‘Eccentric Concentric Circles’ in Carcassonne

From 4th May–30th September 2018, an ephemeral work of art will unfold on the walls and towers of the city of Carcassonne, presenting a totally new view of the architecture of this medieval fortress.

Perspectives that fragment and distort, giving infinite points of view... This is an original installation based on the principle of anamorphosis, chosen by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Carcassonne’s inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Conceived by Felice Varini, a renowned French-Swiss artist whose work uses frames to play with architectural space, this installation promises to be spectacular. Thin, painted aluminium sheets will be laid by a team of participants on the walls and towers of the west side of the medieval city, to form a succession of yellow ‘eccentric concentric circles’.

The work offers an unprecedented architectural reading of the city

With free access since the porte d’Aude – between the city and the fortifications – was opened, the installation is inspired by Carcassonne’s architecture, while challenging visitors’ vision and perception of it. As you stroll through the castle and ramparts, you’ll see a range of different points of view created by the painted sheets and the existing structure, which will give you a new reading of the architecture and of illusionist art.

This initiative is also part of the 7th edition of IN SITU Heritage and Contemporary Art, a summer event in the Occitanie / Pyrenees-Mediterranean region focusing on the relationship between modern art and architectural heritage.

Carcassonne