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Atlas 03 / 08

200 Porcelain Floating Bowls Making Abstract Music

These elegant porcelain bowls clink together, creating a delicate musical balance.

By Moss & Fog1 min read
The Clinamen installation by Céleste Boursier-Mougenot at the Bourse de Commerce in Paris — approximately 200 white porcelain bowls set adrift in a shallow pool, their gentle collisions producing a continuous, unscripted acoustic composition in which the music emerges from physics rather than notation

A Symphony of Chance: Céleste Boursier‑Mougenot’s ‘clinamen’

In the heart of Paris, a delicate and mesmerizing installation is happening beneath a soaring glass dome.

Céleste Boursier‑Mougenot’s installation clinamen has transformed the rotunda of the Bourse de Commerce into an immersive, musical oasis. 

A serene water feature with numerous white bowls floating on a blue surface, set against a minimalist concrete wall.

The piece consists of over 200 white porcelain bowls gently drifting across a vast circular pool of water.

As they collide and separate, they produce a spontaneous, melodic soundscape, entirely unplanned, yet strangely harmonious.

A serene interior space featuring a curved blue area with numerous white bowls arranged artistically, while a person sits on a beige ledge in the background.

Listen to the bowls gently making music below.

The experience feels almost like witnessing a natural phenomenon. There are no musicians or composers here.

Multiple white bowls floating on a bright blue surface, creating an abstract composition.

Instead, it’s the subtle current of water and the elegant randomness of movement that guides the sound. 

A collection of white bowls of various sizes arranged on a light blue surface, casting shadows that create an interesting pattern.

The term clinamen itself comes from an ancient Epicurean idea: the spontaneous swerve of atoms that gives birth to the unpredictable.

Fitting, then, that each moment within the installation is unique.

A serene pool of blue water with numerous floating white bowls, set against a textured gray concrete wall.

The installation is ongoing until September 21, 2025.

An interior view of a grand room featuring a circular water installation surrounded by a light-colored floor. The ceiling showcases an elaborate mural, and the walls are designed with smooth concrete panels.
A modern gallery interior featuring a circular pool filled with white discs floating on a blue surface, surrounded by concrete walls and large windows with wooden frames.

See more on Céleste Boursier- Mougenot’s Instagram.

A serene art installation featuring a light blue pool filled with white bowls, with visitors walking around and interacting in a spacious, minimalist gallery.
A serene modern space featuring a blue circular pool with white floating bowls, surrounded by a smooth beige border, and a concrete wall in the background. Several people are sitting and walking around the pool.

Images © Copyright Céleste Boursier- Mougenot. Used with permission.

By Moss & Fog Staff

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