Personal stories at macLYON – 2025

Two women in front of a work by Marina Markovic at macLYON
There is no reality besides corporeality, Marina Marković

From September 19, 2025, to January 4, 2026, macLYON, Lyon’s Museum of Contemporary Art, is hosting a double art exhibition.

Personal Stories / Political Realities creates a dialogue between works from the permanent collections of MoCAB in Belgrade and macLYON.
This exhibition will continue in Belgrade during the summer of 2026.

Efflorescence / The Way we wake showcases two Canadian artists.

During the preview, I took a short museum stroll with my camera to create exhibition views and capture a few symbolic interactions between the audience and the artworks.

Personal Stories / Political Realities

On the first floor, there are works that illustrate the themes “Manifestation of Bodies” and “Living in Relationships.”

two women in front of a work by Maxwell Alexandre-MacLYON
Untitled, Maxwell Alexandre (Brésil) at MacLYON.
Being beautiful like them by Marilou Poncin at macLYON
Etre belle comme elles, 2023 – Marilou Poncin

video projection of a couple slapping each other at macLYON
Light/Dark, 1977-1999 – Marina Abramovic & Ulay
Man seen from behind in front of Sophie Calle's La couleur aveugle (The Blind Color) macLYON
La couleur aveugle, 1991 – Sophie Calle

On the second floor, works are gathered around the themes “Collective Spaces” and “From Politics to Counter‑Politics.”

granite square with the word FUTURE engraved on it
Future, 2017 – Mladen Miljanovic
Woman seen from behind in front of the artwork Rito de Iniciación, JAZ
Rito de Iniciación, 2016 – Franco Fasoli JAZ
Woman seen from behind in front of Instrument of Activity by Biljana Durdevic at macLYON
Instrument of Activity, 2015 – Biljana Durdevic
Journey to Asazi Simphiwe - Ndzube
Journey to Asazi, 2019 – Simphiwe Ndzube
Fallers painting by Mihael Milunovic at macLYON
Fallers 1, 2023. – Mihael Milunović

Efflorescence / The Way we wake

The museum’s third floor brings together two artists based in Canada, Rajni Perera and Marigold Santos, who have previously collaborated on several projects before creating a site‑specific work for this exhibition.

Woman on the phone in front of Only Enough Air for Myself - Rajni Perera

Having both been shaped by the experience of immigration, these artists share a strong sense of connection as well as common themes such as motherhood and feminism.

Efflorescence The Way We Wake - Rajni Perera & Marigold Santos
Efflorescence/The Way We Wake – Rajni Perera & Marigold Santos, 2023.
Only Enough Air for Myself by Rajni Perera
Only Enough Air for Myself – Rajni Perera, 2023

This exhibition gave the two artists the opportunity to present a new collaborative work created in ink using a Japanese technique.

Rajni Perera & Marigold Santos at MACLyon
Rajni Perera and Marigold Santos at MACLyon in 2025, standing in front of their artwork “Artifact/Ephemeral Vestiges”

The Way we wake: more personal stories

Man dozing on a sofa, having left his shoes at macLYON
  • women visiting a work by Marina Marković
  • Young woman mimicking a painting at macLYON
  • couple looking at a painting at the macLYon
  • selfie devant une photographie de Sanja Ivekovic
  • homme tenant une enveloppe au macLYON
  • couple en arrière plan de Journey to Asazi - Simphiwe Ndzube
  • homme téléphonant a coté d'une œuvre au macLYON


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