The ongoing Les Bains Douche Project curated by Magda Danysz recently came to a close and before it ended they released Sambre’s pictures to the public saving arguably the best for last. Sambre’s Insitu installation was built on location over a 2 month period. What started out as a general concept turned into a full out installation. By cutting a circle in the floor the artist then went about to build a sphere out of the material he had demolitioned opening the hole. The sphere would float between 2 floors protruding from the floor and floating from the ceiling at the same time. This massive installation is reminiscent of artists working in abandoned areas which Sambre is very familiar with. Sambre is one of the many Parisian artists who work in abandoned buildings placing murals, and installations left to be found or destroyed. It is in this spirit that Les bains was able to capture one of these moments. Although breathtaking and something you might witness at a museum, the installation will be destroyed with the rest of the Art in Les bains. This temporary art draws its power from knowing that it will be soon be gone and what is left can only be seen not felt or touched. We salute the creators of Les bains and all involved for putting together a truly amazing experience. Sambre’s work might be gone but those that witnessed it will not forget so easily.

GF

Photographs courtesy of Stéphane Bisseuil

In June 2010, a court interdict sanctioning unauthorized building works almost spelt the end of the line for the most famous of all Parisian bath houses, despite nearly 130 years of history and multiple different incarnations. In 2011, we, as longstanding landlords of the site, founded La Société des Bains, in order to rescue, renovate and preserve this icon of Parisian life. Since then, renovation of Les Bains has been progressing daily, with absolute respect for the spirit of the place. Vincent Bastie is charged with the complete refurbishment of the building and Tristan Auer and Denis Montel/RDAI, the interior design. Architecturally speaking, these projects will be sensitive to the multiple layers of the history of the Bains Douches, preserving their legacy, while employing a redeeming spirit of innovation and eschewing any cloying nostalgia. Les Bains will be born again in the summer of 2014, for another long life to come. Occupying the entirety of the building, it will be a hybrid venue – a private residence, a hotel, a club? – it will be a chic, inventive, trans cultural, bohemian, historic, welcoming and elegant venue… Something novel.

But there will be a time of gestation before the tired, old building can undergo its wonderful metamorphosis: while awaiting its imminent transformation, the building now lies vacant for the first time in 128 years. In keeping with the artistic soul of the place, we have transformed this dead time into a fleeting, creative buzz. Les Bains will host an Artists’ Residency, and the whole building will be offered as a giant canvas for a plethora of urban artists commissioned by Magda Danysz. Colombe de La Taille/ADL Conseil will handle the whole event communication. A new generation of international talents will create an ephemeral artwork within and on the very walls which witnessed Proust and Basquiat, Joy Division, Warhol and Prince. A symbolic gesture to renew ties with a marvelous history and usher in a glorious future, a manifesto for proclaiming that the Bains Douches that we love so much, will survive… Long live Les Bains !
It’s the first page of LA SOCIETE DES BAINS and the return of the Bains Douches society.

Jean-Pierre Marois

SOCIÉTÉ DES BAINS
Direction du Projet : Jean-Pierre Marois
Management : Jean-Louis Corruble (jlc@lesbains-paris.com)

ADL CONSEIL
Communication / Presse : Colombe de La Taille
(ac.delataille@adlconseil.fr)
Presse : Raphaële Diais (r.diais@adlconseil.fr)
Rédacteur web : Maxime Lindon (adlconseil@adlconseil.fr)

ART CURATOR
Magda Danysz (www.magda-gallery.com)
assistée de Clémence Wolff (info@magda-gallery.com)

PHOTOGRAPHIE
Stéphane Bisseuil (www.stephanebisseuil.com)
Jérôme Coton (www.jeromecoton.fr)

RÉALISATION WEB
Design : Alexander Kellas, Creative Direction (www.alexanderkellas.com)