A New Silk Scarf for Plantations, travaux in situ at Giverny
On the occasion of Daniel Buren’s new installation at the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny, Brochier Soieries continues a collaboration with the artist that began more than forty years ago.
Entitled Plantations, travaux in situ, 2026, this new work reflects Daniel Buren’s ongoing exploration of the relationship between artwork, site and perception. To accompany the project, Brochier Soieries has produced a silk scarf based on a design created especially by the artist.
An Edition Conceived with Daniel Buren
For this new project, Daniel Buren developed a design in around ten different colour variations. Following several discussions with the artist, five colourways were selected to create a coherent edition conceived specifically for the Giverny exhibition.
The scarves will be available exclusively from the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny museum shop during the exhibition. They will subsequently become part of the Brochier Soieries collection and continue to be available beyond the event.
A Silk Scarf Crafted in the Brochier Soieries Workshops
The scarf is produced as a 90 × 90 cm silk twill carré, finished with a hand-rolled hem. It is screen printed using the traditional Lyonnais frame-printing technique in the Brochier Soieries workshops, perpetuating one of the House’s historic areas of expertise.
This edition is the second silk scarf created with Daniel Buren, following the one produced in 1994 to mark the redevelopment of Lyon’s Place des Terreaux.
A Long-Standing Creative Partnership
The relationship between Daniel Buren and Brochier Soieries has its roots in the first collaborations initiated by Jacques and Robert Brochier.
It began through the Nouveau Musée in Villeurbanne, later to become the Institut d’Art Contemporain (IAC), then chaired by Robert Brochier. This meeting marked the beginning of a close relationship between Daniel Buren and the Brochier family. Over the years, this partnership has given rise to numerous projects in which artistic creation and textile craftsmanship have continually enriched one another.
Three Landmark Collaborations
Over the decades, many projects have been realised with Daniel Buren. Among them, three particularly illustrate the richness and diversity of this long-standing collaboration.
The Place des Terreaux Silk Scarf (1994)
“This is the first project that comes to mind,” recalls Cédric Brochier.
By then, the collaboration with Daniel Buren was already well established. When Daniel Buren and architect Christian Drevet were commissioned to redesign Lyon’s Place des Terreaux, the idea emerged to create an object celebrating this landmark project.
“Just as we have done today for Giverny, we wanted to create something together. Daniel Buren designed a silk scarf especially for the inauguration.”
The scarf has since become one of the emblematic pieces of the collaboration between the artist and Brochier Soieries. Thirty years later, the Giverny scarf naturally continues this story.
The Guggenheim SoHo Waistcoats (1998)
Among Cédric Brochier’s most memorable collaborations is the project created for the Guggenheim SoHo in New York.
For the exhibition Premises: Invested Spaces in Visual Arts, Architecture & Design from France, 1958–1998, Daniel Buren conceived an installation in which the museum guards became an integral part of the artwork.
“We produced the silk waistcoats they wore. I have always found the idea remarkable: transforming an everyday element of museum life into a work of art.”
In this project, textile became an integral component of the artwork itself, perfectly illustrating Daniel Buren’s ability to transform both space and its uses.
Illuminated Textiles: A New Chapter
From 2003 onwards, the collaboration entered a new phase with the development of the first illuminated textiles.
“It was an entirely new technical adventure. We began developing illuminated textiles for Daniel Buren, notably for an exhibition at the Art & Entreprise gallery founded by Georges Vernet Caron.”
Since then, these creations have accompanied numerous international projects by Daniel Buren, opening new possibilities in the dialogue between textile, light and space.
A Collaboration That Continues
Today, the dialogue between Daniel Buren and Brochier Soieries remains as active as ever.
“We are constantly discussing new projects. There are projects in France, in the United States, and there have been projects in Lebanon… There are always new ideas and new works in preparation.”
With the five silk scarves created for Plantations, travaux in situ, 2026, Brochier Soieries and Daniel Buren are writing a new chapter in a collaboration that has flourished for more than forty years, where artistic creation and textile excellence continue to inspire one another.