Nuit Blanche 2013 — Event — Slash Paris

Past: Saturday, October 5, 2013

Featuring works from multiple generations of artists from across five continents, the banks of the Seine, the Canal Saint-Martin and the Republique, Marais, Belleville and Ménilmontant districts will be transformed beyond recognition for one incredible night.

Under the influence of this constant flux of ideas and influences, shaped by projects and installations which challenge our perceptions of space and time, the Nuit Blanche is an enchanting, immersive experience.

Martin Creed will mark the beginning of this timeless experience by simultaneously ringing all of the church bells located along the Nuit Blanche route — including the virtual bells which visitors can download to their smartphones using our special event app.

Meanwhile, hovering above the Seine, helicopters fitted with speakers will be blasting out a Stockhausen string quartet. Later on, again down on the banks of the Seine, Chinese artist Cai Guo Qiang (responsible for the incredible fireworks display at the Beijing Olympics) presents an ode to love, an orchestrated pyrotechnic celebration of romance.

Fujiko Nakaya will be cloaking the newly-renovated Place de la République in her trademark fog sculptures, while Palle Nielsen transforms the Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad into a monumental playground.

Egyptian electronic music pioneer Hassan Khan will be unveiling a brand new sound and light installation in the Parc de Belleville, while all along the banks of the Seine artists and DJs join forces to transform the quaysides into an open-air superclub.

The majority of the works featured in this twelfth edition of the Nuit Blanche festival are original creations installed in situ by our guest artists. Yet again the events and exhibitions will be spread across a huge variety of venues — a mix of familiar Parisian landmarks and hidden treasures: Le Carreau du Temple (scheduled to open to the public in 2014) will host the work of Huang Yong Ping, La Bourse du Travail welcomes Peter Watkins, and the Communist Party HQ will provide the spectacular backdrop for Kristin Oppenheim’s work.

The addition of over a hundred affiliated projects and shows make this the richest, most ambitious Nuit Blanche yet.

The Nuit Blanche is open to all, with special activities and tours tailored specifically for kids, families and visitors with restricted mobility. Metro lines 1 and 5 will be open throughout the night to make getting around town easier.

Curated by Chiara Parisi and Julie Pellegrin, the 2013 edition of Paris’ Nuit Blanche festival is taking over the capital for a night of magic and discovery, putting spectators at the heart of a whirlwind of artistic action.