Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos transforms the interior of Le Bon Marché in Paris with Simone, a monumental suspended artwork that occupies the department store’s central space and establishes a direct relationship with its architecture.
Floating beneath the large skylights, the installation extends around the escalators as an organic, almost mythological presence. Its scale transforms the existing circulation void into a setting in which artwork and architecture become visually intertwined.
A suspended artwork within the architecture
Simone develops through a sequence of large white volumes that expand across the central atrium. Rather than occupying a conventional exhibition area, the work uses the vertical dimension of the department store itself, interacting with the escalators, balconies and natural light entering from above.
The installation therefore changes according to the visitor’s position. It can be perceived from below, alongside the escalators or from the upper levels, creating multiple perspectives as people move through the building.
Its immaculate white appearance also establishes a strong visual relationship with the surrounding architecture, allowing the complex form of the artwork to emerge through volume, texture and shadow rather than colour.
Crochet, textiles and light construct the surface
The monumental structure is composed of a combination of handmade wool crochet, fabrics, ornaments and trimmings, together with inflatable elements, polyester, LED lighting and wire cables.
These heterogeneous materials give the installation a tactile and layered character. Crochet and textile surfaces introduce a handmade dimension, while the internal structures and suspended elements allow the piece to expand through the large volume of the store.
Light contributes to the perception of the work, revealing the textures of the white surfaces and emphasising the transitions between its different components.
A tribute to Simone de Beauvoir and Simone Weil
Beyond its physical presence, Simone carries a specific cultural reference. Joana Vasconcelos conceived the work as a tribute to two influential French women: Simone de Beauvoir and Simone Weil.
The title establishes this connection directly, while the installation translates the tribute into a monumental presence within one of Paris’ most recognisable commercial interiors.
Through scale, craftsmanship and material complexity, Simone temporarily transforms the department store into a space where art, architecture and the everyday movement of visitors overlap.
Artist: Joana Vasconcelos
Location: Le Bon Marché, Paris, France