An Article by Our French Correspondent L.D. (724 words, 4 min. read)
The moment I stepped into the Grand Palais Éphémère this June, something shifted. The boundaries between my body and the space around me began to blur. It felt like I was entering a living, breathing sanctuary created by the Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto. And though I was still in Paris, I felt like I was setting sail on something ancient, something spiritual, something deeply human.
An Invitation to Feel
Before me stretched an immense and soft form, woven in warm, neutral threads and flecked with scents I couldn’t immediately place; something between spice and memory. The title, Nosso Barco Tambor Terra (“Our Boat Drum Earth”) is so poetic. It is prophetic. Neto’s work speaks in textures, in rhythms, in the pulse of the collective. It welcomed us barefoot, not because it is mandatory, but because the invitation is to feel, with our soles and with our souls.
This monumental crochet sculpture, suspended like a sacred hammock beneath the glass and steel of the Grand Palais, is crafted with bark, cotton, and aromatic spices. It felt like walking into a forest temple, or perhaps the belly of a ship woven out of breath and touch. The scent of cinnamon and turmeric hung in the air, not overwhelming but grounding, like a silent prayer.
The Artist and the Thread Between Worlds
Ernesto Neto, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1964, is no stranger to building spaces that heal. His work is deeply rooted in Brazilian culture, in ancestral knowledge, and in the symbiotic relationship between the human body and the Earth. His installations are not meant to be looked at, they are rather meant to be lived in. And in Paris this summer, he brings this vision to life with unparalleled tenderness.
His inspiration for Nosso Barco Tambor Terra comes from the history of navigation: how sails once reshaped the world, for better and for worse. He does not shy away from the weight of colonial histories, nor does he preach. Instead, he transforms that legacy into something shared, something open; a porous architecture through which light, air, and people can move freely.
As Neto himself reflects:
“Nosso Barco Tambor Terra is not just about Brazil; it’s about where we come from and where we are going.”
This sentiment translates the universal journey that the installation invites us to embark upon: a voyage of reflection, unity, and shared humanity.
A Space to Listen, to Drum, to Remember
Tucked within the soft belly of the sculpture are hidden instruments: drums from across the globe, maracas, flutes. Visitors are encouraged not just to look but to play, to contribute a beat, to become part of the work. These collective soundings are not scheduled spectacles, they’re rituals in motion, small waves of sound that ripple through the fabric of the space.
There’s something powerful in this: the idea that rhythm, more than language, can become our universal way of communicating. In Neto’s world, our differences are not erased, but harmonized. The space pulses with possibility.
Beyond the Installation
The experience does not stop with the sculpture itself. Around it, the Grand Palais is hosting a series of events—concerts, textile workshops, family programs—all rooted in the themes closest to Neto’s heart: Brazilian culture, environmental consciousness, ancestral craft, and shared joy. These are extensions of the artwork, threads from the same loom.
This exhibition, free of charge, is a co-production by the Grand Palais Rmn, in partnership with the MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon), and it is part of the official Brazil-France 2025 Season; a cultural bridge between continents built not with stone, but with fabric, rhythm, and human presence.
Until When?
Nosso Barco Tambor Terra is on view at the Grand Palais Éphémère throughout the summer of 2025. There is still time to visit, to walk into Neto’s sensorial universe, and to remember what it feels like to be fully present in your skin, in the moment, and in the world.
Final Thought
Leaving the exhibition, I did not want to put my shoes back on. My feet had tasted earth. My hands had felt the rhythms. My heart had slowed down. Ernesto Neto does not just create art. He interlaces our longing to belong, to remember, and to breathe together again.
