thisiscolossal: Eva Jospin’s Vegetal Growths and Enchanting Architectural Ruins Transform the Gothic Palais des Papes

“Nymphées (Grande chapelle)” (2022) . All images © OTresson, shared with permission

Within the gothic chapels of Avignon’s Palais des Papes, Eva Jospin carves parallel narratives tinged with enchanting ecologies. The Parisian artist, who’s known for her large-scale sculptures and installations made of corrugated cardboard, positions her architectural works inside the cavernous papal residence, juxtaposing her cut columns and archways with the historic surroundings.

Titled Palazzo, Jospin’s exhibition features several works created within the last few years, many of which contrast the human-made with the natural through scenes veiled with mystery. Vines descend in dense clusters in “Cénotaphe,” a monumental memorial with fantastical details, while the luminous “Nymphées” evokes crumbling geological formations and jagged, rocky openings combined with elements of an ancient Roman fountain. The theatrical “Côté cour côté jardin” structurally mimics a stage or city square with walls of vegetation, as it questions the relationship between inside and out and considers what remains hidden.

In each piece, Jospin draws on art history and antiquities, exploring interactions between differing spaces. Her use of a humble, recyclable material to depict grand scenes in states of ruin emphasizes fallibility and the inevitability of change, as she explores shifts in relevance and power over time.

Palazzo is on view through January 7, 2024.