Benoit+Bo form a Franco-Chinese art duo, whose work is marked by the richness of human diversity and a unique aesthetic, combining Asian and Western influences. In Lille-Fives, their luminous Happy Heads will be taking over the Passage de l’Internationale, promising travellers and visitors an unprecedented immersive experience. This ambitious art installation aims to transform the space inside this glazed hall, in the Fives district, into a place of celebration, inspired by Asian light festivals.
Suspended from the glass ceiling, the inflatable Happy Heads, drawing on the traditional masks used in Chinese folk theatre, are transformed into giant lanterns. Luminous spirals, recalling the coils of incense hung in temples, float around them. Together, they create an aerial landscape, in which light and colour are an invitation to dream.
While gazing up at this artificial sky, passersby are encouraged to take a minute out of their day to enjoy a moment of surprise and beauty. By bringing the colour-saturated aesthetic typical of Asians temples to an everyday setting in Fives, Benoit+Bo offer a new perspective on our environment and the way in which art can influence our perception of the day-to-day, transforming it into a colourful place of celebration.