Song Dong and Le Bon Marché a mind-blowing exhibition
Dounia Baco
If you enjoy immersive exhibitions that inspire wonder and stimulate the senses, don’t waste any time heading to Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche in Paris. Currently, the renowned artist Song Dong is featured in a captivating display there.
Running until 22 February 2026, the department store is hosting Song Dong’s exhibition “Objects divers et Variés – 百百 (baihuò)”. This spectacular installation takes over the shop windows, skylights and interior spaces. As a result, it offers a complete artistic experience somewhere between memory, everyday objects and visual poetry.
Le Bon Marché exhibition “Objects divers et Variés – 百百 (baihuò)”
A cultural institution ahead of its time since the 19th century
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche has always placed artistic creation at the heart of its identity. For nearly ten years now, every January, the iconic department store has invited major international artists to take over its interior spaces. Over the years, it has revealed new figures in contemporary art while transforming its departments into veritable stages for experimentation.
This tradition fully reflects the legacy of Aristide Boucicaut and Marguerite Boucicaut, the visionary founders of the department store. In fact, Le Bon Marché was the first department store in history, revolutionising the codes of modern commerce. Ever since, celebrating the arts each year has been a way of honouring this pioneering and daring spirit.
However, Le Bon Marché is not limited to its commercial purpose. On the contrary, since the 19th century, it has established itself as a true cultural institution. Through exhibitions, concerts, and reading rooms, it has left a lasting mark on Parisian artistic life. Furthermore, these initiatives have helped forge a strong link between culture and commerce.
Today, this dynamic continues as Song Dong is invited to take over every corner of the store with his exhibition “Various Objects – 百百 (baihuò)”. Once again, the department store confirms its role as a pioneer, transforming its architecture, shop windows and circulation spaces into an immersive contemporary art experience in the heart of Paris.
Song Dong’s exhibition “Objects divers et Variés – 百百 (baihuò)”
Song Dong: “Various and Diverse Objects”, a mind-blowing exhibition. Immersing yourself in art in the heart of a Parisian department store
To begin with, it is important to note that Song Dong is a major figure in contemporary Chinese conceptual art. Over the past several years, he has explored memory through everyday objects; fragments of existence that we accumulate without always looking closely at them. These traces of our lives quietly record the passage of time.
In this way, this project is a natural continuation of his creative process: transforming the ordinary into a sensory experience and a work of art.
However, this time he has taken a significant step forward. For the first time, the artist has taken over an entire department store for one of his projects. Over the course of six years, he has developed this ambitious collaboration, creating not just a simple setting, but a living work of art. As a result, visitors are offered a unique sensory experience at Le Bon Marché.
“I like the idea that visitors discover my work by chance, having just come to visit the store, and without having planned to, they take part in the work, and on the other hand art enthusiasts visiting to see the installation could become customers. Ultimately, this exhibition gives the opportunity to switch identity…” Song Dong
Showcases turned into theatres of memory
Let us begin with the journey through the shop windows on Rue de Sèvres, Rue de Babylone and Rue du Bac. The store usually uses these spaces to showcase products, but it has now transformed them into actual dioramas covered from floor to ceiling in mirrors. At first glance, the reflections overwhelm the eye. Gradually, however, visitors discover objects carefully selected by the artist from his personal collection or loaned by clients and collaborators.
These details, meticulously arranged by Song Dong, captivate visitors and draw them into his world.
Furthermore, Song Dong brings these objects to life through lighting effects, subtle suspensions, and colourful frames affixed to the glass. As a result, even a single accessory carries a wealth of emotion. All these elements stimulate the senses and create a sense of wonder. Visitors no longer simply look — they remember. A connection is formed between the viewer and the artwork.
When Architecture Becomes Art
Under the central glass roofs, two monumental chandeliers seem to suspend time. Inspired by the bottle rack motif, one of them echoes the store’s architecture. In addition, on the second floor, an immersive installation extends the experience. The architecture, circulation, products and history of the place all become integral parts of the work. In other words, the act of purchasing itself enters the artistic field — one of the elements that makes this exhibition so unique. Even passers-by who are simply shopping become part of the artwork.
Moreover, Song Dong has frequently explored family memory, notably through projects dedicated to his mother. Here, he extends this reflection to a collective memory — that of an iconic Parisian cultural landmark. Indeed, Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche represents more than just a retail space; it carries a rich history, gestures and shared experiences. Thus, the department store becomes a testing ground. The space itself becomes a work of art, and the artwork becomes a shared experience.
“The artist will use objects from the store loaned by our customers and staff to transform all the store windows into a participatory installation while the exhibition is on. Each object has a personal story”,
Song Dong – The artist as a living work of art
In parallel, Song Dong continues to work on his own image. Between 2023 and 2024, he created one self-portrait per month for a year. Then, in July 2025, he revived the project to mark his 60th birthday: he will create eighteen self-portraits through December 2026.
His January 2026 portrait, featured on the exhibition poster, shows him bearded, dressed in a suit, and posing in front of a sketch of the “bottle rack” chandelier. Through these self-portraits, he reflects on the passage of time and personal evolution.
In this way, Song Dong becomes a witness to his own creative process, adding another dimension to the exhibition. The work is no longer solely about objects; it also encompasses the body, time, and transformation.
“I am drawn to objects that have already had a previous life because they are imbued with memories. They are no longer mere products; they carry the imprint of their existence and of those who have used them. This is what I explore through these ready-made objects.”
“I am drawn to objects that have already had a previous life because they are imbued with memories. They are no longer just mere products; they carry the imprint of their existence and of those who have used them. This is what I explore through these ready-made products”
A sketchbook offering a look behind the scenes
Finally, the exhibition catalogue takes the form of a sketchbook — a meaningful choice. Drawing is central to Song Dong’s practice. His sketches precede the installation and help us understand how he envisioned the project.
At the Primo Piano restaurant, original drawings reveal the various stages of the creative process. Through them, visitors can discover the evolution of a collaboration that began in 2019.
Lastly, the artist will meet visitors during events hosted by Ambre Chalumeau, journalist and author, renowned for her insightful perspective on contemporary creation.
Ultimately, this exhibition fully embodies immersive contemporary art. This art pulls you in, asking you to feel it, live it, and reflect on it.
“I am particularly interested in drawing and I believe it is vital, especially nowadays when we are drawing less and less, often using artificial intelligence to replace the practice. Personally, I try to use the most primitive means to create art. What I draw or paint is deliberately moving away from reality, and it is precisely this uncertainty, this element of imperfection, which makes art so charming” Song Dong
