Paris, Grand Palais

The exhibition in Paris was a resounding success: 29th most visited exhibition worldwide in 2009 and the first French exhibition in the category of contemporary art.
(Source: The Art Newspaper, official classification, April 2010)


KEY FIGURES

A 5 weeks-exhibition / 150 000 visitors / More than 3600 schools from across the Ile de France region / 3:40: average visiting time per visitor / 13,500 m2 of exhibition in the Grand Palais / 20 hours of movies / 26 yurts (projection rooms) / 1 mosaic of 18 meters of diameter / 3 recording studios / Over 1200 interviews of 15 minutes shot on location in the recording studios / More than 6500 stories filed on the website during the exhibition / 4 debates bringing together 600 to 800 people each / 5300 sales of DVDs on location in one month / 4600 sales of books on location in one month


FROM JANUARY 10 TO FEBRUARY 12, 2009

The exhibition was hosted in the majestic setting of the Grand Palais. Built in 1897 for the World Expo, it has always been at the center of Parisian cultural life. Since 1900, the Grand Palais, and in particular its Nef, host temporary exhibitions of a wide variety, mainly cultural, scientific or related to innovation.

Set design creates an intimate space, friendly and interactive. Created by Guy-Claude François (Scene agency), it invites visitors to walk through a village of yurts... in the heart of the Grand Palais. These 26 yurts, friendly and colorful, are areas of projection in which the visitor can enjoy movies. In the darkness, illuminate cables lights illuminate the path of the audience, creating a poetry and a special atmosphere.

The entry lock "Questions": at the entrance of the exhibition, we enter into a space, a specific installation completely black and adorned with huge faces still and silent on big screens. The 40 questions asked to the interviewees are said by reporters on the background.

The mosaic of faces: it is an installation as a 18 feet-diameter carousel, composed of a mosaic of 1000 faces, projected on 11 screens showing almost an hour of testimonies (52 minutes). Some faces pop up, speak out and share with us their experiences. In the dark, the mosaic works as a light box, visible from inside and outside.

A special yurt for the Making-of: the visitor is invited to look behind the scenes of shootings in a yurt designed for this purpose.

Studios where we can testimony ourselves: several recording studios are built for all who wish to respond to the 40 questions of the 7 billion Others interview.

Internet zone: anyone can submit his testimony on the site www.7milliardsdautres.org through webcams placed on 40 interactive kiosks.

Little "squares" where we can share: between different areas of projections, the visitor passes through "squares" recreating these meeting places that are found in all villages of the world, where everyone can talk to those who are there. To this end, a team of mediators is present to start or restart the debate with those who want it. Thus allows everyone to share his emotions, his astonishment, indignation, his joy or his sadness...

The restaurant of the exhibition is open daily (except Tuesday, closing day of the exhibition). The products used are organic and fair trade, as much as possible.

The shop of the exhibition is open daily (except Tuesday, closing day of the exhibition).


MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

Mediators: a team of six mediators, specially trained for this exhibition, did testimonies readings in the queues, and caused unexpected encounters between visitors.

Specific support for schools: the exhibition was reserved for the reception of college and high school classes between 2:00PM and 4:30PM, from Monday to Friday (except Tuesday). An animator accompanied each class to meet the 7 billion Others for the duration of the visit. A learning path tailored around specific topics (happiness, dreams, transmission, family, memories ...), and produced with the support of the Ligue de l’enseignement was also offered to teachers inside the exhibition. In addition, a special booklet was made available to young people to help them move towards the projection rooms that were most suitable for their age and make them aware of different themes for educational games. More than 150 classes, 3600 schools from Paris and its region, came to visit the exhibition.

Meetings with writers and reporters: visitors had the opportunity to exchange with the directors of the project, Baptiste Rouget-Luchaire, Nicolas Henry and Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

The "Essential Conversations" (Conversations Essentielles): 4 discussions brought together each time 600 to 800 persons. These Essential Conversations, on four approaches to the relationship with the Other, allowed visitors to hear and discuss with famous guests, coming from the cultural, scientific, and humanitarian areas: How to make more authentic social and professional relationship, friendships, love relationships? How help the transmission between generations, communities and cultures? How is the reconstruction possible in the aftermath of conflicts or hard times? Do we control our destiny, and how to influence the world?

Meetings with NGOs came also to share their field experiences: Emmaüs International, Médecins du Monde, Oxfam France, Reporters Without Borders, Solidarités, Autremonde, Internews...


EXCLUSIVE EVENTS

The opening night: January 10, 2010, it brought together 4,500 guests for an "organic and fair" cocktail. 

Exclusive events: during the exhibition, the Grand Palais was available for private events - breakfasts, private days, appetizers, dinners and private parties, private tours, press conferences, New Year wishes. Between 1 and 4 private events per day occurred during the duration of the exhibition at the Grand Palais. For businesses, these private events were an opportunity to invite their internal employees, partners, customers and prospects. These were partial or complete privatizations of the exhibition space, during audience open times or not.


PARTNERS

MAIN SPONSOR



Our sponsor, BNP Paribas, illustrates through its support its role as a "bank for a changing world." Its support with us throughout the project, from its conception to the opening at the Grand Palais, corresponds to the meeting of shared values, commitment and unwavering enthusiasm of a dynamic and effective team. A big thank you to the communication team for his wise advice on the communication campaign and for helping to organize the opening night which was attended by 4,500 people; the teams of L'Atelier were also of a great help in the production of the 2nd version of the website, launched at the opening of the exhibition.


SHOOTINGS PARTNERS

           

Air France took our teams around the world.
The United Nations Regional Information Centre assisted in the preparation of interviews.
Médecins du Monde has helped to prepare the interviews, and supported our teams on the field.


TECHNICAL PARTNERS

                            

                           

    

The Grand Palais has hosted the exhibition for a reduced cost in its prestigious setting.
Samsung has helped to show these stories on high quality screens.
Sanyo allowed us to make all of the videoprojections, including the spectacular central mosaic.
The Harman / JBL Group has given sound to all the yurts of the exhibition.
The France Télévisions Fondation offered to visitors of the exhibition the opportunity to be interviewed in the film studios, in the Grand Palais.
The Ligue de l’Enseignement made possible to share this adventure with over 600 students each day.
The Conversations Essentielles allowed us to go further in thinking, during and after the exhibition.
Arjowiggins offered the FSC-certified paper, necessary to fulfill the book exhibition, the children poster, the postcard and the poster.
DEJAGLMC, certified printer, offered the impression of the book exhibition.
Ferrari which, thanks to his TexyLoop technic, enabled tarpaulins to find a new life.
A2-signalisation has supported the printing of signage elements.
L’Atelier by BNP Paribas supported the project by sharing its expertise in new technologies, including participation in the development of the 7 billion Others website. A big thank you to these teams for their assistance on the release of 2nd version of the website for the exhibition opening.
Orange has allowed ADSL access through LiveBox to visit the new website of the project.
Lafuma has equipped volunteers of the exhibition with polar clothes made from recycled materials.


COMMUNICATION AND EVENTS PARTNERS

                   

Le Monde, France info and France 5 were our media partners. They relayed the information to the greatest number. 
JC Decaux gave life and make famous the 7 billion Others mosaic in Paris and its suburbs.
The Fnac, took over the ticket sales, but also allowed the visitors to continue their search for meaning in all Fnac stores.
Euro RSCG Events also allowed to organize private and festive moments throughout the all exhibition period.