For more than a decade, Mathieu Forget has pursued the same quest: capturing the precise moment when the body leaves the ground. A dancer, photographer and artistic director, he is both behind the lens and in front of it. Each image is the result of a real performance. No compositing. No trickery. Just a fraction of a second during which the body appears suspended between falling and rising.
In this exhibition, Mathieu Forget presents a selection of iconic photographs taken around the world. Each work reflects an ongoing exploration of movement, composition and the relationship between the body and its surroundings. Installed on the railings of the Tour Saint-Jacques, the exhibition brings heritage and contemporary art together. In this exceptional setting, the photographs engage in a dialogue with Parisian architecture and offer visitors a free, open and accessible experience. LEVITATION invites everyone to slow down, observe and see things differently. Beyond the physical performance, these images tell the story of a universal aspiration: to rise, if only for a moment. Between earth and sky The Tour Saint-Jacques occupies a unique place in the Parisian landscape. An isolated monument in the heart of the city, it seems to emerge from the urban space and rise toward the sky. This relationship between being grounded and rising also lies at the heart of Mathieu Forget's work. Through his levitation photographs, created without digital trickery, the artist captures that fragile moment when the body temporarily escapes the laws of gravity. His images depict a state of suspension that echoes the very presence of the Tour Saint-Jacques: a vertical structure that challenges the eye and seems to float above the bustle of the city. Displayed on the railings surrounding the monument, the photographs create a natural dialogue between heritage and contemporary art. They invite passersby to look up, slow their pace and see the city from a new perspective. Beyond photography, the artist and the location are connected by the same idea: elevation as an aesthetic, physical and poetic experience. EXHIBITION ROUTE The route brings together 44 photographs selected from Mathieu Forget's most significant works. Taken across several continents over the past ten years, they reflect a body of work built around a single obsession: capturing the instant when the body appears suspended in space. Each photograph reveals a conversation between movement and its surroundings. Architecture, landscape, light and geometry become partners in an ephemeral choreography. The route invites visitors to explore several dimensions of the work: • Movement as a universal language. • The body as living architecture. • Photography as a compression of time. • Travel as a field for experimentation. • Gravity as an artistic medium. Displayed outdoors, the images engage directly with the city. They offer visitors a free experience in which the urban space itself becomes an integral part of the exhibition.
Source: paris.fr — photo: Mathieu Forget