WRITTEN IN FRENCH
Fantastic animals hold a discreet but constant place in our contemporary imaginations, as evidenced by their presence in works as different as Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. Their hybrid nature and monstrous appearance provoke fascination and repulsion, but, unlike humanoid monsters, they are considered creatures that man can tame, even domesticate.
This exhibition questions the origin and functions of these ambiguous creatures, in turn images of terror and attraction inspired by the divine, the transcendent and the unknown, or expression of our camouflaged unconscious, incarnations of our anxieties or our nostalgia for the marvelous.
This exhibition will show the adventures and tribulations of iconic figures such as the sphinx, the dragon, the griffin, the unicorn, or the phoenix in a transcultural (and transmedia) approach, through works and objects of art, architecture, literature, music and movie theater. The goal is to give a wide audience new keys to understanding mythical, even legendary figures, whose origins are often ignored.
Exhibition at the musée du Louvre - Lens from 27 September 2023 to 15 January 2024
French
432 pages, environ 350 illustrations
Coédition Louvre-Lens / Snoeck Publisher
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