inflatable sculptures reimagine antiques as expressions of paradox in paris' iconic flea market

"The collective, led by architect and designer Julien Sebban, developed a series of site-specific inflatable installations that transform the market's entrances and interiors into a unified scenographic experience. Uchronia's proposal examines the theme of paradox through material, scale, and typological contrast. The studio introduces monumental inflatable sculptures that reinterpret familiar architectural and domestic forms in unexpected ways. By using inflatables, lightweight, temporary, and luminous, the installations engage with ideas of permanence, transience, and reinterpretation, echoing the eclectic and ever-evolving character of the iconic antique market."

"Each of the market's three main entrances features a distinct installation exploring a different expression of paradox through form and function. Inflatable Antiquity: Classical columns and sculptural fragments, torsos, busts, and limbs, emerge from or break free of their architectural bases. The installation juxtaposes the stability of classical art with the impermanence of inflatable material, turning traditional symbols of endurance into light, mobile forms."

"Oversized Domestic Objects: Everyday vessels such as vases and amphorae are reinterpreted as monumental totems. Typically fragile and ornamental, these objects are scaled up and rendered in inflatable form, creating a visual dialogue between delicacy and exaggeration, intimacy and spectacle. Levitation Chairs: Chairs representing various design periods, from the Louis XIV era to the present, are suspended within translucent inflatable columns. The piece reframes utilitarian furniture as cultural artifacts, contrasting th"

For the 2025 Fête des Puces at the Paul Bert Serpette market in Saint-Ouen, the collective Uchronia, led by architect and designer Julien Sebban, created Paradox, a series of site-specific inflatable installations. The installations transform market entrances and interiors into a unified scenographic experience and investigate paradox through material, scale, and typological contrast. Monumental inflatable sculptures reinterpret architectural and domestic forms in unexpected ways. Lightweight, temporary, and luminous inflatables engage ideas of permanence, transience, and reinterpretation, echoing the eclectic, ever-evolving character of the antique market. Nine installations explore expressions such as Inflatable Antiquity, Oversized Domestic Objects, and Levitation Chairs.

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