Edel Assanti presents And yet it still moves, the fifth solo exhibition by Noémie Goudal, one of the most innovative voices in contemporary photography. The show explores the movement of the Earth through illusion, science, and cinematic storytelling, inviting viewers into landscapes in flux.
The exhibition – Landscapes in motion
Spanning three consecutive rooms, And yet it still moves offers distinct perspectives on the planet’s transformation. Each space becomes a window onto geological time, blending visual poetry with scientific research.
At the core of the exhibition is the new large-scale photographic series Delta (2025), immersively staged in the main gallery. These works transport viewers to the Carboniferous vegetation of the Mazon Creek delta, a prehistoric environment that existed 309 million years ago. Through layered compositions and illusionistic installations, Goudal re-creates the delta as a living ecosystem — fragile, ephemeral, and ever-changing.
Grand Vide – The power of cinematic illusion
The exhibition’s climax is the UK premiere of Goudal’s film Grand Vide (2024), first commissioned for her Prix Marcel Duchamp presentation at the Centre Pompidou.
In this film, large photographic sets collapse in slow motion, choreographed with theatrical precision. These scenes simulate invisible forces such as tectonic movement and erosion, creating a visual metaphor for the planet’s continual reshaping. The result is both immersive and meditative — a cinematic performance where images breathe, crumble, and regenerate.
Art, ecology, and Earth sciences
Goudal’s work sits at the intersection of art, ecology, and geology. Her installations are built through extensive research into Earth sciences and environmental transformation. Each photograph and film sequence questions how humans perceive natural processes that occur beyond human timescales.
By constructing illusionistic interventions within both natural and artificial settings, Goudal reveals how easily perception can be manipulated. What looks like a genuine landscape may in fact be a fragile stage set — a metaphor for the planet’s own instability.
A poetic reflection on a moving planet
With And yet it still moves, Edel Assanti reaffirms its commitment to artists exploring critical global themes through innovative visual languages. Goudal transforms scientific knowledge into emotional experience, making geology and time tangible.
