Philippe Parreno Black Happy Ending, 2024
Black blown glass, electrical system, dimmer, DMX switch and plug in brass, DMX player
81 x 53 x 36,8 cm
Unique in a series of 20 variations
This work is the latest iteration of the Happy Ending series that refer to an early work by Philippe Parreno, conceived for his 1996 solo exhibition at Ynglingagatan 1, an alternative art space in Stockholm. On that occasion, Parreno presented a lamp designed by Arne Jacobsen, mysteriously lit without being visibly plugged in. In 1997, on the occasion of a solo exhibition in Paris, Parreno presented glass reinterpretations of previous works that no longer existed, including the Happy Ending lamp. Today, the work has been reincarnated again, creating a ghostly reminder of these two previous exhibitions.
The lamp has an artist-designed and DMX-controlled light flickering program.