What: Le Bon Marché hosts Brazilian sculptor Ernesto Neto's "Le La Serpent" exhibition, featuring large-scale white crochet installations that reimagine creation myths and connect art with commerce, running until February 23, 2025.

Why it is important: This exhibition exemplifies how department stores can successfully blend artistic programming with retail, creating meaningful cultural experiences that attract both art enthusiasts and shoppers.

Ernesto Neto's monumental installation adapts his signature colorful crochet style to an all-white palette, honoring Le Bon Marché's historic January white sales tradition while offering a fresh interpretation of the Adam and Eve narrative. The centerpiece features a woven serpent wrapping around the store's central atrium, accompanied by a tree of life installation and window displays along Rue de Sèvres. Neto presents the serpent as a divine symbol of infinity and nature, challenging traditional interpretations of the creation myth. The exhibition includes interactive elements such as chalkboards for visitor sketches and a specially composed song in French. The opening celebration embraces Brazilian culture with performances by contemporary orchestra Onciem, samba percussion, and indigenous music, creating a multifaceted cultural experience within the retail environment.

IADS Notes: Le Bon Marché's collaboration with Ernesto Neto continues its tradition of artistic partnerships while honoring its commercial heritage. Following previous cultural initiatives and amid broader trends of department stores integrating art, this installation uniquely connects the store's traditional January white sales with contemporary artistic expression. The project demonstrates how retailers can blend cultural programming with commercial traditions, creating meaningful experiences for diverse audiences.

Le Bon Marché unveils its new art exhibition, tapping Ernesto Neto