miguel chevalier spreads magic carpets 2014 over sacre coeur in morocco

miguel chevalier spreads magic carpets 2014 over sacre coeur in morocco
all images courtesy of miguel chevalier

‘magic carpets 2014’ by french artist miguel chevalier is an interactive light display spread out across the floor of the former sacré coeur church in casablanca, morocco. covering it with a huge layer of light, the work references the world of biology, microorganisms, and cellular automata – as cells have the ability to multiply in abundance, divide and merge at different paces. pieces come together, fall apart and transform in shape at rapid speeds. the displayed organic universe mingles with a digital construction of overlapping pixels.

an unstable, black-and-white tableaux gradually gives way to vivid, color-saturated spirals that whirl about and execute choreographic movements to the music of michel redolfi. an organic world is combined with a digital one that perpetually replenishes itself. the work was completed in collaboration with casablanca french institut software, cyrille henry and antoine villeret with the help of voxels productions.

when the viewer moves, the trajectory of the curves is disrupted under their feet

the work references a world of biology and microorganisms

the floor of the church is highlighted with bright colors

‘magic carpets’ revisits the tradition of embroidery, islamic art, and mosaics as depicted in the graphic pixels

a world of colors and shapes takes the form of a giant kaleidoscope

the carpets are made up of ever-changing pixels

a magical universe of one thousand and one nights

the artwork references moroccan craftsmanship, where carpet making holds an important place

the floor of the church constantly changes under the projected light

swirling colors in the magic carpet, 2014

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