Photographer Olesya Okuneva
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Jean-Michel Othoniel is a French artist, born in 1964, represented by Galerie Perrotin. Othoniel is widely known for his unique style, combining art and poetry: he is famous for his glass sculptures shown worldwide, and he is one of 3 living artists ever presented in Musee Louvre.
His latest exhibition “Stardust” (Poussière d’étoiles) is taking place at La Malmaison in Cannes till January 4, 2026. The exhibition tells a beautiful story filled with dreams and light, inviting visitors to enjoy the magic of La Malmaison.
This exhibition features 91 works, including 53 made especially for this event, offering a unique experience with glass and light, inspired by the Mediterranean and the Cannes Film Festival.
Key features include gold sculptures like the Gold Rose and Gold Lotus, along with a pink river and Passiflora flowers that represent passion and the sun.
The exhibition is spread over 3 floors:
- the ground floor celebrates Cannes with bright golden sculptures;
- the first floor has a calm atmosphere with hanging works that encourage thinking;
- and the upper floor features new pieces that remind people of childhood and shared memories.
There are also 3 large outdoor sculptures that connect the real world with imagination.
Minimalist sculptures, like the “Wonder Block” series, use simple geometric forms made of precious, light-reflecting materials to create a sense of wonder and magic. The glass cubes atop the column-like structures evoke both ancient monuments and mathematical precision, evoking childhood toys and dreamlike architectural forms. The mirrored Indian glass captures and transforms the surrounding light, turning each block into a miniature, ethereal structure. Through this rigorous yet sensual exploration of light and transparency, Othoniel’s minimalist art aims to reveal the marvelous and the sublime within the most basic of shapes and materials.
Gold art is inspired by the belief that the gold on Earth originated from the explosion of distant stars. Othoniel sees his gold sculptures as a tribute to this “stardust” from the cosmos. One of his most famous works, the “Gold Rose”, combines the delicate floral motif with the strength and preciousness of the gilded material, celebrating the beauty and value of art itself. Through this and other gold sculptures, Othoniel’s work explores a sensual minimalism, using simple forms and natural inspiration to highlight the abstract and the sublime.
Othoniel collaborated with a landscape architect in 2010 to restore the historic Water Theater grove at the Palace of Versailles, which had been created between 1671-1674 but destroyed in 1775, by creating monumental glass and gold sculptures for the fountains. In his current exhibition, Othoniel explores the motif of the chrysanthemum, an emblematic flower in Japanese culture, using mirrored glass sculptures and ink drawings to capture its symbolism of ephemeral beauty, rebirth and eternity.
The exhibition is located at La Malmaison, 47 Boulevard de la Croisette, 06400 Cannes.
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