Bloom in Blue
Winning project
Ephemeral art installation in public space
Appel d'air, Fourth edition, Biennale Internationale d'art contemporain, Arras, France - October 2020
Cyanotype on canvas and fossilization of flowers in plaster
8 m x 4 m on ground, height 2 m
The installation draws its essence from one of the symbols of Arras' historical and artistic heritage: Arras Blue, which is cobalt blue applied to glazed porcelain, then fired at high temperatures. The imprint can be defined as the visible trace of an element that no longer exists materially but virtually, thanks to the expression of a negative that evokes its presence.
The idea of representing the negative of floral patterns using the color blue became evident through the cyanotype technique. This technique allows for the revelation, using sunlight, of white imprints of flowers on a blue background. It's as if one had shaken a sheet on which a floral pattern was present, and the flowers detached to fall to the ground and crystallize. The concept of the installation is based on this "double imprint" of the plant element. By using Arras Blue and the cyanotype technique, the installation creates a connection between local artistic heritage and contempaorary artistic expression while exploring the theme of presence and absence through the imprint of floral patterns.
