I Love: by Marie Khouri

As a curator, I find the installation of Marie Khouri’s monumental work I Love within the courtyard of the Cité internationale de la langue française to be a profound poetic gesture. Located in the historic Château de Villers-Cotterêts, a site inextricably linked to the official birth of the French language, this exhibition explores the fluid boundaries between sculpture and linguistic expression. Khouri, a Franco-Canadian artist whose life has been shaped by the cross-currents of Egypt, Lebanon, and France, presents five massive, hand-carved curvilinear forms that translate the Arabic word for love—Baheb—into a tactile, three-dimensional experience. This dialogue between the Arabic calligraphic script and the bastion of the French language underscores a theme of intercultural harmony and the universal power of communication.

The sculptural language employed in I Love reveals Khouri's classical training at l’École du Louvre and her deep reverence for the organic modernism of Henry Moore and the architectural fluidity of Zaha Hadid. Each element is born from a rigorous, hands-on process, beginning with clay models that are scaled into colossal structures through the meticulous carving of expanded polystyrene. These arabesque forms are not merely static monuments; they are designed as functional sculptural furniture, inviting the public to sit, recline, and engage with the art through their own bodies. By blurring the line between high art and functional design, Khouri evokes the spirit of the Bauhaus School, creating a space where aesthetic grace meets communal utility.

The historical significance of this exhibition is highlighted by the work’s remarkable transnational journey, having traveled from the Vancouver Art Gallery to the Great Pyramids of Giza for Art d’Égypte and the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. Khouri’s practice is deeply rooted in her personal history of dislocation—fleeing the Lebanese Civil War as a child—and her subsequent search for a greater sense of place. In the context of the Cité internationale, the work acts as a bridge between her Middle Eastern heritage and her global identity. Exhibiting I Love in the royal castle where King François Ier signed the Ordinance of 1539 transforms the installation into a living symbol of diversity and transmission, celebrating the French language as an inclusive host for global narratives.

Ultimately, the emotional resonance of the exhibition lies in its ability to foster collective joy and social connection. In an era often defined by fragmentation, Khouri’s work offers a physical embrace, a 'cradle' for the human form that encourages cross-generational bonding. As visitors occupy the spaces between the letters, they participate in a choreographed ritual of rest and conversation, literally resting within the curves of love. This installation serves as a powerful reminder that art is an essential component of human development, providing a sanctuary for reflection and a profound dialogue between the individual body and the territory it inhabits.

Frequently Asked Questions about I Love: by Marie Khouri