New work by Pablo Reinoso at the Élysée Palace in Paris

Designed for the Courtyard of the Élysée Palace, the installation was inaugurated by Emmanuel Macron

Pablo Reinoso’s new site-specific installation, Fleuves de France (2024), designed for the Courtyard of the Élysée Palace in Paris, was inaugurated on 24 July 2024 by French President Emmanuel Macron. Installed on either side of the Palace’s entrance steps, Fleuves de France features two sculpted ramps with gentle inclines, flanked by the artist’s distinctive steel curves that function as both handrails and supports.

Made on the occasion of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sculpture has been specifically designed to enhance accessibility for anyone facing mobility challenges. With a gentle and gradual slope, the ramps are crafted for easy navigation, allowing for a more effortless access to the Palais for all visitors. As the Paralympic Games approach, this installation is understood to be a powerful symbol of the Palais de l’Élysée's dedication to improving accessibility, offering a generous and welcoming entrance for everyone.

Beyond its functional dimension, the sculpture seeks to infuse the interior Courtyard with soemthing altogether organic: the intertwined steel scrolls evoke natural imagery, reminiscent of the winding courses of converging rivers, as suggested by its title, Fleuves de France or ‘Rivers of France’. These interlocking shapes symbolize life and connection, weaving together links between individuals and cultures. Their dynamic, flowing movement embodies vitality and energy—qualities central to sports and the vibrant spirit of Paris and France during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The artwork’s title also echoes that of Racines de France (“France’s Roots”), Pablo’s 2016 sculpture created for the South Terrace of the Élysée Palace, thus creating a conceptual and sculptural continuity between the two works.

Marking the entrance of the Élysée Palace, Fleuves de France represents a symbol of welcome, reflecting the values of openness and inclusion upheld by both the French Republic and the sports events taking place in France in summer of 2024.