Caption & Texts

Monceau, 2008. With Alexis Bertrand. Polyurethane, elastic, painting, wood. Dimensions : 70 x 80,8 x 18,8 cm/ 27 1/2 x 32 x 7 1/2 inches. Work in situ for the Destruction Party, “Le Royal Monceau” Palace Hotel, Paris, 26/06/08. Photo credit : Marc Domage. Copyrigth Veilhan/ Adagp, Paris 2008.




Over the past 80 years celebrities flocked to the legendary Parisian palace, Le Royal Monceau. In June 2008, a 10 month transformation is scheduled.  As a prelude to its makeover, the hotel will hold a “Destruction Party”.
The idea is that the artist stays in the hotel a couple of days before the event. He chooses a room or another space that he wants to “transform / destruct”. On June 26th the performance/party starts at 11pm and goes on till the next morning.





« In room 117, which has been completely painted grey, tended cords draw white lines in the space. The installation orbits around the central element, a grey and white horse made of polished polyurethane foam. The large white bands of this material sequence the volume and echo the web of cords that runs through the space and surrounds the sculpture.
The realist shape of the sculpture is diffracted by its faceted surface. The whole device establishes a connection between the place and the statue, in a hotel emptied of its furniture and deprived of its function. »

« Dans la chambre 117 entièrement peinte en gris, des fils tendent des lignes blanches dans l'espace. L'installation rayonne autour de l'élément central, un cheval gris et blanc en mousse polyuréthane polie. Les larges bandes verticales de ce matériau séquencent le volume et renvoient au réseau de fil qui traverse l'espace et entoure la sculpture.
La forme réaliste de la sculpture est diffractée par sa surface facettée. Le dispositif établit une relation entre le lieu et la statue, dans l'hôtel vidé de ses meubles et de sa fonction. »

Xavier Veilhan