Exhibition L'esprit des lieux, l'invitation à la paix

Free entrance

From May 5th to November 2nd, the Jean Monnet House welcomes the exhibition 'L'esprit des lieux, l'invitation à la paix' by artist Fabienne Veverka.

Fabienne Veverka takes over the garden of the Jean Monnet House with an immersive exhibition that explores the invisible dimension of the space through light. Her artistic approach, rooted in site-specific creation, reveals a form of presence, a sensitive vibration of the place that could be called the "spirit of the place."

Photographing the light spectrum in all its nuances, the artist materializes, through color and form, an alchemy between the visible and the invisible. The works evoke the inspiring presence of the Illustrious who still inhabits these spaces, in an intimate resonance between memory, nature, and light.

The rainbow, a recurring motif in his work, becomes here a symbol of peace, united diversity, and harmony. The colors are derived from the diffraction of light—a natural phenomenon that the artist captures with precision and poetry—to create works that awaken thought and emotion. In this sensory and contemplative experience, the viewer is invited to let the works move them, to feel and to meditate.

This project, entitled L’esprit des lieux – L’invitation à la paix, was born from a dialogue between the artist and the Jean Monnet House, in a shared desire to resonate with the humanist and European values ​​embodied by this emblematic place. Just as the united colors of the rainbow form the powerful white light, just as the fabric of the flag symbolizes unity, the artist invites us to imagine a peaceful world, driven by commitment, respect, mutual aid, and freedom, "United in Diversity."

Come discover this captivating and interactive exhibition that transforms the museum's park into a colorful canvas!

About the artist Fabienne Veverka :

Fabienne Veverka, a visual artist, has developed her artistic practice in a self-taught manner through experimentation. In 2016, while living in the state of New York, she began her research on light. Inspired by American artists such as Thomas Wilfred (Lumia exhibition at SAAM, Washington DC, 2017), James Turrell (Into the Light exhibition at MASS MoCA, 2017), and Mark Rothko (Reflection exhibition at the MFA in Boston, 2017), she lets her intuition guide her to design immersive experiences through light, exploring the fascination and emotions it arouses. Her diverse visual expressions explore this relationship.

Feel the light, live the unique experience of excitement, as if you were at the end of a rainbow. The vast dimensions envelop us, connecting us to our innermost being. VEVERKA awakens this close relationship with the viewer, who enters her world to "feel" its language. What manifests touches our perceptions, their meaning, from the profane to the sacred, thus establishing a heart-to-heart connection.

To learn more, visit Fabienne Veverka's webpage here.

A few words from the artist:

By photographing in the heart of light, I explore another world—a tangible elsewhere, as real as a photographic image can be, free from human conventions of representation.

It's a lifelong quest: to touch authenticity, to go back to the source. It's to unveil the treasure at the end of the rainbow, to grasp the essence of wonder. This experience generates a wave that spreads infinitely, provoking a vibrant shock in the artist's soul, pushing him to continually surpass himself.

As Pierre Durrande expresses it, quoting Pascal in Notebook 1 – Art & Philosophy Encounters: "There is a secret in the realm of art that stems from this decentering of man, realizing himself in his encounter and his quest for the mystery of creation. Art's vocation is to open up in our humanity these paths where man passes through man." 

This reflection, published by the IPC in partnership with the French National Council of the Plastic Arts, highlights the fundamental role of art: going beyond simple expression to become a vehicle for human and spiritual transformation.

The diffraction of light reveals its complex nature, both wave and particle. This duality illustrates a uniqueness manifested through diverse forms, echoing European philosophy. The artist perceives a similarity between his creative approach and the aspirations of the founders of Europe, symbolized by the motto "United in diversity."

This reflection inspires the idea that a path to peace could be traced at the heart of this garden.

"... since one cannot better speak of the Iris, the messenger of peace and serenity, than in a time of storms and troubles." — Marin Cureau de La Chambre, Nouvelles observations et conjectures sur l’Iris, 1650.