Kanak – Musée du Quai Branly

The concept for this special exhibition was developed as part of a competition which the agency was invited to take part in. The expansive installation fills the entire space and creates an atmospheric world into which a wide variety of Kanak objects are integrated. The cultural practices of the Kanak tribe centred around the exchange of goods and shared conversation, which also allowed them to build up their social networks. This exchange is symbolised in the exhibition by a light net that spans the entire space, connecting islands presenting freely arranged artefacts on pedestals across the entire space. The importance of oral tradition to this tribe is interwoven with this web and communicated through acoustic elements: the prayers, chants and stories of the tribe accompany visitors throughout the exhibition. The competition entry was created in collaboration with Krauss-Rihouey Architectes, Paris.