Just outside of Paris, perched on an island in the Seine River, a massive, much-anticipated institution is preparing to open its doors. Spanning some 54,000 square feet, the capital region’s newest contemporary art center, which officially debuts this weekend, appears poised to live up to its name: Large. The scale of the new development on Île Seguin is, in fact, large.
Shining with a copper and aluminum exterior, Large is the centerpiece of a roughly 570,000-square-foot, $500-million development called Pointe des Arts, which includes a performing arts center, movie theatre, sculpture garden, hotel, shopping district and more. Though Large’s name is also meant to evoke the French phrase “prendre le large,” which means “to set sail,” the island it sits on is better known among Parisians for its rich automotive history. Throughout much of the 20th century, the island belonging to the inner suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt, was home to the original Renault car factory, an industrial and economic powerhouse for France.
In the 1930s, more than 30,000 workers made their living at the plant. But after its closure in 1992, the island began to stall. The abandoned plant was not torn down until 2005, and the effort to turn the post-industrial site into a public space moved slowly.
Others sought to derail the project rather than to see it succeed… It is a great victory over ignorance and prevailing selfishness.” As an homage to the location’s history, Large’s inaugural exhibition, titled “Imaginary Engine,” will focus on the relationship between humans and machines, with a particular emphasis on cars. The show features more than 100 artworks created by 55 artists from 23 countries. The oldest pieces on display were made in the 1930s, while 17 pieces were commissioned specifically for the museum’s opening.
Accompanying the exhibition, which runs through March 7, is a series of film screenings that center iconic cars and car chases, including The Blues Brothers, Thelma and Louise and Taxi Tehran. Starting with “Imaginary Engines,” Large is meant to serve a similar function to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Large plans to operate by rotating temporary exhibitions throughout its vast public-facing space, 40 percent of which will cost nothing to visit.
Museum-goers who are 26 years-old and younger will also enjoy free admission. It is an invitation to set sail, to shift our perspectives, and to broaden our horizons,” Laurent Dumas, president of Large, says in the statement. Christian Thorsberg is an environmental writer and photographer from Chicago.
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