Tony Oursler 'Eclipse' at Fondation Cartier Paris

For the exhibition Trees, Tony Oursler has created Eclipse, an installation in the garden of the Fondation Cartier, where trees come to life as animated backdrops for a series of video projections. He writes: “The enchanted forests are a refuge for our imagination.” Inspired by the transformation of Daphne into a tree, the Tree of Life from the Norse cosmogony, or a small metaphorical drawing of a tree by Charles Darwin representing his evolutionary theory, he creates a dynamic sound and light installation where trees become the centre of conflicting world views and come to life with projections inviting the viewer to reconsider technology and nature.

Eclipse was conceived and produced specially for the garden of the Fondation Cartier. More than three hours of materials are compressed to form a densely layered experience for the visitor. Thematically concerned with the environment and its relationship to technology and magical thinking, this work invites the participants to contemplate their position within the biosphere. As guests move around the buildings, they will find its gardens populated with art in the form of talking lights, and a cast of shifting digital projections which include a disaster-zone reporter, new ager, psychologist, medieval wild-woman, the Green Man and an unstable businessman.

On Friday 18 October, Hans Ulrich Obrist will be in conversation with Tony Oursler, among other artists, scientists and philosophers, all demonstrating a strong and intimate connection with trees. For more information and to book tickets to The Infinite Conversation, click here.

Fondation Cartier, Paris