Pascale Marthine Tayou

With this edition, Pascale Marthine Tayou brings a simple, universal expression into a concise and luminous form. ‘Joie de vivre’ is a neon work, translating a familiar phrase into light. Known for a practice that moves across materials, places, and meanings, Tayou often works with elements that are immediately recognisable, allowing them to carry both personal and shared significance.

Here, the handwritten script gives the work an intimate quality, while the neon medium introduces a sense of presence and immediacy. The phrase itself is a statement, a wish, or a reminder.

Presented in three colour variations, each version shifts the atmosphere of the work without changing its form. The warm, youthful glow of yellow, the vivid intensity of red, and the electrifying coolness of blue each shape a distinct atmosphere, inviting you to connect with the work in a way that feels personal and immediate.

Across the edition of 25, the work remains consistent in its message while allowing for subtle variation in mood. In its simplicity, ‘Joie de vivre’ reflects Tayou’s broader approach: artworks that appear immediate, yet reveal a layered and shifting set of meanings over time.