FoUndation LUMA

Jakob Kudsk STEENSEN

In 2020, the LUMA Foundation welcomed Jakob Kudsk Steensen, an artist renowned for his environmental storytelling, which he explores through 3D animations and immersive, sound-based installations. In collaboration with biologists, composers and writers, Steensen creates poetic interpretations of little-known natural phenomena, based on meticulous fieldwork.

For this installation, we designed unique soils inspired by the landscapes of the Camargue, with intense red and green hues punctuated by salt efflorescences. This specific flooring enriched the immersive atmosphere of the exhibition, in harmony with Jakob Kudsk Steensen's artistic vision, which celebrates nature and its nuances.

Interview with the artiste

Pierre HUYGHE

In 2022, the LUMA Foundation in Arles welcomed Pierre Huyghe's exhibition “After UUmwelt”.

After UUmwelt was specially commissioned for La Grande Halle, a former SNCF production workshop located in the LUMA Arles cultural complex. For this installation, Pierre Huyghe transformed the venue into an immersive space where humans and artificial intelligences interact with biological and technical organisms, viral cells and mutating forms, creating a sensitive, spectral environment in constant evolution.

To reinforce this unique atmosphere, a black compacted earth floor with a variety of visual effects was designed. We developed a bespoke implementation process, adapted to the specificities of the site and local materials, to ensure the harmonious integration of this creation within the exhibition.

Exhibition LUMA Foundation 2022

Video Expo UUmwelt

Precious OKOYOMON

In 2023, the LUMA Foundation in Arles welcomed Precious Okoyomon, a renowned poet and visual artist whose work explores alternative worlds and new interpretations of reality, aiming to rethink ways of living and relating.

For this artist, we created a sculpture in high-performance plaster concrete with a textured “shell” effect, incorporating oyster shells, mussels and other marine elements to create a work rich in symbolism. The sculpture also includes a black-tinted glass terrarium, housing specimens of Archachatina marginata, snails native to West Africa, which add a lively, introspective dimension to the work.

Our collaboration with Precious Okoyomon covered the entire process, from the design of the concrete sculpture to the realizations for the terrarium, in response to her vision of a world where art questions the impact of Western civilization on the environment and diversity.

Interview with the artiste

Atelier LUMA

Space and Creative Research Workshop for Artistic and Scientific Innovation

In this creative research workshop, dedicated to artistic and scientific innovation and collaboration, we have developed various concrete families with unique characteristics, exploring new material possibilities. These innovations include rice straw concrete, earth concrete, salt concrete, foam concrete and acoustic concrete.

These pioneering materials open up new perspectives in terms of durability, aesthetics and functionality, enriching the field of artistic and architectural applications. Thanks to this research space, we are actively contributing to pushing back the limits of traditional concrete by creating innovative solutions adapted to contemporary challenges.

Discover below a photo gallery and various projects realized during our six-year residency at the LUMA workshop.

internet website of Atelier LUMA