GENIUS LOCI EXPOSITION - 2021

L'ANGE VOLANT, LEVITATION ALCHEMIA

FOR NILUFAR GALLERY - GARCHES, PARIS

SOPHIE DRIES

For the inaugural edition of Genius Loci, curated by Marion Vignal at L’Ange Volant—the sole architectural work built in France by Italian master Gio Ponti in 1927—Sophie Dries designed Levitating Alchemia, an exclusive creation presented in collaboration with Milan’s Nilufar Gallery. Staged within the historic villa in Garches, the project responds directly to the architectural spirit and poetic vocabulary of the site.

The piece is a monumental wall mirror in stone-encrusted Murano glass, created as an homage to Gio Ponti’s fascination with mineral alchemy, reflections, and his lifelong obsession with transparency and lightness. A floating halo composed of raw mineral elements and hand-blown glass fragments surrounds the mirrored surface, casting shifting shadows and echoing the villa’s underlying themes of elevation and spatial transparency.

Continuing Sophie Dries's signature exploration of material dualities, Levitating Alchemia bridges the gap between raw organic textures and noble artisanal mastery. The piece unites traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques with untreated, unpolished mineral stones, creating a dialogue between vintage Italian heritage and contemporary high-craft design.