This is not a show “about” Michel Houellebecq, but a show “by” Michel Houellebecq, demonstrating how the writer has produced a form that contributes to the reinvention of exhibitions, by mixing up literature and photography, between fact and fiction.
Born in 1958, the poet, essayist, novelist and filmmaker Michel Houellebecq has always had close ties with the cinema and the world of the visual arts, which have accompanied and extended his reflexions since the start of his career, as the frequent allusions to them in his novels attest.
This show is a scenario, leading visitors through the writer’s obsessions. Made up of sounds, photographs, installations and films he has conceived, as well as the presence of several guest artists (Robert Combas, Marie-Pierre Gauthier, Renaud Marchand, Iggy Pop, Maurice Renoma and Raphaël Sohier), it will offer an immersion into the world and mind of the protean creator who is Michel Houellebecq.
The show is also an extension of the exploration conducted by Palais de Tokyo into the echoes between literature and contemporary creation, starting with the Raymond Roussel exhibition in 2013, before continuing with the John Giorno show in October 2015, the Jean-Michel Alberola exhibition in February 2016, and Double Je from March 24th to May 16th 2016.
Curator: Jean de Loisy
