Les mues éternelles – Biennale de Lyon

The exhibition entitled Les mues éternelles heralds a fresh new era for the FRAC—Auvergne, now housed in a historic building that has been in constant metamorphosis until this long-awaited reopening, which has been nearly thirty years in the making. The two-storey labyrinth of exhibition spaces opens up a mosaic of low and high ceilings, openings, perspectives, viewpoints, passageways and niches—and visible features of the once-bustling ‘Halle aux Blés’ wheat exchange.

Much like the venue itself, the inaugural exhibition celebrates metamorphosis as a life-sustaining cycle of renewal: where living beings adapt and forge new identities through physical, mental, societal or environmental transformations. The exhibition title—Les mues éternelles (literally ‘perpetual moulting’]’—resonates with perpetual snow, yet ‘perpetual’ snow is actually constantly replenishing as the oldest ice gets heaved by new ice taking form, a process that has sustained the healthy mass balance of glaciers for millions of years—a balance that is now threatened by deep upheaval driven by climate change. It is precisely the inherent intensity—and ambiguity—of metamorphosis that manifests in this the exhibition, as it stages joy, hope and resurgence alongside deeper darkness and disquiet.

Practical Information

Opening weekend:

Open to the public on Friday 25 September from 4 pm until 8 pm.
Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September: 2 pm – 8 pm

Opening hours:

Wednesday to Sunday, 2 pm to 6 pm. Free entry

Free guided tour:

Thursday to Sunday at 4 pm – Free – No booking required

Audience

All ages