Sur l’île Seguin, le nouveau centre d’art Large dévoile son bâtiment spectaculaire et une première expo tournée vers l’histoire de Renault
On Île Seguin, the new contemporary art center Large unveiled its spectacular building designed by Catalan firm RCR Arquitectes during a press preview on May 21. The center, backed by real estate developer Emerige and its president Laurent Dumas, will open to the public on October 17. Its inaugural exhibition, curated by Cecilia Alemani, explores the history of the automobile and the island's industrial past as the site of Renault factories from 1929 to 1992, featuring works by 55 contemporary artists including Julio Le Parc, Nina Beier, Thomas Bayrle, Mohamed El Khatib, and Giulia Andreani.
The opening of Large matters because it adds a major new venue to Paris's contemporary art scene, situated on a historically significant industrial island that is undergoing cultural redevelopment alongside the Seine Musicale, a new cinema, hotel, and sculpture park. The center's focus on French artistic talent and its ambitious inaugural exhibition linking art, labor history, and automotive culture could attract significant audiences and further cement Île Seguin as a cultural destination, with improved metro access planned by 2027.