Almine Rech is pleased to announce that Joël Andrianomearisoa created a permanent installation as part of the urban renewal of the Gratte-Ciel district in Villeurbanne, France

As part of the urban renewal of the Gratte-Ciel district in Villeurbanne, France, Joël Andrianomearisoa created a permanent installation named VERS LE VERT for the Gratte-Ciel underground station. The installation is composed of ten sculptural elements integrated into the oval openings of the central wall. These pieces create a dual perspective for commuters, visible from both the platforms toward Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie and Lyon-Perrache. Through a lexicon of nature and desire, the artist transforms the functional space of the metro into a territory of emotions, a place where everyday life recovers the possibility of poetic resonance.

The artist explores the concept of an imaginary underground forest, situated beneath the roots of 300 trees currently being planted on the surface. Andrianomearisoa’s work unfolds across the platforms like a line of breath, where words gather fragments of stories, desire, and melancholy.