Laurent Grasso: Anima

The nave of the Collège des Bernardins will host the artistic creations of contemporary artist Laurent Grasso.

The artist has created a new series of paintings entitled “Studies of the Past“: the forest of Mont Sainte-Odile, his place of inspiration, is juxtaposed with the forest of columns of the Cistercian vault of the Collège des Bernardins, on which a series of oils on wood are fixed by a bronze suspension system. The artist was inspired by 17th century Dutch historical interiors. In particular, he was inspired by the suspension of the obiit, the funerary coat of arms placed on the pillars of churches.

Strange phenomena characteristic of his work (clouds, levitating rocks, flames) seem to have crossed the screen to invade the vast vaulted architecture depicted in the paintings.

“Studies into the Past” continues a long-standing work on the theme of time and time travel, where echo systems deepen the sense of floating in front of this imaginary archaeology of the work.
A film “Anima” and sculptures complete the exhibition. His films address scientific paradigms and environmental issues, themes of the sacred, the question of the institution and the aesthetics of power.