David Lynch @ Galeries Lafayette (Paris, France)

This post is long overdue considering this happened last month before I left for Tunisia. And even though this has been published on several blogs and websites already, I still wanted to post it on Haute World as I'm a huge fan of Lynch's work and found this installation to be nothing short of amazing.

A while ago, one of Paris' biggest department stores Les Galeries Lafayette invited Lynch to design 11 of their store windows which he based on the theme "Machines, Abstraction and Women". In addition, the store's own gallery on the first floor displayed an exhibition titled "I See Myself", which showcased 70 of his lithographs, with a mini theater offering viewers an opportunity to see some of his short movies. Anyone familiar with Lynch's work knows that his projects will include a unique blend of the bizarre, macabre, beautiful and surreal. This exhibit didn't disappoint.

Entrance to the exhibit (left) and examples of Lynch's lithographs.

Heading to the exhibition gallery first, I was immediately struck by the sheer number of pieces on display. All of them were black on white, except for the far wall which displayed a set of lithographs containing red elements. Like most of Lynch's work, not everything will be immediately accessible and even though some might be easier to grasp at first sight (i.e. 'Woman with a Dream'), others are wide open for interpretation (such as 'Two tigers dance by a tree with ladder').

Overview of the exhibition.

But it's the store windows that proved to be a main attraction. 'Visual merchandising' this was not... the windows didn't include anything the department store sold. It was basically a very elaborate art exhibit. Almost all windows contained moving parts, sound or video, which wasn't just entertaining, but instantly drew you into the world displayed. According to Lynch (courtesy of L'Express): "I've always been fascinated by the sight of women at the windows of department stores. In designing the windows of the Galeries Lafayette, I wanted to show all identities that coexist within the woman of the twenty-first century. The reflection of glass returns an image of blurred passersby. This set of parallel universes is close to my films where the same actress interprets several characters. I designed the sets to be very abstract: cubist landscapes populated by sculptures, machinery, furniture, videos, sounds. I see the windows like a labyrinth - a street museum where you move around clues/markers. A window is a transparent door to the unknown."

Two sketches by Lynch on which the window displays are based.

"When I was little, my mother made me draw on cloth. I always liked the materials, the fabrics: in Sailor and Lula, I designed the snakeskin jacket for Sailor and for Dune, I commissioned 4 000 costumes ... I feel very close to the world of the couturiers: like them, I am an abstract mind and a craftsman obsessed by detail." ~ Lynch.

Even though I took tons of pics, I made the mistake of going while it was still light outside, and the reflection of the windows made it impossible to capture the overall setting of Lynch's work (although I guess I managed to document the parallel universe he was talking about). So I've decided to post some of the better images taken by more professional photographers as well.

Window 1: 'Woman with Dream'

The model train was fully functional and drove non-stop along the tracks (image: Le Journal des Vitrines)

Window 2: 'Four Seasons'

(image: lepoint.fr)

Window 3: 'Projection & Installation'

The moving video was accompanied by music. Click here to view a video (image: lepoint.fr).

Window 4: 'Kitchen Scene'

The crying 'egg' featured a moving projection of an eye and tears (top image: lepoint.fr).

Window 5: 'Winner or Loser?'

Passersby could press one of the buttons in front of the window to activate the 'game' (image: lepoint.fr).

Window 6: 'Girl On a Ledge'

The video screen showed cars driving along the streets of Manhattan, giving the impression the girl was standing at the top of a skyscraper (image: lepoint.fr).

Window 7: 'Blurred Dancer'

Window 8

Another animated 'egg' featuring an upside down image of a face.

Window 9: 'Factory with Sparks'

The video displayed exploading fireworks (image: Le Journal des Vitrines).

Window 10

This installation featured a rotating disc in the center and various objects popping out of the panels at various intervals. Click here to see a video.

Window 11: 'Chanteuse'

This display had an animated projection of a face accompanied by music to give the impression of a singer. Her arms and legs moved to the music as well. Click here to see a video (image: Cafe Mode).

Unfortunately these windows are no longer on display, but hopefully these images will have given a fairly good impression of what they were like. A banner near the windows quoted Lynch as saying: "The vitrines for me are like jewel boxes and in them are going to be scenes, landscapes with figures having to do with machines, abstractions and women, with sounds, moving parts and lights. I hope there will be a magic to it and room to dream."