Variations in Space
LIGHT WINDOWS in 2 Rue Albert Einstein, 75013 Paris France
Until June 11, 2020, After 9pm
Since 2012, Damien Bénéteau proffers a series of sculptures, Variations, which make the intangible forces that govern our universe tangible. Each consists of a mechanical, kinetic and optical device that allows human perception to grasp, in a form of palpable evidence, the passage of time and universe’s cyclical structure. Launched in a pendulum movement, a ball crosses at regular intervals a pierced plate, perpendicular to its oscillation plane. The geometric form’s minimalism, the coldness of the metal and the regular slowness combine to form a dark and calm microcosm, reduced to its minimum purport, like a star brought back to its most basic physical dimension. Illuminated by its inner edge, the work projects an interplay of shadows and lights in its immediate surroundings, energizing one’s gaze and leading it into a semi-hypnotic state. This work is evolving today towards more and more immersive and monumental forms – closer to American post-minimalist sculpture than to op art – which imply high-precision scientific knowledge and a more extended technical reflection. More than ever, Damien Bénéteau unites the mastery of scientific knowledge and technical mastery to challenge nature with ingenuity, dreaming of being able to modify the fundamental laws of the world.
Florian Gaité
https://www.instagram.com/damienbeneteau