The Espace Louis Vuitton Venezia presents “The Evil Eye”, an exhibition dedicated to French artist Clément Cogitore.
Video installation, colour, sound 15 min. Courtesy of the artist and Fondation Louis Vuitton © Adagp, Paris 2025
On the occasion of La Biennale Architettura 2025, the Espace Louis Vuitton Venezia is pleased to announce the presentation of The Evil Eye, an exhibition dedicated to French artist Clément Cogitore.
Produced within the framework of the Fondation Louis Vuitton “Hors-les-murs” programme, which unfolds at the Espaces Louis Vuitton in Tokyo, Munich, Venice, Beijing, Seoul and Osaka, this show carries on the Fondation’s mission to engage with broader audiences by showcasing holdings from the Collection in international venues.
A weaver of visual narratives, Clément Cogitore draws inspiration from the vibrant threads of human experience, intertwining ethnographic observations with the expressive language of dance and the evocative power of historical and contemporary imagery. His artistic vision is fuelled by a fascination with the enduring nature of ritual, the complex interplay between tradition and modernity, the fluid construction of identity, and the persuasive force of images. He explores the persistence of ritual, examining how these practices shape both individual and collective identities, evolving in response to the relentless currents of globalization and the ever-changing landscape of modern life.
Cogitore also delves into the intricate relationship between tradition and modernity, revealing the tensions and connections that bind these seemingly disparate forces, illustrating how they can coexist, challenge, and enrich one another. Focused on the construction of identity, he dissects the cultural forces, social structures, and personal choices that shape human beings. Cogitore’s work has garnered significant acclaim, including three César nominations in 2016 and 2019, and two selections at the Cannes International Film Festival Critics’ Week (2015 and 2019). Intrigued by the power of images, he manipulates found footage to expose the narratives they create and how these influence our perceptions of the world.
The Evil Eye, an installation created in 2018 specifically for the Marcel Duchamp Prize, stands as a milestone in his artistic journey, having been awarded the prestigious distinction. While dissecting our relationship with images, using stock footage to expose manipulation techniques rooted in crowd psychology and consumerism, this video artwork plays with green screen backdrops and overexposed imagery, revealing a dystopian vision of artificial happiness, designed to incite acquisitiveness. This piece also critiques constructed identity, architecture, and urbanism, highlighting how idealized and commodified spaces can lead to alienation.In essence, it stands as an invitation to contemplate the human condition, to question the boundaries between reality and representation, and to explore the enduring power of culture in shaping our lives.
About the artist
Clément Cogitore, born in Colmar (France) in 1983, is a French artist and filmmaker. He lives and works in Paris (France). After studying at Le Fresnoy ‒ French National Studio of Contemporary Art, Cogitore developed his artistic practice at the crossroads of contemporary art and cinema. Combining film, video, installations, and photographs, his work questions the modalities of cohabitation between humankind and its own images and representations. Since 2018, he has been teaching at the École des Beaux‒Arts de Paris, where he directs a film director’s workshop.
His diverse body of work has been exhibited in prestigious institutions such as Bauhaus Museum (2024, Dessau, Germany), Philarmonie de Paris ‒ Musée de la Musique (2023, Paris, France), Madre Museo d’Arte Contemporanea (2022, Naples, Italy), Biennale de Lyon (2022, Lyon, France), Fondation Louis Vuitton (2020, Paris, France), MNAM‒Centre Pompidou (2020, Paris, France), MUDAM (2020, Luxembourg) and Serpentine Gallery (2020, London, United Kingdom).
In 2011, Cogitore became resident of the Villa Medici, French Academy in Rome (Italy). In 2015, his first feature film Neither Heaven Nor Earth was selected at the Cannes International Film Festival ‒ Critics’ Week, awarded by the Gan Foundation, and nominated for the best first film at the César Award ceremony. In 2018, Clément Cogitore was awarded the prestigious Marcel Duchamp Prize for Contemporary Art. In 2019, his work Les Indes Galantes was selected by The New York Times as one of the best opera productions of 2019, nominated best opera production 2019 by the Giornale della Musica and won the Forum Opera trophy of the best new opera production. In 2022, his second feature film Goutte d’Or was selected at the Critics’ Week of the Cannes International Film Festival and was shortlisted in 2023to represent France at the Oscars.
About the Fondation Louis Vuitton
The Fondation Louis Vuitton serves the public interest and is exclusively dedicated to contemporary art and artists, as well as 20th-century works to which their inspirations can be traced. The Collection and the exhibitions it organises seek to engage a broad public. The magnificent building created by the Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, and already recognized as an emblematic example of the 21st-century architecture, constitutes the Fondation’s seminal artistic statement. Since its opening in October 2014, the Fondation has welcomed more than ten million visitors from France and around the world.
The Fondation Louis Vuitton commits to engage in international initiatives, both at the Fondation and in partnership with public and private institutions, including other foundations and museums such as the Pushkin Museum in Moscow and the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg (Icons of Modern Art: The Shchukin Collection in 2016 and The Morozov Collection in 2021), the MoMA in New York (Being Modern: MoMA in Paris), and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London (The Courtauld Collection. A Vision for Impressionism) among others. The artistic direction also developed a specific “Hors-les-murs” programme taking place within the Espaces Louis Vuitton in Tokyo, Munich, Venice, Beijing, Seoul, and Osaka, which are exclusively devoted to exhibitions of works from the Collection. These exhibitions are open to the public free of charge and promoted through specific cultural communication.
Espace Louis Vuitton Venezia
Calle del Ridotto 1351
30124 Venice, Italy
Credits: © Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
