Es Devlin is unveiling a new large-scale project in Miami’s Design District to mark the 100th anniversary of Chanel No.5. The fashion house commissioned Devlin to create the new installation, “Five Echoes,” which will open during Miami Art Week.
The artist — known for her large-scale theatrical installation work, including the set for “The Lehman Trilogy,” and working with artists including Kanye, Lady Gaga and Rihanna— was commissioned by Chanel to create an installation in celebration of its iconic fragrance.
“Five Echoes,” which opens during Miami Art Week, will transform the Miami Design District Jungle Plaza into a multisensory labyrinth, surrounded by a lush forest of more than 1,000 plants. The center of the circular sculpture will be illuminated by light and a soundscape developed in collaboration with Chanel’s in-house perfumer Olivier Polge. Devlin and Polge previously collaborated in 2016, when he created an original and ephemeral scent for her “Mirror Maze” installation in London, which was also commissioned by Chanel.
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“The word labyrinth originally referred to human movement: it was a dance before it became architecture. If our behavior can define our architecture, then perhaps our art and architecture can alter our behavior,” said Devlin in a statement about her inspiration for “Five Echoes.” “If works of art can help us to see ourselves as part of the biosphere and symbiotically fuse with it, if we can start to see plants and animals as equal protagonists as ourselves in life, I believe we have a better chance of making the fundamental behavioral shifts that are necessary not only to avoid climate chaos, but also to live in a more just, equitable and joyful way.”
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“Five Echoes” will be unveiled during a private preview on Nov. 29, before opening to the public on Nov. 30 and will be on view through Dec. 21. After its closure, the greenery used in the installation will be replanted in local public parks.
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