One of the more memorable works at this year’s Venice Biennale—an international fair often referred to as “the Olympics of the art world” —is by contemporary artist-poet Julien Creuzet. In a recent appearance on France 24, Paris Muse guide Lauren Jimerson took viewers on a vivid journey through Creuzet’s immersive installation in the French Pavilion.

Outside the French Pavilion, visitors are greeted by a mesmerizing video projection, reinterpreting the mythological female figures from the iconic Carpeaux Fountain in the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris, each representing a Eurocentric vision of one part of the world. Stepping inside is like crossing over into a dreamlike realm, where the worlds of nature, culture, and technology merge. An audio of Creuzet’s poetry accompanies the visitor’s journey through an imagined aquatic landscape, made of colorful organic sculptures hung from the ceiling. Creuzet’s hybrid mixtures of Caribbean and European cultural myths create a powerful reflection on how identity and belonging are forged.

This year’s Biennale’s concept— Foreigners Everywhere—deeply resonates with Creuzet’s work. The theme comes from the work of the artist collective Claire Fontaine. Fontaine’s Foreigners Everywhere / Stranieri Ovunque (2004-24) is made up of a series of neon sign sculptures spelling out the phrase in over 20 languages, capturing the fear and ambivalence of feeling foreign in a global society.

Jimerson explains how Creuzet, whose work has mined the histories of colonialism, migration, and exile, aligns with the Biennale’s theme, as he invites audiences to reconsider the experience of navigating multiple worlds. The selection of a Franco-Martinique artist to officially represent France this year also underlines the essential contributions made by Caribbean peoples to the visual, literary and intellectual histories of the country.

The Venice Biennale is on now through Nov 24, 2024.

Watch the full segment here.