Tempus fugit

In September 2000, at the dawn of a new millennium, the Frac des Pays de la Loire opened its doors in Carquefou — in the first building ever designed specifically to house its activities.

Twenty-five years later, the Frac celebrates this milestone by paying tribute to its architect, Jean-Claude Pondevie, through a new and original exhibition: Tempus Fugit.

Bringing together works acquired or produced in 2000 and in 2025, the exhibition creates unexpected dialogues and artistic encounters across time. It showcases a selection from the collection distinguished by its vibrant palette and its reflection on time, energy, and space.

Among the works presented are Défilé du siècle en fluo (1995–2000) by Sarkis — a conceptual choreography evoking the memory of clothing through ages and cultures — shown alongside the recent acquisition Signal (2025) by Slavs and Tatars, which merges Central Asian iconography with the luminous form of a lantern. Also premiering are Free Jail (2025) by Jean-Pascal Flavien and Avant le grand sceau (2025), a video by Eden Tinto Collins.

Tempus Fugit will also be the occasion to unveil two new permanent installations by Lydia Ourahmane and Thomas Teurlai.

The opening of the Frac in 2000 marked a turning point — one that opened the way for new fictions and fresh reflections on time and space. At the time, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster described this shift as a “change of paradigm,” from time to space. Tempus Fugit extends this line of thought, exploring what endures, what confines or liberates us, between fears and desires.

Remaining faithful to its mission of supporting emerging artists and both local and international art scenes, the Frac continues to enrich its collection with a particular focus on the diversity of media and artistic practices — as exemplified in this exhibition.

Artists:

Atelier Van Lieshout, Hélène Delépine, Nicolas Deshayes, Christelle Familiari, Jean-Pascal Flavien, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Julien Gorgeart, Thomas Huber, Kirsten Mosher, Deimantas Narkevičius, Lydia Ourahmane, Sarkis, Slavs & Tatars, Thomas Teurlai, Eden Tinto Collins, Martin Vongrej.

_

The wall that never dries by the artist Christelle Familiari was created with the support of the company Blend.