Ten years ago, the laying of the foundation stone of the LUMA Tower marked the start of one of the most extraordinary constructions of contemporary architecture, designed by star architect Frank O. Gehry and located in the heart of Provence. Today, that geometric and tortuous structure, 15 thousand square meters wide and finished on the outside with 11 thousand stainless steel panels, it celebrates its tenth anniversary with the LUMA Arles 2024 festival. Divided into two phases (with a “double inauguration” on 31 May and 29 June), the event will mark a joint anniversary, also celebrating ten years since the creation of the Vincent van Gogh Arles Foundation.THE 10 YEARS OF LUMA ARLES, THE TOWER BY FRANK O. GEHRYFrank O. Gehry himself explained that he was inspired by the design of the building , not only to the rock formations that arise in the Arles region, but also to the luminous effects of the Starry Night that Vincent van Gogh painted in 1889. For this reason, among the most relevant exhibition projects revealed to the public for the occasion, we find Van Gogh and the Stars, the extensive retrospective curated by Bice Curiger and Jean de Loisy which will bring the Dutch painter’s absolute masterpiece to Arles for the first time. Also in connection with this iconic painting, the DRIFT collective will illuminate the night sky of the French city (during the first inauguration on May 31st) with a performance of colored drones that will dance in the darkness, creating wonderful luminous choreographies. BETWEEN VINCENT VAN GOGH AND WILLIAM KENTRIDGEBut the surprises don’t end there. For the occasion, in fact, large exhibitions and initiatives will “sprout” throughout the city: on 7 July, the South African artist William Kentridge will present the world premiere of his theatrical work The Great Yes, The Great No, with four extraordinary shows. In parallel, Kentridge will be featured in the Je n’attends plus retrospective at La Mécanique Générale. At the same time, the African-American artist Theaster Gates will inaugurate the exhibition Le chant du centre, on display in La Grande Halle, enriched by the addition of ceramics to be produced on site, involving the locals of Arles and the surrounding areas. And not only that: in mid-July, Gates will bring together several artists of the African diaspora or Afro-descendants, bringing the long-term Black Artist Retreat project, born in Chicago in 2013, to Arles.[Immagine in apertura: The Tower, Parc des Ateliers, LUMA Arles, France. ©Adrian Deweerdt]
