Gollum à Paris, 2024

Frédéric Bourret  

This work is part of the exhibition “Urban Metamorphosis" in June 2024

"Galerie 84 is proud to present “Métamorphose Urbaine", an exhibition which offers a unique opportunity to present the work of Frédéric Bourret, enriched by a dynamic collaboration with artists from France and elsewhere. Frédéric exhibits his Parisian photographs like a blank canvas where each artist is invited to add their signature, thus reinventing these urban landscapes according to their own artistic perspectives and their abundant imaginary universes. Each artist, with their personal touch, offers a unique vision of Paris, manifested through diversity. of artistic media, whether through painting, sculpture, science, music… or other forms of expression, together they create an enriching dialogue on the influence and inspiration that the city exerts on the world. art. “Métamorphose Urbaine" rethinks the traditional photographic exhibition to create a captivating artistic meeting point. The works of Frédéric Bourret match the artistic expressions of other emblematic figures of art, in a harmony of captivating images. and varied artistic disciplines. This alchemy offers an immersive and invigorating experience, transporting visitors to a space of freedom for the imagination.

The mooring ring, silent witness to the comings and goings of boats on the Seine, embodies the solid anchoring of Paris in time, connecting past and present along the city's emblematic banks. - Frédéric Bourret

In a devastated Paris, dusk fell on a city invaded by the army of Mordor. The streets, once bustling, were now nothing but smoking rubble, and the screams of survivors mingled with the roars of the orcs. Atop the Eiffel Tower, the Eye of Sauron glowed sinisterly, its evil glow casting terrifying shadows over the ruined city.

Wandering among the vestiges of this fallen grandeur, a frail figure advanced with feverish determination. Gollum, a creature tortured by the quest for his precious, roamed the banks of the Seine. His eyes, piercing and eager, searched every nook and cranny, every crack, in search of the Ring. The murmur of the waves of the Seine seemed to sing a litany of despair and desire.

Suddenly, near a wall cracked by recent violence, a golden glow caught his attention There, sealed against the stone, the Ring lay, glowing softly in the dying light of day. Gollum, his fingers trembling, approached with feverish caution. Each movement was accompanied by passionate whispers: “My precious… my precious…"

Scratching the stone with fleshless fingers, he finally freed the Ring from its rock prison. His eyes lit up with an intense glow, a mixture of perverse joy and relief. In this moment of triumph, he clutched the Ring to his lean chest, ignoring the din of battle raging around him. The orcs of Mordor were descending on the city, but for Gollum, only this jewel mattered.

The Seine, indifferent to the tragedy unfolding on its banks, continued to flow, its dark waters carrying away shattered dreams. Above the city, the Eye of Sauron watched mercilessly, its red light piercing the veil of smoke and ash. The Eiffel Tower, transformed into a symbol of terror, dominated the scene with its sinister presence.

In this setting of desolation and chaos, Gollum finally found peace in the embrace of his precious. The cracked walls of Paris, silent witnesses to centuries of history, seemed to close around him, creating a cocoon of stone and despair. The world was falling apart, but for a brief moment, a troubled creature found what it had sought for so long.

Thus, in the heart of a Paris in flames, under the merciless gaze of the Eye of Sauron, Gollum became the guardian of the Ring. Chaos reigned, the army of Mordor continued its destructive march, but for Gollum, nothing existed other than this moment of solitary triumph on the banks of the Seine. The murmur of waters and the roar of battles faded, giving way to a tragic and ephemeral peace, sealed against a wall, in the arms of his eternal obsession. -Marghan

the unique work, signed by two artists