Permanent public commission "Wall in 27 sections" , 2023
Hôtel de Sully, Paris - Centre des Monuments Nationaux
Wall in 27 sections - 2023
Photo © David Tremlett / Benjamin Gavaudo / Centre des monuments nationaux
David Tremlett specifically conceived Wall in 27 sections, 2023, a permanent commission for the main wall the orangery at the Hôtel de Sully, which is 16.50 metres long and 4.20 metres high.
Far from going against the longitudinal structure of the gallery, Tremlett chose to punctuate it with a frieze of vertical bands. There are 27 of them, interrupted in the middle by a cut-out, either curved or straight, which creates an extremely jagged central horizontal space - a horizon. These cut-outs are based on a scheme drawn by the artist and underlying the final composition, in which circles and obliques are superimposed. This process, which he has used for some of his compositions over the last few years, allows him to combine the rigour of geometric construction with the free inspiration of his choice of line, whether straight or curved, to create a dancing, twirling movement that counterbalances the rigidity of the vertical bands.
The shapes in the upper section are in a range of browns and ochres, providing a harmonious transition with the wooden ceiling, while in the lower section they are lighter, in a range of greens and acid yellows, in keeping with the tones of the paving. The central space is light grey. The ensemble is striking for the impression of life and lightness it conveys, and its musical dimension may bring to mind a keyboard or a painter's colour chart, as the artist suggests.
Guy Tosatto, in 'David Tremlett - Hôtel de Sully, Un Artiste / Un Monument', Editions du Patrimoine, 2023.
The silky appearance of the Wall Drawing, thanks to the hand-applied pastel, its vibrant colours and harmonious proportions magnify the space of the orangery. For Tremlett, it is an ever-renewed surprise to see the paradox between the fragility of pigment powder and its ability, once fixed, to be so permanent.
Bénédicte presented David Tremlett's work to the Centre des Monuments Nationaux and organised the realisation process from conception stage to delivery in close collaboration with the artist and the team at Centre des Monuments Nationaux .More information about David Tremlett
