ART: Michal Rovner at Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton & the Louvre

At the Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton is ‘Making of Makom’ (meaning space in Hebrew) in conjunction with the exhibition ‘Michal Rovner, Histoires’ at the Louvre. ‘Making of Makom’ documents the construction of the two monumental stone structures installed in the Louvre’s Cour Napoléon this summer. Through photography and film the exhibition reveals the many dimensions, both sculptural and human, of this extraordinary project. Michal Rovner, an Israeli artist, built these massive structures with a team of Israeli and Palestinian stonemasons out of remnant stones from dismantled houses in Israel and along the West Bank. Makom II, weighing approximately 40 tons, was constructed with light-colored stones collected from the rubble of destroyed houses throughout Jerusalem, Haifa, Galilee, Hebron, Nablus, Bethlehem etc. Facing Makom II on the courtyard of the museum is Makom IV, weighing an estimated 70 tons of dark stones from the border of Syria and Israel. Makom IV has a violent diagonal fissure that nearly dissects the wall in half. Coming from a zone of tension and fragility, and addressing issues of construction, destruction, and recreation this project placed in the heart of the Louvre’s Cour Napoléon generates a larger dialogue with history.
Until 29 May. Open Mon-Sat, noon-7pm, Sun 11am-7pm.
Espace Louis Vuitton, 60 rue de Bassano, 8th. M° George V. 01.53.57.52.03. www.louisvuitton.com/
Until 15 Aug. Louvre, Cour Napoléon, 1st. M° Palais Royal. 01.40.20.50.50. www.louvre.fr/