Tapis clair is a portable textile installation that reflects the light and heat emitted by the human body, designed for stargazing outdoors. The installation acts as a witness to the light we ourselves produce. Its title refers to the tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer of tissue behind the eyes of many animals that enhances their night vision. The piece was produced during a four-month research and creation residency at the Centre international d’art et du paysage on the Île de Vassivière, in partnership with the Parc Naturel Régional de Millevaches. The residency, which took place in 2021–2022, addressed the subject of light pollution and observation of the night sky. Shown at the CIAP-Vassivière at the end of the residency, the work then travelled for two years across the Parc Naturel, raising awareness of the need to preserve the quality of dark skies.
From February to May 2023 the project was included in the group exhibition Sympoïétique, art de faire la ville écologique at Archizoom (EPFL) in Lausanne, and from September 2023 to December 2024 at the gallery et al. in Brussels.
