The work transforms the shapes of precious stones into playful forms, challenging the notion of value
Monumental installation The courtyard of the Mairie du 9ᵉ arrondissement de Paris will be taken over by monumental objects created by Slovak visual artist Marek Kvetan. The distorted forms of fundamental precious-stone cuts (diamond, brilliant, ruby) echo issues related to consumerism, economic growth, and sustainability. The artist presents diamonds as oversized, inflated, toy-like objects, thereby calling into question their supposedly immutable nature. The extraction, processing, and distribution of diamonds are controlled by a limited number of companies, often accused of price manipulation, monopolistic practices, labor exploitation, and links to armed conflicts in Africa. Although diamonds are a cubic crystalline form of carbon, known for their hardness and strong light dispersion, over billions of years they gradually transform into graphite, a more energetically stable form of carbon. Kvetan designed these inflatable forms using 3D scanning and digital modeling. Marek Kvetan (1976) is a leading Slovak multimedia artist, also recognized across Central Europe. In his intermedia practice, he systematically combines analytical approaches, post-conceptual methods, and critical thinking to examine contemporary issues. His work emphasizes calculation, conceptual reflection, and the principle of double coding. In recent years, Kvetan has focused on creating singular three-dimensional works, ironic objects, and visually layered environments, integrating contemporary technologies such as scanning, computer modeling, CT scanning, and 3D printing into the sculptural process. He deploys analytical strategies across different media, with recent projects including digital prints and object-based works that combine visual complexity with conceptual depth. In partnership with and supported by the Institut slovaque de Paris, Biela noc festival (Festival Nuit Blanche Slovaquie) Curated by Zuzana Pacáková, Biela noc festival (Festival Nuit Blanche Slovaquie)
Source: paris.fr — photo: credit: Marko Erd, Big Fat Diamonds