The imaginary museum of Oli
An exhibition where rapper Oli invites visitors into his personal world, bringing together contemporary art, rap and the stories that shaped him.
Role — Design • 2D animation • Post Production
Client — Oli • Les Abattoirs Museum
I had the opportunity to contribute to The Imaginary Museum of Oli, an exhibition curated by rapper Oli at Les Abattoirs, the contemporary art museum in Toulouse, France. The exhibition brings together artworks selected through Oli’s personal experiences, sensitivities and connection to rap, creating unexpected encounters between his world and the museum’s collection.
I worked on two installations envisioned by Oli. For the first, I created a typographic animation built around some of his rap punchlines, turning his words into a moving visual piece. For the second, I worked on the post-production of a video for an immersive installation, adapting the content to the physical space and its display conditions.
As a Toulouse native and a longtime fan of Bigflo & Oli, contributing to this exhibition was a particularly meaningful project for me.
PUNCHLINES
Oli selected around 60 punchlines from his songs to be turned into a moving typographic piece. I animated each one, developing different transitions and creating specific animations to reflect the meaning and rhythm of individual punchlines.
The final piece runs as a four-minute loop. I also went on site at the museum to install the work and make adjustments directly in the space, refining details, positioning and timings to ensure everything worked as intended.
A selection of early explorations.
Some made it into the exhibition, while others remain tucked away on my computer forever.
THE IMAGINARY PIANIST
Le pianiste imaginaire is an installation created by Oli, featuring a piano that plays by itself while its shadow reveals an absent pianist, like a ghostly presence behind the music. The work pays tribute to the repertoire of Claude Nougaro, a singer and songwriter from Toulouse.
I worked on the post-production of the video provided by Oli’s team, creating and integrating the pianist’s shadow. I then went on site to adapt the installation to the space, adjusting the positioning and scale of both the piano and the projected pianist to ensure the illusion worked from the visitors’ viewpoint.
