By Jim Biddulph

L’Envol is a shimmering new installation by Suffolk-based Giles Miller Studio, which captures the eye and imagination of visitors to the Champs-Élysées in Paris. While the vast vertical surface may initially conjure the rippling surface of a dark body of water, it is in fact made up of thousands of glazed ceramic discs. 

But much like water, the installation takes on a life of its own depending on the time of day, ambient light levels, and the viewer’s vantage point, making each visit entirely unique.  Known for their playful and often poetic movement of light across surfaces and objects, the studio set out to create a visually arresting artwork that begged to be touched. French for “the flight”, the installation is designed to elevate passersby’s experience, creating a moment of lift in their day that’s full of visual and tactile intrigue. 

Working closely with trusted Italian artisans, the team returned to ceramics for its enduring quality and opted for a mottled chrome finish, which both reflects and distorts the light and the surrounding environment. Each disc is handmade and therefore has its own distinct character and surface quality, which, when combined en masse at varied angles to one another, creates a monumental and ever-shifting artwork.