In honor of the 60 year anniversary of La Défense in Paris, the open-air contemporary art exhibition Les Extatiques invites the public to interact with the space until October 21.
As an artistic walk through various installations, Les Extatiques contradicts the stereotype of La Défense as a sterile business center by bringing out the unexpected vibrancy of a residential quarter. The exhibit was curated by Fabrice Bousteau, the editorial director of Beaux Arts Magazine, and features nine different internationally renowned and emerging artists.
On the esplanade of La Défense on a Saturday afternoon, a couple was taking pictures of a little girl on an oversized bench, emphasizing the bench’s enormous scale. The bench was conceived by Dijon based artist Lilian Bourgeat. Nearby, a sunflower labyrinthe by Art Point M founder Fanny Bouyagui resembled a Southern French field amongst Parisian skyscrapers.
Other installations include trees that have been painted white by Vincent Lamouroux, a sideways building resembling those from denser and older Parisian neighborhoods by Argentinian Leandro Erlich, and an underground light installation by Spanish artists Pablo Valbuena. The international group Soundwalk Collective, based in New York and Berlin, sets the exhibit to music.
