Affiche de l'installation Arbre de vie de Joana Vasconcelos

"Arbre de Vie" by Joana Vasconcelos

Past exhibition

Discover soon the installation of Joana Vasconcelos at the Sainte-Chapelle of the castle of Vincennes!

  • 10 am - 5:30 pm

    Closing time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

  • Full rate: 9,50 € (including the entrance fee)

    Reduced rate: 7,50 €

    Free for children under 18 and 18-25 years old (EU)

  • All public

    Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

  • Book your tickets

Presentation

Specially created for the Sainte-Chapelle, the installation Arbre de Vie is 13 meters high and its nearly 100,000 black, red and gold leaves were embroidered and woven by hand in the artist's workshop.

Joana Vasconcelos was inspired by the history of the place: Queen Catherine de Medici, widow of Henri II, continued the development of the Sainte-Chapelle and the park of the Château de Vincennes by planting three thousand elms.

The installation also echoes the mythological female figure of Daphne who transforms herself into a tree to escape from Apollo:

The inspiring muse of this Arbre de Vie is the female mythological figure of Daphne. Desired by Apollo, she refused to marry him, asking her fathier to let her transform into a tree to escape her fate.

About the artist

Born in 1971, Joana Vasconcelos is a visual artist known for her monumental sculptures, with a 25-year practice that also includes film and drawing. She has sought to question what craft can be in the 21st century. She integrates everyday objects with irony and humor, creating a link between domestic environment and public space, while questioning the status of women, consumer society and collective identity.

Learn more about her creations and past exhibitions

In the studio of Joana Vasconcelos

Dans l'atelier de Joana Vasconcelos

video | Reading time1:50 min

The France-Portugal Season

The France-Portugal Season, took place between February 12 and October 31, 2022.

Chaired by Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota, current director of the Théâtre de la Ville and the Festival d'Automne, this Season was supported by numerous operators and institutions from both countries, under the coordination of two general curators: Victoire Di Rosa for France and Manuela Júdice for Portugal.

The exhibition "Arbre de Vie" by Joana Vasconcelos at the Château de Vincennes was initially conceived as part of the France-Portugal 2022 Season.

Prepare your visit

How do I get there?

Once you have passed through the ticket office, take the central alley to the Sainte-Chapelle. The installation will be inside the monument.

Parking is not permitted.

Consult the access map

Additional information

Except in exceptional cases, the Sainte-Chapelle closes from 1pm to 2pm.