Neither Appearance nor Illusion was an installation in the Musée du Louvre of the 12th century remains of the original fortress built to protect Paris from Anglo-Norman threat. The foundations were revealed during the archaeological renovations of the Grand Louvre in 1989. This installation marked the first time this particular space had been used to display art.

The title of this installation, ‘Neither Appearance nor Illusion’ (‘ni apparence ni illusion’) is taken from a quote of Friedrich Nietzsche. The installation’s fifteen sentences, distributed in various positions along the walls, suggest a quest both experiential and introspective. They play on the complex relationships between history, archeology and the role of the visitor to complete the work themselves. The artist, an originator of appropriation and well known for the use of texts and quotations of others for his works, has decided in this case, and for the first time since 1979, to construct the texts himself.

A catalogue, 'ni apparence ni illusion', is published by MER Paperkunsthalle, Ghent and the Musee du Louvre, Paris (2010, ISBN 978-94-906-9303-9).

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8916