Salons

Think modern art is pointless? The Domaine de Chamarande, nestled on the outskirts of the Fontainebleau forest in Essonne, will prove you wrong with this series of “practical” pieces. Between a sauna disguised as a projection room, picnic tables turned into hammocks for sunbathing, and rectangular barbecues planted in rows throughout the park – a clever nod to the minimalist sculptures of Donald Judd – the art seems to be all about relaxation and functionality. But upon closer inspection, the exhibition overflows with poetry and intelligence, expertly marrying the effects of its open-air surprises (warn your children!) with an intellectually stimulating commentary on ecology and perception. Why not wander for a while in a field full of marvels knowing that, behind each fantasy, one can find profound meaning?