On an Island Outside Paris, a Sprawling Contemporary Arts Center Aptly Called ‘Large’ Prepares to Open Its Doors

The landmark institution’s first exhibition pays homage to a historic Renault automobile plant that once operated on the Île Seguin in the Seine River. “The project called for a great deal of perseverance,” one official says

Christian Thorsberg | Daily Correspondent

October 15, 2026 4:19 p.m.

Share

Copy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrint

Add as preferred source

Just outside of Paris, perched on an island in the Seine River, a massive, much-anticipated institution is preparing to open its doors. Spanning some 54,000 square feet, the capital region’s newest contemporary art center, which officially debuts this weekend, appears poised to live up to its name: Large.

The scale of the new development on Île Seguin is, in fact, large. Shining with a copper and aluminum exterior, Large is the centerpiece of a roughly 570,000-square-foot, $500-million development called Pointe des Arts, which includes a performing arts center, movie theater, sculpture garden, hotel, shopping district and more.

Though Large’s name is also meant to evoke the French phrase “prendre le large,” which means “to set sail,” the island it sits on is better known among Parisians for its rich automotive history.

Throughout much of the 20th century, the island belonging to the inner suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt was home to the original Renault car factory, an industrial and economic powerhouse for France. In the 1930s, more than 30,000 workers made their living at the plant. But after its closure in 1992, the island began to stall. The abandoned plant was not torn down until 2005, and the effort to turn the post-industrial site into a public space moved slowly.

“In the face of trials and tribulations, the project called for a great deal of perseverance,” Pierre-Christophe Baguet, the mayor of Boulogne-Billancourt, says in a statement. “Over the course of almost 20 years, many succumbed to fatalism and discouragement and gave up on the site. Others sought to derail the project rather than to see it succeed. … It is a great victory over ignorance and prevailing selfishness.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Large (@large.emerige)

As an homage to the location’s history, Large’s inaugural exhibition, titled “Imaginary Engine,” will focus on the relationship between humans and machines, with a particular emphasis on cars. The show features more than 100 artworks created by 55 artists from 23 countries. The oldest pieces on display were made in the 1930s, while 17 pieces were commissioned for the museum’s opening.

“Opening a new institution is always rare, and doing it on an island so charged with memory is a real privilege,” Cecilia Alemani, who curated “Imaginary Engine,” tells ARTnews’ Sarah Belmont. “The Renault factory was dismantled long ago, and today a brand-new building rises in its place, open to everyone.”

The exhibition is separated into five thematic chapters, each exploring industrial constraints and mechanical language with a variety of media. Accompanying the exhibition, which runs through March 7, is a series of film screenings that center iconic cars and car chases, including The Blues Brothers, Thelma and Louise and Taxi Tehran.

Starting with “Imaginary Engines,” Large is meant to serve a similar function to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. “Paris needed a place where it could showcase art by artists who live and work here, whether they are established or emerging,” Paula Aisemberg, Large’s director, tells the New York Times’ Tina Isaac-Goizé.

Large plans to operate by rotating temporary exhibitions throughout its vast public-facing space, 40 percent of which will cost nothing to visit. Visitors who are 26 or younger will be admitted free.

“‘Large’ is its name. It is an invitation to set sail, to shift our perspectives, and to broaden our horizons,” Laurent Dumas, president of Large, says in the statement. “Because art transforms our ways of seeing and understanding the world, it is essential that we share and transmit it.”

“Imaginary Engine” will be on view at Large in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, from October 17, 2026, to March 7, 2027.

Christian Thorsberg is an environmental writer and photographer from Chicago. His work, which often centers on freshwater issues, climate change and subsistence, has appeared in Circle of Blue, Sierra magazine, Discover magazine and Alaska Sporting Journal.