In the framework of «Monumenta» in the nave of the Grand Palais (Grand Palace) in Paris will host the exhibition "Strange City" by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov. The exposition will run from May 10 to June 22, 2014

Nave Grand Palais ( Grand Palace ) , Paris
May 10 - June 22, 2014

within «Monumenta» in the nave of the Grand Palais ( Grand Palace ) in Paris will host the exhibition " Strange City " by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov . The exposition will be open from 10 May to 22 June 2014 .

Since 2007 exhibition «Monumenta» invites one of the world-renowned artists to present their works in the nave of the Grand Palais ( Grand Palace ) - great hall under a glass roof area of ​​13 500m ² and a height of 35 meters Here already exhibited their work Anselm Kiefer , Richard Serra , Christian Boltanski , Anish Kapoor and Daniel Buren .

sixth was an exhibition Ilya and Emilia Kabakov , artists of Russian origin , which offer visitors to immerse themselves in a utopian maze titled " Strange city ​​».

Emilia Kabakov talks about the exhibition: " Many years ago, someone asked us whether , in our opinion , the art of influence policy. We replied that we do not think so . Our position on this matter has not changed, but by working for many years with the ideas of an imaginary world , a utopia, we realized that art occupies such an important place in our culture , can change the way we think, dream , act and reflect . It can change our lifestyle . At this time we would like to create something more than just installation, something quite different : we would like to build a " strange city ", relying more on experience than on the form , give you the ability to slow down the pace of life and appeal to your emotions, feelings and memories. We invite you to the Grand Palace, where you will find yourself in " Strange City " - a fantastic place the collective imagination , plunge into the world of art and will be able to reflect on the culture of everyday life, about our present and future ».

" Strange City ", created for the nave of the Grand Palace , is rooted in the Renaissance, romanticism and modern science . The installation consists of eight large structures. Leisurely wandering among these designs , the audience will discover a multitude of separate worlds. In the northern part of the nave wide dome reflected light rushes thousands of colored rays toward the open door , through which visitors enter . Then they go into a maze surrounded by a double ring of fences. Inside, viewers will find five buildings with mysterious names : "Empty Museum ", " Manas ", "Center of cosmic energy ," " How to meet an angel ? " And " Doors ". Outside, they are expected to have two designs .

« White Chapel " is a pattern alternating with large white and glowing planes that open space for the imagination , while in the "Dark Chapel " to the audience appear on a dark background gigantic paintings in which baroque elements intertwined with personal memories .

to the "country town " Kabakov exhibited works : paintings, objects and bizarre pattern . They constitute the basic panorama scenes to which these artists turned in his work .

Jean-Hubert Martin , curator of the exhibition , explains: "The Obvious and mysterious images along the way through" Strange City " create a great humanistic narrative close to epic. City -utopia , in which we are invited , the story of the aspirations of man, his quest beyond the existing world of metaphysical existence. This mystery of life metaphorically passed through the senses rather than by words ».

Ilya and Emilia Kabakov represent their global vision of the progress of science and the evolution of man , who is able to lead to disaster. In their impressive installations , rich humor and poetry , they presented the perfect picture of the world through the prism of which show how vain people are scurrying around trying to find employment . And then, as a man who builds a giant tangle of stairs to walk up to the angel and jump into his arms , Kabakov shows a man in his quest to surpass himself .

Ilya Kabakov was born in 1933 in Dnepropetrovsk ( at the time - the USSR). In the early 1980s he began work on installations that convey the essence of everyday life in Russia . At the end of the Soviet era , these works caused a great resonance . Since then, installations, sculptures and paintings Kabakov exhibited worldwide. In 2004, Ilya I. and his wife and co-author of Emilia had the honor to organize the official exhibition in the Hermitage. Born in the same Dnepropetrovsk Emilia Kabakov in 1945 received her musical education in piano and studied Spanish literature at Moscow University. In 1973 she emigrated to Israel and then moved to the U.S. , where that's already 38 years old . Ilya and Emilia Kabakov working together since 1989 . Now they live together in New York, on Long Island .

Curators: National Museums Association " Grand Palace " : Jean-Hubert Martin , honorary Director of the National Museum of modern Art, Paris

Multimedia art Museum, Moscow Olga Sviblova , director MAMM

Architect: Sylvie Zhodar

Source : press -release