“Toute la beauté du monde” by artist Léa Barbazanges at La Grande Place, Musée Saint-Louis, from May 7 to September 27, 2026

Conceived as both a visual and sensorial experience curated by Estelle Pietrzyk, curator and chief heritage curator at the Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain de Strasbourg (MAMCS), the exhibition appeals just as much to the eye as to the desire to touch. Polymorphic, it reads like a snapshot of Léa Barbazanges’s work, where the different realms of life intertwine. Playing with variations between empty and full, visible and imperceptible, the artist crafts works that invite us to slow down our gaze and pay attention to that which typically escapes the eye.

The materials she chooses—algae, spider silk, organic membranes, minerals— are discreet, often inconspicuous. Through careful observation and patient handiwork they are transformed and magnified, revealing unexpected beauty. Some works evoke delicate tapestries, while others reveal patterns inspired by animal molts or natural microstructures, giving rise to a fragile and poetic world.

For the first time, the artist presents a collection of pieces dedicated to diatoms—microalgae invisible to the naked eye, yet essential to the planet’s balance. Through a monumental form set in motion, she reveals their intricate architecture and complexity. The exhibition is punctuated by a line of mica—a naturally iridescent mineral—spanning several metres. Its vibrant, iridescent surface celebrates an unstable and elusive beauty. This unique immersive project is enhanced by a sound composition by musician Christine Ott, a specialist in ondes Martenot, inviting visitors on a sensory journey through the living world.