Inside the Horizon – Photographing Olafur Eliasson’s Installation at Fondation Louis Vuitton

17 September 2016 – Categorie: Documentary Photography – Sebastien Desnoulez

How can one photograph an immersive contemporary artwork? This image of Olafur Eliasson’s installation, captured at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, explores the interplay between light, architecture, and human presence in a museum setting.

Photographing an immersive artwork requires more than just framing. It’s a meeting point between light, space, and gaze. The installation Inside the Horizon by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, presented at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, is a perfect example. Made of yellow luminous columns arranged along the foundation’s water basin, the piece creates a striking visual effect through geometric repetition and reflection. I chose to photograph it at dusk, a time when artificial light comes into full expression.

Inside the Horizon consists of 43 tall vertical prisms, each with a luminous side, a mirrored side, and a polished steel side. Aligned in an outdoor gallery along the reflecting pool, these elements transform the visitor’s path into a visual and physical experience. Facing this line of columns, I captured both their intense yellow glow and their perfect symmetrical reflection in the still water.

This kind of art and architectural photography demands close attention to composition, ambient light, and human interaction. The silhouette of a woman holding her smartphone appeared, adding a strong contrast between her dark outline and the columns’ geometric light. Rather than being a distraction, her presence added scale and narrative depth to the image. It anchored the artwork in reality and the flow of visitors.

The Fondation Louis Vuitton, located in Paris’s Bois de Boulogne, regularly hosts in-situ contemporary art installations. Eliasson’s work engages in dialogue with the architecture of the venue, designed by Frank Gehry. The water mirror, the glass surfaces of the building, and the luminous elements of the piece all interact to create visual continuity. Shooting at twilight allowed the yellow hue to stand out, while shadows and reflections deepened the composition.

Technically, I used a wide-angle lens to capture the columns’ height and rhythmic repetition. A relatively long exposure and perfectly still water created a near-perfect mirror effect, extending the lines into a hypnotic symmetry. No effects were added in post-processing—everything relied on framing, anticipation, and controlled light.

This photograph was taken during the European Heritage Days, a great time to explore cultural institutions in a new light. The fading light, the calm atmosphere late in the day, and the freedom to view outdoor installations gave me the chance to capture this rare and balanced scene. My photographic approach always aims to go beyond simple documentation and offer a personal, graphic, and sensitive interpretation of contemporary artworks.

In short, Inside the Horizon is an immersive work that, through its materiality and interaction with its surroundings, provides an ideal playground for photography. This night composition is part of my ongoing exploration of light patterns, repetitive forms, and human interactions in public and museum spaces.

About the artist: Sebastien Desnoulez is a professional art photographer specializing in architectural, installation, and urban mood photography. He explores light, repetition, and the relationship between people and space. Learn more.