Soleils Mineurs

At the frontiers of science, the work of Lucien Bitaux, a 2021 graduate of Le Fresnoy, centres on the exploration of cosmic dimensions invisible to the naked eye and on the creation of optical measurement instruments. This exhibition will mark the defence of his doctoral thesis in artistic creation and the presentation of his research.

Stone and light are the raw materials of photography. In search of their imprints, Lucien Bitaux explores and reinvents the instruments of vision. From the camera’s sensor to a distant star, stone asserts itself as both a tool and a subject. The realm of the image lies between the depths of the mines and the vastness of space observed from the observatories. In this interstice, stone generates forms that are visually abstract yet physically tangible.

Opening on 18 October 2025 at 12.30 pm, in the presence of the artist.

The artist

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Lucien Bitaux pioneered Scoposcopy, a discipline that seeks to represent imperceptible dimensions. After completing a one-year diploma course entitled ‘Understanding and Exploring the Universe’ at the Paris Observatory, he continued his work on the visible during a residency at the Cité internationale des Arts in Paris and at Le Fresnoy, the national studio for contemporary arts in Tourcoing. There, he carried out two projects: *Les liminaux*, a metamorphosis of being through vision, supervised by Valérie Jouve, and *Nadir – Picture Elements Explorer*, mentored by Justine Émard. With a sense of wonder, he seeks other ways to capture and portray reality. This experimental approach relies on the creation of his own instruments. The devices are thus regarded as the link between the referent and its signifier, between an object and its image.

Exhibition partners

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In collaboration with the Regional Centre for Photography and the University of Lille.