Statement:

n this year marking the bicentennial of his birth (1826–1898), the Gustave Moreau National Museum is launching a new programming format centered on a “carte blanche,” entrusted to a contemporary artist and conceived in dialogue with the work of this visionary creator.

It will fully embody the spirit of the museum-studio envisioned by the artist: a place of creation, education, and transmission where the idea of timeless art—imbued with symbolism and constantly reexamined by successive generations—is perpetuated.

The perspectives offered by young artists, as well as by established figures, will foster a fresh interpretation of Gustave Moreau’s legacy and its resonance in the contemporary world.

This intergenerational dialogue will highlight connections, influences, and formal or conceptual echoes, while bringing to light different artistic responses to shared concerns.

By juxtaposing works from entirely distinct historical contexts, this program will underscore the enduring nature of certain aesthetic, social, and spiritual questions that span the ages and continue to fuel contemporary creation.

Much like the syncretism that permeates the work of Gustave Moreau, Ali Banisadr’s practice, represented by the Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery, continues this approach aimed at transcending reality to achieve an imaginary and fantastical vision of the world around us.