Les rois d'aujourd'hui ne sont-ils pas sans couronne ? / Luke James

Assembling, challenging, and sharing are the main intentions of Luke James's work, whose thought oscillates between generous minimalism and conceptual magic. His work explores the tensions between the world and its games, between insolence and dread.

EXHIBITION from 23 September to 11 October 2026

Opening on Wednesday 23 September at 6pm (open to all)

In situ installation by Luke James

Playing with geometry means offering a perspective that oscillates between baroque and constructivism, in dialogue with the greenhouse and its vegetation. The reflection focuses on the centre: the greenhouse being round, Luke James has designed a work where the absence of the tree becomes a nodal point. The twelve figures are arranged in a circle, in a ritualistic logic reminiscent of negotiation tables where the world is symbolically divided. The idea of a clock appears through this circle, highlighting the relationship between light, solar zenith, and architecture. Thanks to their “Janus” faces, the figures offer a double reading: they turn towards the centre, while also engaging with visitors circulating along the wall. Depending on their position, east or west, the visitor discovers a different face. These faces, with their dual expressions, refer to the idea of movement and emotion. Reduced to an extreme economy of forms, they become vertical signs, on the verge of abstraction. Arranged in an occult network, these figures seem to conspire and dominate, questioning the staging of contemporary power. Unity is strength. Who benefits from this?

About

A graduate of ENSBA Lyon in 2015, Luke James develops a sculptural practice exploring the tensions between figuration and abstraction. His work has been exhibited internationally (China, Japan, United States, Europe) and recognised with prestigious awards such as Révélations Emerige and the Salon de Montrouge. He has been in residence at Villa Empain (Boghossian Foundation) and CCA Kitakyushu. Recently, he presented public installations in Paris and will have a solo exhibition in Madrid in 2027. His approach, oscillating between minimalism and conceptual magic, questions power structures and human interactions through an economy of