Nicolas Daubanes lights up the Pantheon in winter 2025

A well-kept secret: artist Nicolas Daubanes takes over the Pantheon in Paris from November 19, 2025 to March 8, 2026. Following an in-depth analysis of his residency at ten national memorials, his installation “Ombre est lumière, mémoire des lieux” transforms the monument into a sensory experience combining contemporary art and historical memory.

A dialogue between shadows and memories

Nicolas Daubanes ‘ exhibition brings together works in iron filings and steel dust, materials he loves for their resistance and fragility. This duality reflects collective memory: solid in history, but vulnerable to oblivion. The chosen location, the Panthéon, reinforces the symbolic dimension by paying tribute to the figures of the Resistance.

Inspired by ten major memorial sites, including Montluc prison and Mont-Valérien, the creations convey the emotional force of the fighting, marking a new stage in the artist’s 15-year career. This installation will be one of the most important cultural events in Paris in 2025.

The approach of a committed artist

From his residencies at Villa Medici to his research in Rebibbia prison, Daubanes draws on the most charged places in memory. His installations question freedom, resistance and the transmission of human struggles. This demand is fully expressed in this carte blanche commissioned by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.

Visitors will encounter his favorite themes: prison spaces, the fragility of materials, and the role of art as a witness to collective suffering. Unlike conventional exhibitions, the approach favors emotional immersion and intimate resonance with the public.

Why the Pantheon is the place to be

The choice of the Panthéon is not insignificant: a temple of national memory, it embodies great French figures such as Jean Moulin and Missak Manouchian. Daubanes’ work finds an immediate resonance here, with each sculpture interacting with the sacred architecture. Raw materials amplify the contrast between permanence and disappearance.

Professionals agree that this project is part of a redefinition of the role of historic monuments: not just places of commemoration, but also platforms for contemporary creation. In this way, history becomes living matter, reinvested by the art of today.

“These iron filings evoke the fragility and resilience of our collective memories” – Nicolas Daubanes, artist

The sensory experience promised by Daubanes is based on particular attention to light and shadow, echoing the very title of the exhibition. This scenography magnifies visitors’ perception and makes the fragility of collective histories palpable.

Part of a rich cultural season

The Centre des Monuments Nationaux has designed a dense and varied 2025 program, including the parallel exhibition dedicated to Robert Badinter at the Panthéon from October. The schedule confirms the Centre’s determination to keep the monument at the heart of contemporary memorial debates.

This complementarity between contemporary art and homage to historical figures makes the Panthéon a central location for Parisian cultural life in winter 2025. Daubanes’ installation will be one of the highlights of this calendar, alongside other eagerly-awaited events such as the L’Oréal Paris 2025 fashion show.

“The exhibition offers a sensitive dialogue between art and history at the heart of the Panthéon, an important place of national remembrance.” – Center des monuments nationaux

An experience not to be missed

Since our last visit to the Pantheon, this type of programming has proved that heritage and modernity can coexist. The materials diverted by the artist lend a singular texture to the works, and engage each viewer with their intensity.

The €13 entrance fee is affordable for the experience on offer. Free admission for children under 18 also encourages intergenerational transmission. In a Parisian context, this affordability is noteworthy.

In addition to the artistic thrill, the project testifies to the institutional recognition of Daubanes’ work, which has won several prestigious awards including Drawing Now 2021. His installation at the Pantheon confirms his status as a key artist on the French contemporary scene.

Practical information

Address: Panthéon, Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris. Metro: Cardinal Lemoine (line 10), Maubert-Mutualité (line 10). Dates: November 19, 2025 to March 8, 2026. Times: daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m., last admission 5:15 p.m. Price: €13 full price, free for under-18s. Official website: monuments-nationaux.fr. Online booking recommended, especially for weekends and school vacations.