Centre Pompidou's 'The Great Sleep' by Romain Laprade Captures Empty Museum
The Facts
On July 17, 2026, Centre Pompidou announced a photographic series titled "The Great Sleep" by French photographer Romain Laprade (born 1988), commissioned exclusively for the museum. The images capture the iconic Beaubourg building designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers in an emptied, suspended state at dusk, ahead of its sweeping renovation. Laprade, who has exhibited at Yvon Lambert and created acclaimed artists' books including "Distances," focuses on the monumental architecture stripped of visitors and artworks, highlighting the building's steel and glass structure, shadows, and pipes. The series was created during summer 2026 as the museum prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027.
The Signal
For collectors and art professionals, Laprade's series serves as a definitive visual record of a landmark institution in transition, documenting the pre-renovation essence of a building that redefined museum architecture. The commission reflects a growing trend among museums to invest in contemporary photographers to chronicle their own institutional histories. Laprade's reputation for capturing vast landscapes and architectural sites positions him as a key figure in this niche, and the series offers a rare, poetic perspective on a widely recognized cultural monument during a momentary pause before its next chapter.
- Artists: Romain Laprade
- People: Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers
- Galleries: Yvon Lambert
- Museums: Centre Pompidou
- Locations: Paris
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