Céleste Boursier-Mougenot: Clinamen

Curated by Emma Lavigne, Director General and Chief Curator of the Pinault Collection, “Clinamen” by Céleste Boursier-Mougenot brings a dreamlike calm to the Rotunda of the Bourse de Commerce this summer. This immersive installation features an 18-metre-wide pool of water, reflecting the sky through the dome above.

On the surface, white porcelain bowls drift with a gentle current, producing soft, melodic sounds as they touch. These spontaneous harmonies, created without human intervention, form the heart of the piece—a living, ever-changing composition shaped by chance.

The title “Clinamen”, taken from Epicurean physics, refers to the random swerve of atoms, echoing the unpredictable nature of the installation. Visitors are invited into a slow, reflective experience where sound and time unfold organically.

Boursier-Mougenot reimagines everyday objects—here, bowls—as instruments, blurring the line between daily life and art. The result is a poetic space for listening and contemplation, where each moment is unique and fleeting.