eva jospin weaves enchanting cardboard landscape into palais de papes' gothic architecture

eva jospin presents ‘palazzo’ installation in avignon, france

From June 30, 2023, until January 7, 2024, the historic Palais des Papes palace in Avignon, France, plays host to visual artist Eva Jospin, inviting her to create a captivating installation named Palazzo within its confines. This expansive Gothic palace, acclaimed as the largest of its kind globally, serves as the backdrop for an enchanting cardboard-crafted installation composed of three monumental sculptures. The palace’s diverse rooms come alive with Jospin’s intricate works strategically placed to craft a mesmerizing journey for visitors. Guests are transported into a realm of dreams as they wander amidst the pieces, each artfully interacting with the historical and architectural essence of the papal residence.

Côté cour côté jardin (Grande chapelle) 2021 – expo Palazzo d’Eva Jospin © OTresson

complex cardboard sculptures take over palais des papes

Each summer, the historic Avignon landmark unveils its much-anticipated Great Exhibition. In this year’s iteration, Parisian artist Eva Jospin, who is represented by Galleria Continua, takes center stage, introducing her complex cardboard installations to several of the palace’s chambers. With cardboard as her medium, Jospin fashions architectural sculptures and immersive scenes that delve into the interplay between the natural and constructed realms. Within her creations, elements of gothic towers, arches, and columns integrate with cardboard-crafted geological formations, caves, and vines.

In the grand vault of the Grande Chapelle, a piece titled Côté Cour, Côté Jardin embodies the essence of theatrical set design, symbolizing both the palace and the city square on one side, and the forest and mysterious underground realms on the other. The sculpture juxtaposes a scenographic layout with a cave-like landscape of interlocking cardboard rocks and branches at the rear, nodding to the hidden aspects of stage work.

Cénotaphe (Grande chapelle) 2020 – expo Palazzo by Eva Jospin © OTresson

Nymphées, The Cenotaph, and a Tapestry of Transformations

Another sculpture called Nymphées, named after ancient Roman fountains, invites visitors to engage with its arches, playing with perspectives, scales, and light. Meanwhile, The Cenotaph, reminiscent of 18th-century capriccio, stands as a monument with columns intertwined by vine-like details.

The exhibit transforms the space of the Grande Chapelle into a setting for these multifaceted artworks. Embroideries from Chambre de Soie stretch across the Grand Tinel, recalling historical palace decorations. Stone walls feature new embroideries, merging vegetal and mineral motifs with architectural forms. The intimate Chambre de Parement houses a sylvan high relief, echoing lush decorations found in the palace. Specific sculptures, including miniatures for chapels and troglodyte architecture-inspired compositions, contribute to the immersive experience. Suspended in the chimney flue of the Upper Kitchen, a towering work catches the eye, while ironwork balconies entwined with vines blur the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces.