22,48 m2, Romainville, Grand Paris
Jonathan Bréchignac
22,48 m² presents a specific project by French artist Jonathan Bréchignac, initiated during his residency at the Beijing Art Centre – Yishu 8 in spring 2024, then presented at the New Franco-Chinese Institute. This work, still in development, is currently taking shape in various forms.
Pollen—particularly pine pollen—is the starting point for a series entitled “L’Éclosion du Temps” (The Blossoming of Time). Using this microscopic yet archaic material, the artist explores the physical, symbolic and sensory dimensions of life.
The project is structured around several sets: minimalist paintings in which pollen, activated by water, becomes pigment; ovoid sculptures inspired by the morphology of pollen grains and containing raw pollen collected in nature; and an olfactory component developed with a perfumer using pine resin. Herbal teas made from buds extend this research by opening up a gustatory and experiential dimension.
Palynology—the study of pollen—reveals remarkable characteristics: composed of sporopollenin, one of the most resistant materials in the organic world, pollen grains can be preserved for millions of years. Their sophisticated morphology allows them to travel long distances and attach themselves to pollinators. Both a trace of life and a vector of reproduction, pollen becomes a medium that connects biological temporality, memory and sensory experience.
