Yadegar Asisi

THE CATHEDRAL OF MONET

Freedom in painting

Inspired by Claude Monet's series of paintings, which capture the west façade of Rouen Cathedral in changing light moods, the 360° panoramic installation THE CATHEDRAL OF MONET invites you on a unique visual journey. For the first time, a work by Yadegar Asisi has been painted entirely in oil on a 6 x 2 metre canvas, elaborately digitised and staged as a walk-in painting on a total panoramic area of over 3,500 square metres.
 
While Monet focussed on individual sections of the cathedral in his works, Asisi opts for a broader perspective and shows the entire square in order to illustrate the interaction of light and shadow on the architecture and the surrounding town houses. This depiction provides an insight into a bygone era, complemented by the depiction of figures from Monet's time, which epitomise the artistic ambience of that era and the discourse surrounding the future of painting.
 
The accompanying tour of the exhibition with an open exhibition of works by Yadegar Asisi offers the opportunity to trace the development of painting and the interplay between painting and technology from the beginnings of Impressionism to his personal development as a painter. The works range from Asisi's first artistic steps, including film posters and figurative works, to mature series of works, digital works and abstract paintings.

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Canvas Legacies

The project also includes the first digital collection by Yadegar Asisi, which is dedicated to the pioneers of modern painting. The first exhibition of what later became known as the Impressionists opened on 15 April 1874. To mark the 150th anniversary of this exhibition, seven artists from this era have been immortalised on the Ethereum blockchain in the form of six digital works (NFTs) based on the original painting by Yadegar Asisi that served as the basis for his panorama of the cathedral.

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Publications

How did Yadegar Asisi come up with the idea of painting a panorama of the Impressionist era? The exhibition magazine and a 40-minute documentary provide insight into the background of the monumental work and show its creation and the artistic approach.

Panorama music and soundscape by Eric Babak

From the pilot project EVEREST onwards, Yadegar Asisi is collaborating with the well-known composer and pianist Eric Babak. In close collaboration between the two artists, the impressive soundscape of the panoramas is harmonized directly in the exhibition space with the lighting patterns to create an atmospheric overall installation. Depending on the project, the productions use, among other things, large orchestras and choirs, but also minimalist synthesizer sounds in combination with everyday noises to make the special atmosphere of the themes audible and tangible in the constant change of panorama sequences.

www.ericbabak.com

Past exhibition locations

Panorama XXL
2020 – 2021 in Rouen (France)