reflects the architectural grid’s tension with geological forces that have impacted the structure since 1846. De Broin describes how stonemasons’ interventions have created unique shapes that he interprets as artistic motifs.
Ines Katamso’s installation “Welcome to the Plastic Age” addresses Indonesia’s severe plastic waste crisis, worsened by international waste shipments. The installation presents a stark, dystopian landscape of plants and chimeras made from plastic, emphasizing the urgent need for action against the environmental consequences of unchecked plastic consumption.
Florian Mermin’s sculpture, “Violette Cristal” is inspired by the remaining earthenware pots. Mermin seeks to engage both sight and smell, sculpting a violet—a flower known for its soothing properties—after studying a royal herbarium and consulting horticulturists. The wax sculpture features fragments of amethyst and violet-flavored candies, reflecting light to resemble a giant jewel.
